TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A job posting by Far Eastern Memorial Hospital looking to hire recovered COVID-19 patients as caretakers has attracted the attention of netizens after emerging on social media on Sunday (May 29).

According to an image shared to the group “Long-term care service worker job resource platform” by Facebook User Peggy Hsu, the hospital offered NT$7,500 (US$258.30) for every 12-hour shift and required candidates to be under the age of 65, recovered from COVID, and vaccinated with three shots. Candidates did not need to have a medical background.

The job required candidates to care for COVID patients in the specialty ward at the hospital, from feeding them, helping them turn over, to changing diapers. The hospital estimated that the job would finish at the end of July.

The attractive salary quickly garnered netizens’ attention, many of whom contacted Far Eastern Memorial Hospital and reported that the positions had been filled. Hsu wrote in the comments that other hospitals such as Mackay Memorial Hospital and the Ministry of Health and Welfare Hospital, Changhua were also looking for caretakers, paying NT$5,000 per eight-hour shift and offering accommodation and free health checks.

Hsu explained, “After you become a confirmed case, no matter what happens in the following three months, you will not be identified as a recurring confirmed case again. Therefore, the hospital that hires you does not need to worry about being liable for your ‘infection on the job.’” She added that this was hospitals’ way to enlist “disposable” staff members, though in this case, being disposable is “fine” because of the higher pay.