The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will deliver the 2022-23 Budget to the Legislative Council at 11am tomorrow (February 23). The full text of the Budget Speech and other related materials will be released simultaneously on the … read more
The Government yesterday (February 21) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” with effect from 2.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Sha Tin (i.e. Chung Wo House, Chung On Estate, Sha Tin, excluding Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Sha Tin District Cleansing Section Ma On Shan Depot, and TWGHs Lions Club of South Kowloon Nursery School on G/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from February 8 to February 21, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 23, 2022.
The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 10.30am today and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 12.30pm today.
The Government delivered food pack to persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. The Housing Department also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 10.30am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 12.30pm. Test records of around 120 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. No person was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminded the households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more
In response to media enquiries about the follow-up on the case of a driver of the Environment Bureau (ENB) testing preliminarily positive for COVID-19 through a rapid test, a spokesman for the ENB today (February 22) said that the d… read more
The Government announced today (February 22) that starting from March 1, all foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) coming to work in Hong Kong may choose to undertake compulsory quarantine at both designated quarantine facilities (DQFs) or designated quarantine hotels (DQHs).
A Government spokesperson said, “All overseas places are Group A specified places and all inbound travellers from overseas places are subject to the same quarantine arrangements, including undertaking compulsory quarantine for 14 days at a DQH. As such, starting from March 1, all FDHs coming to work in Hong Kong may, apart from choosing to undertake compulsory quarantine at DQFs, choose to undertake compulsory quarantine at DQHs as with other inbound travellers from overseas places.”
“Besides, in view of the severe local fifth wave epidemic, the Government has implemented the Community Isolation Facility (CIF) Hotel Scheme to provide isolated accommodation to people tested positive for COVID-19 but have no or mild symptoms. After reviewing the situation, the Government decided to convert Regala Skycity Hotel (Regala) and iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel, which are originally serving as DQFs for FDHs, into CIFs in conjunction with the implementation of the above Scheme. People currently residing in these two hotels will be transferred to other DQF/DQHs. The hotels will inform those affected one by one. As for the FDHs who have reserved for staying at these facilities from March 1 onwards, employers or employment agencies (EAs) should reserve other DQFs/DQHs for these FDHs. Room fees already paid will be fully refunded. The Government would like to thank FDHs, employers and EAs for their understanding and cooperation.”
The hotels will inform those affected one by one, and make the following arrangements for FDHs residing or who will be checking into Regala or iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel to undertake compulsory quarantine:
The Government announced today (February 22) that starting from March 1, all foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) coming to work in Hong Kong may choose to undertake compulsory quarantine at both designated quarantine facilities (DQFs) or designated quarantine hotels (DQHs).
A Government spokesperson said, “All overseas places are Group A specified places and all inbound travellers from overseas places are subject to the same quarantine arrangements, including undertaking compulsory quarantine for 14 days at a DQH. As such, starting from March 1, all FDHs coming to work in Hong Kong may, apart from choosing to undertake compulsory quarantine at DQFs, choose to undertake compulsory quarantine at DQHs as with other inbound travellers from overseas places.”
“Besides, in view of the severe local fifth wave epidemic, the Government has implemented the Community Isolation Facility (CIF) Hotel Scheme to provide isolated accommodation to people tested positive for COVID-19 but have no or mild symptoms. After reviewing the situation, the Government decided to convert Regala Skycity Hotel (Regala) and iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel, which are originally serving as DQFs for FDHs, into CIFs in conjunction with the implementation of the above Scheme. People currently residing in these two hotels will be transferred to other DQF/DQHs. The hotels will inform those affected one by one. As for the FDHs who have reserved for staying at these facilities from March 1 onwards, employers or employment agencies (EAs) should reserve other DQFs/DQHs for these FDHs. Room fees already paid will be fully refunded. The Government would like to thank FDHs, employers and EAs for their understanding and cooperation.”
The hotels will inform those affected one by one, and make the following arrangements for FDHs residing or who will be checking into Regala or iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel to undertake compulsory quarantine: