In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters today (February 20) for people in need of the service.

     The temporary shelters will remain open during the daytime tomorrow (February 21) when the Cold Weather Warning is still in force.

     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.

     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2572 8427 for more information.

     In light of the implementation of mandatory use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application when entering government premises, all persons are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter temporary cold shelters, except for exempted persons (including persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities that render use of the app difficult and persons without smartphones). All exempted persons are required to complete a prescribed form to register their personal particulars, contact phone number and the date and time of entry. The staff will verify the information provided.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

 Hong Kong Island:
 ——————–

 Central and Western:
 Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
 3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, 2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

 Eastern:
 Causeway Bay Community Centre
 3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

 Southern:
 Wah Kwai Community Centre
 Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay

 Wan Chai:
 Wan Chai Activities Centre
 LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

 Kowloon:
 ——————

 Kowloon City:
 Hung Hom Community Hall
 1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

 Kwun Tong:
 Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
 71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

 Sham Shui Po:
 Nam Cheong District Community Centre
 1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po

 Wong Tai Sin:
 Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
 45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan

 Yau Tsim Mong:
 Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
 60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

 New Territories:
 —————-

 Islands:
 Tung Chung Community Hall
 G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

 Kwai Tsing:
 Kwai Shing Community Hall
 Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung

 North:
 North District Community Centre
 2 Lung Wan Street, Sheung Shui

 Sai Kung:
 Chi Shin Activity Centre
 G/F, Tseung Kwan O South Ancillary Facilities Block
 5 Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O

 Sha Tin:
 Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
 Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin

 Tai Po:
 Tai Po Community Centre
 2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po

 Tsuen Wan:
 Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
 G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan

 Tuen Mun:
 Butterfly Bay Community Centre
 Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

 Yuen Long:
 Long Ping Community Hall
 Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long 

     To follow up the second Mainland-Hong Kong thematic meeting on COVID-19 epidemic, the task force of ensuring medical supplies led by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, is proactively co-ordinating medical supplies from the Mainland to Hong Kong. The first batch of 150 000 boxes of anti-epidemic Chinese medicines donated by our nation, and some previously ordered supplies have arrived at Hong Kong today (February 20).
      
     Mr Yau said, "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is grateful to the Central Government for its care of the people of Hong Kong and its strong support for the city's anti-epidemic efforts. Leveraging the Central Authorities' guidance based on their experience in fighting the epidemic, as well as their manpower and resource support, the HKSAR Government will spare no efforts in combating the fifth wave of the epidemic."
      
     Mr Yau said that the task force is working at full speed to co-ordinate the deliveries, ensuring that the large number of medical supplies including rapid antigen test (RAT) kits, masks, medicines, protective gear and medical products from the Mainland are delivered to Hong Kong and distributed to relevant departments, organisations and residents in an orderly manner.
      
     To enhance the capability of "early identification, early isolation and early treatment of the infected", the HKSAR Government is procuring over 100 million RAT kits to substantially ramp up our capacity for rapid testing. The kits will be distributed as a priority to specified high-risk and target groups, such as staff and residents of residential care homes for the elderly and the disabled, medical staff, cleaning staff, property management staff and individuals under home quarantine. The first batch of 10 million RAT kits provided by the Mainland has arrived in batches since yesterday (February 19). The rest of the kits ordered from around the globe including the Mainland will arrive progressively. 
      
     Apart from the 150 000 boxes of Chinese medicines donated by our nation today, more than 300 000 boxes of different types of Chinese medicines will be delivered from the Mainland to Hong Kong in batches. The first batch of 25 million KN95 masks provided by the Mainland has also arrived in batches recently.      
      
     The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau will continue to co-ordinate with departments and agencies to procure and distribute urgently needed medical supplies to fight the epidemic, and will request for assistance from the Mainland when necessary.
                
     The task force will discuss with the corresponding task forces of the Mainland to ensure that resources can be expeditiously supplied to Hong Kong to cope with the aggravating fifth wave of the epidemic.

     The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a restaurant in Wong Tai Sin to suspend business for 14 days as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally.

     The restaurant, located at the ground floor and the cockloft of 14 Tsz Wah Lane, Tsz Wan Shan, Wong Tai Sin, was ordered to suspend business from today (February 20) to March 5.

     "Two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the shop last October. The licensee of the restaurant was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment suspended for 18 months. Thirty demerit points were also registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system leading to the 14-day licence suspension," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.

     The licensee of the shop had a record of convictions for preparing food and storing equipment or utensils in open space and extending the business area illegally last January and last August respectively. A total fine of $2,500 was levied and the licensee of the restaurant was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment suspended for 18 months for the respective offences. Fifteen demerit points were also registered, leading to a seven-day licence suspension last November.

     The spokesman reminded the licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.

     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/index.html).

     The Environment Bureau (ENB) today (February 20) said that a driver of ENB had undergone a rapid test with a result being preliminarily positive for COVID-19. The driver will return a deep throat saliva specimen for analysis in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Health as soon as possible.
      
     The driver is responsible for driving duties for the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing. He does not need to have contact with the public and had no recent travel history. He wore masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work. He last performed duties on February 19.
      
     Mr Wong has taken a COVID-19 rapid test and the result is negative. He will return his deep throat saliva sample for testing as soon as possible. For prudence's sake, Mr Wong will work from home until the test result released.
      
     Mr Wong was scheduled to attend the meeting with the Mainland expert delegation this afternoon to introduce the sewage surveillance plan of Hong Kong. He will now attend the meeting by videoconferencing.

     As the business and operation of the wholesalers operating in the fresh food wholesale markets, and local primary producers have been considerably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government will provide financial relief under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. In addition, a one-off interest-free loan repayment deferral for a period of one year to loan borrowers of the Fisheries Development Loan Fund (FDLF) is also provided.

     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (February 20) that a subsidy of $100,000 will be provided to each marine fish wholesaler in Fish Marketing Organization (FMO) markets; $20,000 to each of other kind of fresh food wholesalers operating in public or private wholesale markets (including fresh marine fish, freshwater fish, vegetable, fresh fruit, and egg but excluding live poultry and frozen meat) (but the total amount of subsidy is capped at $100,000 for wholesale traders that operate multiple stores under the same registration); $20,000 to the owners of each fishing vessel or fish collector vessel with Mainland deckhands; and $10,000 to each local primary producer (including owners/operators of vegetable farms, hydroponic farms, flower farms and nurseries, marine fish culture farms, pond fish farms, fishing vessels and fish collector vessels without hiring Mainland deckhands, but excluding those of livestock farms).

     The spokesman expected about 11 000 fresh food wholesalers and local primary producers would be benefitted under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund.

     Moreover, the Government will provide one-off interest-free deferral of loan repayment for a period of one year to loan borrowers under the FDLF. The AFCD will issue a letter together with a confirmation slip to all borrowers.

     The application for the subsidies to local primary industries under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will start tomorrow (February 21). The deadline of applications for fresh food wholesalers and local primary producers, namely owners/operators of vegetable farms, hydroponic farms, flower farms and nurseries, marine fish culture farms and pond fish farms is April 4 while that for owners of fishing vessels or fish collector vessels is May 20. The AFCD will notify eligible applicants by post or phone and application forms will be sent by email, fax or post, or through the AFCD and FMO/Vegetable Marketing Organization (VMO) wholesale markets or concerned organisations. Application forms can also be downloaded from the AFCD website (Agricultural sector: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_agr/what_agr.html; Fisheries sector: afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_fis/what_fis.html).

     The loan borrowers of the FDLF must send the acceptance confirmation slip back by April 25 by fax, post or WeChat.

     Enquiry numbers are as follows: