Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Cold Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Cold Weather Warning is in force, they should take appropriate precautions such as reminding employees who have to work outdoors or in remote areas to wear appropriately warm clothing, and make arrangements for employees to rotate from outdoor to indoor or sheltered work sites as far as possible. Employees should take note of the weather report, wear appropriately warm clothing and be mindful of their health conditions. They should notify their supervisors and seek medical help immediately if feeling unwell, such as having cold limbs and body shivering.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (December 30) reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather.

     A spokesman for the CHP said that cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases, especially among the elderly and persons suffering from heart disease, respiratory illness or other chronic illnesses.

     "Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker. Their body may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather," the spokesman said.

     Some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can in turn slow down their ability to generate and conserve body heat. Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes and endocrine disorders, may undermine the health of elderly people and lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their body to generate less heat.

     The CHP reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures:

• Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks accordingly;
• Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;
• Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
• Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
• Use heaters with care and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and
• Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.
 
     In addition, the public should avoid alcoholic beverages.

     "Drinking alcohol cannot keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead," the spokesman said.

     "Parents should ensure that babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies lightly clothed to avoid overheating them," the spokesman added.

     Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:

• Keep the room well ventilated and with a comfortable temperature;
• Always place babies on their back to sleep. Babies usually sleep well without a pillow;
• Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects and loose bedding;
• Leave their head, face and arms uncovered during sleep; and
• Let babies sleep in a cot placed in the parents' room and near their bed.

     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infections, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They should adhere to the following advice:

• A surgical mask can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or doorknobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a litre of water into each drain outlet (U-trap) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• Cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.
• Receive seasonal influenza vaccination, which is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications; and
• Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccination early. Please see details of the vaccination programmes and scheme on the CHP’s website.

     Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hot pot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken:

• Wash hands before handling and consuming food;
• Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food;
• Wash and cook all food thoroughly;
• Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub vegetables with hard surfaces with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from the surface and crevices;
• Shrimps should be fully cooked by cooking them until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque;
• For shellfish like scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove internal organs;
• Most hot pot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees Celsius or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below;
• Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hot pot; and
• Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

     In addition, the public should not use charcoal as a cooking fuel in poorly ventilated areas, especially indoors, to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning. While using other kinds of fuel, the public should also ensure adequate ventilation.

     For more health information, the public may call the DH's Health Education Hotline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP's website and Facebook Fanpage.

     The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecast, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     The fire danger situation today (December 30) is red and fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire. If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for a picnic and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is $25,000 and a year's imprisonment.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has been informed by the Boys' Brigade, Hong Kong that the territory-wide flag-selling activity in public places scheduled to be held today (December 30) has been cancelled, a spokesman for the SWD said.
 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD, including any updated information, have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search).
 
     For enquiries, please contact Miss Lam of the organisation at 2273 0303.

     In response to media enquiries regarding deep-throat saliva (DTS) specimens found not suitable for testing, the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) responded on December 28 as follows:
      
     The Government has been monitoring the latest developments of COVID-19 testing and making reference to scientific research, practical experience and expert opinions from various places and Hong Kong in selecting the appropriate specimen collection method for different testing schemes.
      
     Currently, specimen collection for the purpose of compulsory testing has mostly adopted professional swab sampling of combined nasal and throat swab (CNTS) to ensure specimen quality. For instance, the Government sets up mobile specimen collection stations with professional swabbing service for virus testing near residential buildings of persons subject to compulsory testing specified under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J). For the free testing arranged by the Government for groups subject to compulsory testing such as staff of residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as taxi drivers, professional swab sampling (CNTS) is also adopted.
      
     The 19 community testing centres which provide services to over 20 000 citizens per day and may issue testing certificates to citizens for travel purposes also adopt professional swab sampling as the specimen collection method. The Hospital Authority (HA) also uses professional swab sampling (throat swab or nasopharyngeal aspirate) or collection of DTS under medical professionals' supervision for testing as a criterion in discharging from isolation condition. 
      
     To further prevent importation of cases, the temporary specimen collection centre set up at the Hong Kong International Airport has already adopted the specimen collection method of professional swab sampling (CNTS) for people arriving Hong Kong. As for people arriving Hong Kong from places outside China who are subject to compulsory quarantine, the sampling and testing required at designated quarantine hotels (including two tests on the 12th and 19th or 20th day of arrival in Hong Kong) will also adopt professional swab sampling.
      
     From November 15 to December 22, a total of more than 450 000 tests have been carried out through the above-mentioned "compulsory testing", with professional swab sampling accounting for close to 60 per cent of the specimens tested. During the same period, the community testing centres' fee-paying testing service had provided professional swabbing service to over 220 000 persons, accounting for close to 50 per cent of the 1.36 million tests conducted in Hong Kong during that period.
      
     Other community testing arrangement for surveillance purpose under "targeted testing" and "voluntary testing" for general public and targeted groups are conducted on voluntary basis. The Government would adopt different sampling methods, including distribution of DTS specimen bottles, having regard to the venue and other factors. In fact, through the 188 distribution points (including 47 designated general outpatient clinics under HA, 121 post offices or vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations) and 83 collection points for citizens to obtain free testing, it is indeed more convenient for citizens who feel that they are at a higher risk of infection or are mildly unwell to submit DTS samples. It would facilitate voluntary testing as well as "early identification, early isolation, early treatment" as recommended by overseas and local experts. From November 15 to December 22, we have distributed close to 540 000 specimen bottles through these distribution points and collected about 240 000 samples for testing. Among them, 238 positive cases were detected (0.10%).
      
     DTS, nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and combined nasal and throat swab (CNTS) are the most common specimen types used in Hong Kong for specimen collection. The three methods are generally on par in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, and have so far been effective in identifying COVID-19 cases. At present, the Government would select different specimen collection methods having regard to the actual situation, including factors such as testing purpose, site environment and convenience to the public, etc.