Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (August 24) announced that subsequent to providing free COVID-19 testing for all Hong Kong mobile fishermen and their deckhands on board vessels operating in Mainland waters last week, the AFCD will continue to provide the same services for free this Wednesday (August 26).
  
     A spokesman for the AFCD said, “All Hong Kong mobile fishermen and the deckhands hired on board their fishing vessels or fisheries ancillary vessels operating in Mainland waters are eligible for the services.”
 
     Distribution and collection of the sample bottles for deep throat saliva tests will be conducted at two locations, namely Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market, and Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Fish Market under the Fish Marketing Organization. Bottles will be distributed from 9am to 12.30pm on August 26, and collected between 9am and 12.30pm on August 27.
 
     The spokesman reminded fishermen and deckhands who will take the tests to collect bottles and application forms in person. Hong Kong mobile fishermen should bring along their Hong Kong identity cards, Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents and the fishing permit/ancillary vessel permit (either a copy or electronic file is acceptable). Mainland deckhands should bring along their identity cards and deckhand permits issued by the Mainland authorities and the vessel owner’s confirmation letter (if the vessel owner has not come along). Application forms and confirmation letters can be downloaded from the following website: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_fis/what_fis.html.
 
     Sample bottles should be returned together with completed forms, and this can be done by others.
 
     The spokesman added that arrangement of further COVID-19 testing services after the above-mentioned dates will continue until further notice. The AFCD will distribute bottles every Wednesday and collect bottles every Thursday.
 
     To safeguard personal health and minimise health risks, the spokesman urged fishermen to maintain environmental hygiene at all times and remind their staff to pay attention to personal hygiene to reduce the risk of contracting the disease. Fishing vessels should be equipped with thermometers. The body temperatures of everyone on board should be taken and recorded every day. All necessary protective measures should be taken during their time on the Mainland or in Hong Kong to safeguard personal hygiene and avoid unnecessary social contact. In case of fever or any other respiratory symptoms, medical advice should be sought as soon as possible. For relevant information, please visit the COVID-19 Thematic Website: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2150 7095 or 2150 7099. read more

     A 40-year-old man was sentenced to immediate imprisonment for 14 days by the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (August 24) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap 599C) (the Regulation).

    The man was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that he must conduct quarantine at the place of quarantine for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, he left the place of quarantine without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer and was stopped by staff of the Immigration Department at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point on March 9. He was charged with contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today to immediate imprisonment for 14 days. 
 
     Pursuant to the Regulation, starting from February 8, save for exempted persons, all persons who have stayed in the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong, regardless of their nationality or travel documents, will be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Moreover, pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap 599E), starting from March 19, all persons arriving from countries or territories outside China would also be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the Regulation. As of today, a total of 39 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching compulsory quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to three months or a fine of $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.  read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) was re-appointed as the chair of the Working Group on Financial Markets (WGFM) (Note 1) of the Executives’ Meeting of East Asia-Pacific Central Banks (EMEAP) for a two-year term from 2020 to 2022. The re-appointment was endorsed by EMEAP Governors at the 25th EMEAP Governors’ Meeting, held virtually on August 19.
 
     Senior Executive Director of the HKMA, Mr Edmond Lau, said “In the past 20 years, the WGFM has played a significant role in promoting financial stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the development of the Asian bond market. We look forward to continuing our contribution in the next two years to facilitate studies of regional financial market development and make policy recommendation to members, especially under the rising tide of uncertainties amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, growing geopolitical tensions and global financial market volatility.”
 
     As the Chair of the WGFM during 2018 and 2020, the HKMA facilitated a study on the implications of financial benchmark reforms with a view to enhancing market readiness for removing the remaining dependencies on London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) by the end of 2021 and other associated reforms, and completed a study of US dollar liquidity and funding dynamics in the EMEAP region. In the new term from 2020 to 2022, the HKMA will continue to foster discussions and studies on issues concerning financial markets in the region, such as policies in safeguarding financial stability against the pandemic shock, development in capital markets, and sustainable finance.
 

About EMEAP

     EMEAP is a co-operative organisation of central banks and monetary authorities in the East Asia and Pacific region. Its primary objective is to strengthen the co-operative relationship among its members. It comprises the central banks of eleven economies: Reserve Bank of Australia, People’s Bank of China, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Bank Indonesia, Bank of Japan, Bank of Korea, Bank Negara Malaysia, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Bank of Thailand.
 
Note 1: The WGFM, which was established in 1996, aims to (i) foster financial stability through studies on financial market developments in EMEAP member jurisdictions as well as on ad-hoc topics from time-to-time; (ii) promote local currency denominated bond markets through the Asian Bond Fund Initiative; and (iii) serves as a platform to exchange views on market conditions among member central banks. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 24) announced that the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) and the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2020/21 will be launched on October 8 and 22 respectively, providing in phases subsidised or free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) and pneumococcal vaccination (PV) to eligible persons.
 
     “Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications. To enhance the vaccination rate of schoolchildren and to assist in arranging outreach vaccination services by schools, the DH will continue its free outreach vaccination service in primary schools while the outreach service for kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centres and child care centres has been regularised in the new season,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     Under the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach (Free of Charge), a Public-Private-Partnership Team or a Government Outreach Team will provide free vaccination for schoolchildren in participating schools. So far, around 470 primary schools and 760 kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centres and child care centres have signed up for the programme. The outreach service for primary schools will start on October 22 while the service for kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centres and child care centres will begin on October 8.
 
     The subsidy for the outreach service for kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centres and child care centres in the new season will be increased from $260 to $270 per dose (vaccines will be provided by participating doctors). As for the outreach service for primary schools, the subsidy will remain at $100 per dose (vaccines will be provided by the DH). At present, around 140 doctors will participate to provide vaccination services under the programme.
 
     Primary schools, kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centres and child care centres not participating in the programmes above are encouraged to arrange as early as possible outreach vaccination for their students through the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme School Outreach (Extra Charge Allowed). Schools can invite doctors providing outreach vaccination under the VSS from the list published on the CHP’s website to arrange outreach SIV service at their campus, and the subsidy will be increased from $210 to $240 per dose in the new season. For eligible children who will not receive SIV in school outreach vaccination, parents can still arrange subsidised vaccination for their children in clinics of private doctors enrolled in the VSS.
 
     The DH has already informed participating doctors about the arrangements for the VSS in the new season and also reminded them to make early preparations and place vaccine orders in a timely manner.
 
     Under the GVP (free vaccination) and the VSS (subsidised vaccination) in the new season, eligible groups for SIV will be extended to cover persons who are recipients of the standard rate of “100% disabled” or “requiring constant attendance” under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (see Annexes I and II). Regarding the VSS, the Government’s subsidy for participating doctors will be increased from $210 to $240 per dose. In addition, under the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme, the subsidy for visiting medical officers will remain at $100 per dose.
 
     The DH is now procuring a total of 628,000 doses of inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) for the GVP, and 250,000 doses of IIV for school outreach programmes (free of charge) in the new season. Meanwhile, as of August 16, about 557,000 doses, 508,000 doses and 334,000 doses of seasonal influenza vaccines had been administered via the GVP, the VSS and school outreach programmes (free of charge) respectively in 2019/20. The total number of doses administered by the above programmes in 2019/20 was about 1,399,000 doses, representing an increase of about 16.9 per cent from the figures for the same period in the 2018/19 season.
 
     Separately, the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP has advised that the composition of the recommended vaccines for the 2020-21 influenza season should be in line with the World Health Organization’s latest recommendations. The quadrivalent influenza vaccines to be used in the 2020-21 northern hemisphere influenza season contain:
 
* A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
* A/Hong Kong/2671/2019(H3N2)-like virus
* B/Washington/02/2019-like virus
* B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus
 
     Both IIV and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) (i.e. nasal vaccine) are recommended for use in Hong Kong by the SCVPD. Depending on individual brands, most IIVs are recommended for use among people aged 6 months or older, including those who are healthy, pregnant women and those with chronic medical problems. LAIV can be used for people aged 2 to 49 except those who are pregnant, are immunocompromised or have other contraindications. Details can be found in the SCVPD recommendations.
 
     “Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Given that influenza vaccines are safe and effective, all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, are recommended to receive SIV for personal protection. Based on past epidemiological patterns, the winter influenza season usually starts in early January. However, the exact time of arrival cannot be predicted. As it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies, members of the public are advised to receive SIV early for protection against seasonal influenza,” the spokesman stressed.
 
     Meanwhile, free/subsidised PV for eligible persons will continue to be provided under the GVP and the VSS to prevent pneumococcal infections (see Annex III). Those aged 65 or above who do not have high-risk conditions will be eligible for one dose of 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination (23vPPV). Elderly persons with high-risk conditions who have not received PV before will be eligible for one dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and one dose of 23vPPV one year later. Under the VSS, the subsidy will be $300 per dose for 23vPPV and $760 per dose for PCV13.
 
     The CHP has been organising meetings and briefings with relevant stakeholders including health care providers, community partners and the education sector to inform them of the vaccination arrangements for the new season and encourage their active participation in the vaccination programmes. Publicity has also been stepped up to promote SIV among members of the public.
 
     The public may call the CHP’s telephone number (2125 2125) or visit the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes page for more details of the vaccination programmes. read more

     The Home Affairs Department will open 19 temporary night heat shelters tonight (August 24) for people in need of the service.

     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.

     For further information, please call the department’s hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.

     The 19 night heat shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Districts:
———————

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 –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau

Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon Districts:
——————

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 –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, 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 Districts:
————————–

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 –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling

Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin –
Hin Keng Neighbourhood Community Centre
5 Hin Wo Lane, Sha Tin

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

Tsuen Wan –
Shek Wai Kok Community Hall
Shek Wai Kok 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

Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai read more