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Author Archives: hksar gov

Latest arrangements on LCSD public services

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (May 10) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, more leisure and cultural venues of the LCSD will be reopened on May 21. Some recreation and sports programmes as well as outreach music classes will also resume from June 1.
      
     Leisure facilities to be reopened on May 21 (Thursday) include most of the public swimming pools (only for selected swimming pool facilities such as main pools and secondary pools), dance rooms/activity rooms, fitness rooms, sports climbing facilities, billiard/American pool tables, a gymnastic training hall, barbecue sites, Pui O camp site, water sports centres, sports climbing and rope course facilities at Tuen Mun Recreation and Sports Centre. Details of the facilities to be reopened will be announced in due course.
      
     In addition, changing rooms and shower facilities in reopened LCSD fee charging venues, such as sports grounds, sports centres, squash courts, tennis courts, bowling greens, Tuen Mun Recreation and Sports Centre, will be reopened from tomorrow (May 11). Special measures will be adopted such as opening alternate shower cubicles or shower heads, arranging body temperature screening and stepping up regular cleaning and disinfection of the shower cubicles and storage cabinets.
      
     Members of the public can book the reopened indoor leisure facilities via the Internet Booking Service of Leisure Link, Leisure Link Booking Office of the District Leisure Services Offices, Leisure Link Booking Office of the reopened facilities and Self-service Kiosks starting from May 20 (Wednesday). Leisure Link Booking Office of the water sports centres will resume booking services on the same day of reopening of leisure facilities.

     For refund arrangements in relation to earlier venue closures (there is no reallocation arrangement), the hirer may submit a completed refund application form together with the original booking permit to the reopened LCSD leisure venue or a Leisure Link Booking Office at a District Leisure Services Office. The application form can be downloaded from www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/aboutlcsd/forms/refund.html.

     The LCSD appeals to venue users to comply with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap 599G) on the prohibition of group gatherings of more than the number of people as stipulated by the law. The LCSD will adopt special measures at leisure facilities to be reopened. Measures including stepping up cleansing work, arranging body temperature screening for all people entering indoor venues, limiting the numbers of users at venues, and opening alternate tables or with specific distance.
      
     The LCSD will also resume some recreation and sports programmes at outdoor and indoor venues as well as those organised at the water sports centres from June 1 (Monday). These include tennis, golf, tai chi, lawn bowl, badminton, squash, table tennis, aerobic, multi-gym fitness, social dance, canoeing and windsurfing, etc. To reduce the social contacts and the risk of infection, the number of participants for each programme will limit to eight people (including tutors) or the number of people as stipulated by the law.
      
     Members of the public could make enrolment on a first-come-first-served basis from 25 May 2020 (Monday) via internet, booking counters at the LCSD’s District Leisure Services Offices and leisure venues with Leisure Link Services and self-service kiosks. Details of programmes and enrolment will be uploaded onto the LCSD website later. The public can also approach District Leisure Services Offices for enquiries.
      
     Processing and acceptance of individual and block booking applications for the department’s non-fee charging land recreation and sports facilities, block booking applications for the fee charging land recreation and sports facilities, applications for use of wedding venues, amphitheatres and non-fee charging leisure venues for non-designated use/sales activities are suspended until further notice.
      
     The arrangement of block booking of swimming pool facilities after reopening of public swimming pools is to be announced.

     Regarding cultural venues, the adult and children’s libraries of another 12 district libraries will partially reopen on May 21 and implement special opening hours. They include the Aberdeen Public Library, Chai Wan Public Library, Lockhart Road Public Library, Lai Chi Kok Public Library, Lam Tin Public Library, Ngau Chi Wan Public Library, Yau Ma Tei Public Library, Fanling Public Library, Tai Po Public Library, Tiu Keng Leng Public Library, Tsing Yi Public Library and Tung Chung Public Library. The opening hours of these 12 district libraries will be 1pm to 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays and 9am to 5pm on Sundays and public holidays.
      
     To avoid people gathering, the libraries will arrange admission by sessions, with each session lasting about one hour. Admission slips will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis for entry to each session. Children under 12 will only be allowed to enter when accompanied by an adult. Limited services including lending and returning of library materials and picking up reserved library materials will be offered. Some of the computer facilities will resume service and open for telephone booking. The newspaper and periodical areas will remain closed.
      
     The students’ study rooms of the 12 abovementioned public libraries and the five major libraries which have reopened (including Kowloon, Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun Public Libraries) will resume service on the same day. The students’ study rooms will implement special opening hours same as the abovementioned libraries. Admission is arranged by sessions with each lasting about three hours and the number of users limited.
      
     The self-service library stations at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai, and all book drop services of the Hong Kong Public Libraries including those at MTR Central, Kowloon Tong and Nam Cheong stations have resumed service. Public libraries will continue to provide online services such as e-Books and e-Databases. Please visit www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/index.html for details.
      
     In addition, a few outreach music courses for adults organised by the Music Office will resume on June 1 with a limit to eight participants (including tutors) or the number of people as stipulated by the law within a class.
      
     Visitors to the public libraries and Music Office’s Music Centres will need to use hand sanitizer and will be subject to temperature checks before admission, they are also advised to wear their own masks. Enhanced measures including cleansing between sessions will be conducted.
      
     The LCSD will continue to monitor the situation closely and review the arrangements in a timely manner. read more

East Asia

CHP investigates three additional confirmed cases of COVID-19

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has announced that as of 4pm today (May 10), the CHP was investigating three additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 1 048 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 1 047 confirmed cases and one probable case).
 
     The newly reported cases announced today involve two males and one female aged between 54 and 69. All of them had a travel history during the incubation period. The CHP’s epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex.
 
     The CHP urged members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible in their daily lives. In particular, they should go out less and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings to reduce the chance of contacting infected persons, who may not present any symptoms, and minimise the risk of outbreak clusters emerging in the community.
      
     A spokesman for the CHP said, “Given that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.
 
     “The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
 
     “As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly, regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps) and cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use. After using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs.”
 
     The CHP will report the cases to the World Health Organization, the National Health Commission, the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, relevant health authorities and the Hospital Authority.
 
     The CHP has set up hotlines (2125 1111 and 2125 1122), which operate from 8am to midnight daily, for public enquiries. As at 4pm today, a total of 109 522 calls had been received.
 
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website “COVID-19 Thematic Website” (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates.
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
 
• 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;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs, 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. read more

East Asia