Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (April 28):
 
Reporter: So, you have mentioned the border lockdown is likely to be lifted, however your delay to shut the borders’ facilities with China in January incurred having, including but not limited to 7 000 people from Wuhan travelled to Hong Kong and factually they used Hong Kong as a transit port and travelled especially to the West. It is public opinion in international community that it was the catalyst to result in the outbreak of coronavirus worldwide. So do you agree that your delayed border lockdown measure was responsible for the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: First of all, I have to fiercely disagree and refute your very serious allegation. Your allegation is not substantiated by any evidence whatsoever. The Hong Kong SAR Government’s strategy in containing the spread of COVID-19 is to adopt measures based on science,  evidence and also the advice of my experts on the expert advisory panel. We have taken very progressive steps to consolidate the border control points in order to reduce population mobility, which is one of the two-pronged strategies recommended by my experts. The second prong is to introduce very stringent social distancing measures in order to contain the spread of the disease.
 
     As early as January 27 – we have the first case in Hong Kong confirmed on January 23 – Hong Kong has already imposed a complete ban on arrivals from Hubei. And on top of that, Hubei residents not from Hubei, they could be in other places, in Shenzhen, were also disallowed to come into Hong Kong. That is one of the earliest places that we have imposed that sort of control on arrivals, from one of the major places where this infection has taken place. So for you to suggest that sort of allegation, that Hong Kong has become a transit centre for the spread of the disease worldwide, is most unfair and unsubstantiated.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     A Government spokesman announced today (April 28) that, upon the instruction of the Steering Committee cum Command Centre in relation to the COVID-19 virus, the Government will embark on a resumption of public services from May 4 while maintaining a high degree of vigilance and adopting all necessary precautionary measures.

     "As the epidemic situation has stabilised since earlier this month with only single digit cases reported over the past two weeks, the Government will resume public services under a phased approach," the spokesman said.
 
     "The first phase will start on May 4, during which public services would resume normal opening hours as far as possible. For example, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will re-open some of its outdoor facilities such as tennis courts and jogging tracks in sports grounds; the Housing Authority will gradually resume flat selections for the Home Ownership Scheme 2019; the Transport Department will resume road tests for driving examinations and the Social Welfare Department will resume normal opening hours of Social Security Field Units and work with NGOs with a view to progressively resuming home-based and community-based services for the elderly and persons with disabilities that have been scaled down or suspended.

     "Nevertheless, members of the public are encouraged to continue to use alternative means to receive the services they need (such as on-line applications, by telephone, etc). We will adopt measures at public facilities which will resume opening to the public under the first phase to avoid group gatherings that are in breach of the statutory prohibition against gatherings of more than four persons and to reduce crowds. Bureaux/Departments will announce their latest service arrangements separately."

     Resumption of public services under the first phase will be subject to the continuation of social distancing and precautionary measures such as flexible working hours and lunch hours of government employees; video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings where possible; keeping physical distances or using physical partitioning among staff and between staff and clients.
 
     Various infection control measures will also continue to be implemented in government buildings and venues such as body temperature checks at entrances; provision of hand sanitisers, use of sanitising floor mats; enhanced cleansing of public facilities as well as other measures suggested by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health from time to time. 
 
     "The Steering Committee cum Command Centre will continue to closely monitor the situation and determine when to embark on a full resumption of normal business under the second phase," said the spokesman.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

　　The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (April 28) said that 13 general outpatient clinics (see table below) will provide services during the Birthday of the Buddha and Labour Day (April 30 and May 1) to serve the community. Members of the public are reminded to make advance bookings through the telephone system as usual for an appointment.  
 
　　The spokesperson said that the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments in public hospitals will also operate as usual during the holiday to serve patients with urgent medical needs. While the Emergency Response Level in public hospitals has been activated in response to the latest situation of COVID-19, infection control measures have been enhanced with universal masking for all persons entering public hospitals and clinics. Non-urgent patients are advised to consider seeking consultations at general outpatient clinics, private doctors or 24-hour clinics of private hospitals.
 
　　The latest A&E waiting time information is available on the HA website and in the "HA Touch" mobile app. To help find the appropriate family medicine doctor and related clinic service of their choice, members of the public are welcome to browse the Primary Care Directory of the Food and Health Bureau at www.pcdirectory.gov.hk.

 
Consultation Hours:
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm

     A man who went missing in Hung Hom has been located.

     Leung Wai-man, aged 55, went missing after he left his hostel on Chi Kiang Street on April 6 morning. Staff of the hostel made a report to Police on April 7.

     The man was located in a hospital on Lok Man Road, Chai Wan yesterday afternoon (April 27). No suspicious circumstances were detected.

     With the approach of the Birthday of the Buddha and Labour Day holidays, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (April 28) appealed to members of the public to avoid grave sweeping during the long holidays as far as possible. Doing so can lessen crowd conditions and reduce close contact, thereby consolidating the recent progress made in reducing the risk of spreading the virus through social contact.
 
     An FEHD spokesman said, "Although the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong has subsided these days, given that the pandemic remains severe in some overseas countries, the community must stay vigilant to safeguard against any sudden turn in the epidemic situation in Hong Kong. Members of the public should co-operate and work together to fight the virus. They should seriously consider postponing grave-sweeping activities so as to prevent and protect themselves and their family members from infection, thereby preventing the spread of the virus in the community."
 
     The FEHD reminded grave sweepers to avoid group gatherings when grave sweeping, maintain an appropriate social distance with others at all times and avoid meal gatherings with relatives and friends at worship sites.
 
     The spokesman said, "The Government has extended the measures under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) to May 7. The regulation prohibits group gatherings with more than four people in public places and grave sweeping is not exempted. Therefore, members of the public have to abide by the group gathering regulation by having not more than four people together during grave sweeping unless they are living in the same household. In addition, a distance of at least 1.5 metres should be maintained between grave sweeper groups."
 
     For members of the public visiting cemeteries and columbaria to pay respects to ancestors, the spokesman reminded that they should seek medical advice promptly and refrain from grave sweeping if they have fever or respiratory symptoms. Grave sweepers should maintain good personal hygiene, wear surgical masks and always keep their hands clean. They are also reminded to keep flammable items (e.g. alcohol antiseptic sprays and alcohol-based hand sanitisers) away from ignition sources, incense and candles, and furnaces for the sake of safety.
    
     The FEHD appeals to members of the public to make use of the Internet Memorial Service webpage (www.memorial.gov.hk) or its mobile application anywhere and anytime to pay tribute to deceased loved ones.