The Government published in the Gazette today (April 1) the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirement and Directions) (Business and Premises) (Amendment) Regulation 2020 (the Amendment Regulation). 
      
     In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirement and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (the Regulation) (Cap. 599F) and the Amendment Regulation above, the Secretary for Food and Health (SFH) has issued directions today to be effective for 14 days from 6pm on April 1, 2020 (i.e. till 5.59pm on April 15):
 
(a) The closure of karaoke establishments and the suspension of karaoke activities in catering premises and club-houses; 
(b) The closure of mahjong-tin kau establishments and the suspension of mahjong-tin kau activities in catering premises and club-houses; 
(c) The closure of establishment (commonly known as club or nightclub) that is open late into the night, usually for drinking, and dancing or other entertainment; 
(d) A person must wear a mask at any time where practicable within the beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation; 
(e) Body temperature screening on a person must be conducted before the person is allowed to enter the beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation; and 
(f) Hand sanitizers must be provided at any beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation. 

Amendment Regulation
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     The Amendment Regulation is made in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599). Section 8 of the Ordinance empowers the Chief Executive in Council to make public health emergency regulation for the purposes of preventing, combating or alleviating the effects of a public health emergency and protecting public health.
      
     The Amendment Regulation empowers the SFH to issue directions, for public health reasons, to restrict the mode of operation and operating hours or require closure of the following Scheduled Premises:
 
(a) beauty parlour,
(b) club-house,
(c) establishment (commonly known as nightclub) that is open late into the night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment,
(d) karaoke establishment,
(e) mahjong-tin kau premises, and
(f) massage establishment. 

     The above premises are in addition to the following ones which have already been included on the list of Scheduled Premises on March 28:
 
(a) amusement game centre,
(b) bathhouse,
(c) fitness centre,
(d) place of entertainment,
(e) place of public entertainment, and
(f) premises that are maintained or intended to be maintained for hire for holding social gatherings (commonly known as party room). 

     The Amendment Regulation commenced at 3pm today and will be effective for the same period as the Regulation (i.e. till midnight of June 27, 2020).
      
     Under the Regulation, the SFH may issue directions through a notice in the Gazette to regulate or restrict the mode of operation, or to direct closure, of the premises. The requirements are only effective through a notice made by the SFH published in the Gazette and each specified period must not exceed 14 days. The person responsible for the management of the scheduled premises commits an offence if he or she fails to comply with the requirements. Offences would attract a maximum fine at level 5, i.e. $50,000, and imprisonment for six months.
      
Latest directions issued by the SFH in accordance with the Regulation
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     The SFH has issued two directions through notices in the Gazette in accordance with the Regulation. The directions will commence at 6pm on April 1 for a period of 14 days (i.e. till 5.59pm on April 15). Details of the directions are set out below:
      
Direction 1 – Catering Business
 
     All karaoke and mahjong-tin kau activities at any premises on which food or drink is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises must be suspended.
 
Direction 2 – Scheduled Premises
 
     The following premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation must be closed:
      
(a) establishment (commonly known as club or nightclub) that is open late into the night, usually for drinking, and dancing or other entertainment
(b) karaoke establishment
(c) mahjong-tin kau premises
 
     Any karaoke and mahjong-tin kau activities carried on at club-house premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation must be suspended.
      
     A person must wear a mask at any time where practicable within the beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation.
      
     Body temperature screening on a person must be conducted before the person is allowed to enter the beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation.
      
     Hand sanitisers must be provided at any beauty parlour, club-house and massage establishment premises as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to that Regulation.
 
Other directions issued on March 28 and still prevailing
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     The SFH has issued two directions regarding catering business and scheduled premises on March 28. Details of these directions, which remain valid from 6 pm on March 28 (till 5:59 pm on April 11, 2020) are repeated below:
      
Direction 1 – Catering Business
 
     The relevant requirements include:
 
(a) The number of customers at any premises on which food or drink is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises (catering premises) at any one time must not exceed 50 per cent of the normal seating capacity of the premises;
(b) Tables available for use or being used by customers within any catering premises must be arranged in a way to ensure there is a distance of at least 1.5 metres or some form of partition which could serve as effective buffer between one table and another table at the premises;
(c) No more than four persons may be seated together at one table within any catering premises;
(d) A person must wear a mask at any time within any catering premises, except when the person is consuming food or drink on the premises;
(e) Body temperature screening on a person must be conducted before the person is allowed to enter the catering premises; and
(f) Hand sanitisers must be provided at any catering premises for any person at the premises.
 
Direction 2 – Scheduled Premises
 
     All premises as listed below must be closed:
 
(a) amusement game centres;
(b) bathhouses;
(c) fitness centres;
(d) places of amusement;
(e) places of public entertainment; and
(f) premises that are maintained or intended to be maintained for hire for holding social gatherings (commonly known as "party room").
 
Social distancing
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     A spokesperson said that the Government has been reviewing the feasibility of relevant measures and will make adjustments on a timely basis in view of the latest developments of the disease. Putting in place the Amendment Regulation could help further enhance social distancing.  
      
     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) urges members of the public to go out less and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings and maintain an appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible.
      
     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 surgical masks 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.

     The Department of Health (DH) will closely monitor the situation. Any updates will be issued through the media, the Government's "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html) and the DH's webpage (www.gov.hk/ncv).  Any enquiries on health information on COVID-19 may be addressed to the DH's hotline at (852) 2125 1122 (operating daily from 8am to midnight).

     Hong Kong Customs today (April 1) alerted members of the public to a potential overturning hazard posed by a model of bunk bed for domestic use.

     Customs earlier purchased one model of the bunk bed from a household chain store for safety testing. Test results revealed that it failed to comply with the safety standards stipulated in the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (TCPSO). That model of bunk bed could not pass the stability test and could pose a risk of overturning. In addition, the distance between the vertical ladder of the bunk bed and the ground surface could not fulfil the requirements of the safety standards.  

     Customs officers later conducted an operation and seized four suspected unsafe bunk beds from four branches of the household chain store.  

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs reminds members of the public to observe the following safety tips when using bunk beds:
 

• Bunk beds should stand close to a wall and should be fixed with an overturn-proof device;
• An examination should be carried out after assemblage to make sure that the bunk bed stands safely;
• Advice and instructions for users should be read carefully;
• Never let children play and tumble on the bunk bed;
• Never attach belts or ropes to bunk beds to avoid potential risk of strangulation;
• A good distance should be kept between the mattress and the guard rails above; and
• Stop using the bunk bed immediately if it is found to be unstable.

     Customs is committed to the protection of consumer interests and regularly conducts spot checks and safety tests on toys and children's products to ensure that they are reasonably safe for use by consumers.

     Under TCPSO, it is an offence to supply, manufacture or import unsafe toys or children's products. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for one year on first conviction, and a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years on a subsequent conviction.

     Members of the public may report information relating to suspected unsafe toys or children's products via Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The Lands Department announced today (April 1) that the tender for a site, Kowloon Inland Lot No. 11238 at Reclamation Street and Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, has been awarded to the highest tenderer, Eagle Legend Engineering Management Consulting Company Limited (parent company: Eagle Legend Asia Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $85,900,000.

     The tenderers, other than the successful tenderer, in alphabetical order, with the name of the parent company where provided by the tenderer in brackets, were:
 

 
     Kowloon Inland Lot No. 11238 has a total site area of about 252.5 square metres and is designated for non-industrial (excluding godown, hotel and petrol filling station) purposes. The minimum gross floor area is 1,363.5 sq m. The maximum gross floor area for private residential purposes that may be attained in respect of Site A and Site B as shown on the sale plan is 828.75 sq m and 1,065 sq m respectively. The maximum gross floor area for non-industrial (excluding private residential, godown, hotel and petrol filling station) purposes is computed according to the relevant special condition in the Conditions of Sale.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (April 1), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health the admission of 180 patients (111 male and 69 female, aged one month to 83 years) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of COVID-19. Appropriate tests have been arranged for the patients.
 
     There are 624 patients under isolation currently. So far, 147 patients who had COVID-19 confirmed or probable infections have been discharged upon recovery.
 
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

     The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced today (April 1) that the Anti-epidemic Fund will extend the beneficiaries of the support measures to the construction industry.

     Under the new arrangement, the support measures will be extended to cover construction workers with valid registration in a specified period under the Construction Workers Registration Ordinance (Cap. 583) as well as small and medium enterprise (SME) consultants which are company members of professional institutions and associations. The workers are those who are engaged in small-scale works outside construction sites, e.g. those involved in renovation, repair and maintenance. 

     "Each eligible worker will receive a subsidy of $1,000 and each eligible consultant will get $20,000. We expect that the new arrangement will further benefit about 240 000 construction workers and 400 SME consultants to help cover their extra expenses in enhancing anti-epidemic equipment amid the impact of the outbreak," a spokesman for the DEVB said.

     The DEVB and the Construction Industry Council will announce the implementation details shortly.