The following is issued on behalf of the Family Council:
 
     Students, parents and schools were commended today (January 4) at the award presentation ceremony of "The But's Family Inter-school Colouring Competition for Kindergarten Students and Picture Composition Competition for Primary School Students" co-organised by the Home Affairs Bureau and the Family Council.
 
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Family Council, Professor Daniel Shek, said the Family Council aims to promote the culture of loving families to students of kindergartens, primary schools and their parents through the competition. The competition was well received, with more than 19,000 entries submitted under three categories, namely Kindergarten, Junior Primary and Senior Primary. For each category, an adjudication panel selected a champion, a first runner-up, a second runner-up and 10 merit awardees. The schools with the highest number of entries for each category received "The Most Active Participating School Award". As well, a public voting exercise was held on the Facebook page of the Family Council from October to November 2019. The top three entries in each category with the most votes received "The Most Liked Award". The awardees' lists have been uploaded onto the Council's Happy Family Info Hub.
 
     The Family Council also launched a storybook, "The Secret of the But's Dinner" at the ceremony. Written by experienced parent-child relationship expert Ms Shirley Loo and designed by local illustrator Ms Jan Koon, the storybook is suitable for reading by children under the guidance of their parents or elder family members. The story is a rich and light-hearted tale, designed to illustrate the importance of communication among family members and the sharing of love with each other. The e-version and theme song of the storybook and interactive activity book have been uploaded onto the Council's Happy Family Info Hub to create more common topics and foster exchanges between parents and their children to help build a more intimate relationship. The storybook will also be distributed free of charge to the libraries of all kindergartens and primary schools in Hong Kong.
 
     A series of storytelling workshops for the storybook, "The Secret of the But's Dinner", will be arranged for kindergarten students from January to March 2020. Each workshop will include a storytelling session, interactive games, theme song singing and more to strengthen students' understanding of family core values such as "Love and Care". Members of the public are welcome to visit the Council's Happy Family Info Hub and the Council's Facebook page for details of the publicity event and other upcoming family programmes as well as family-related information.

      

     Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a radio programme today (January 4):

Reporter: Regarding the new response plan for new infectious disease, what exact step is the Government taking to better monitor the situation? You said in the programme that the Government has strengthened the monitoring of inbound passengers at the airport, is the Government doing the same at other ports and also the High Speed Rail Terminal?

Secretary for Food and Health: In launching this Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance, we have actually put it to the Serious Response Level. We have already met with different bureaux and related departments to heighten the surveillance, cleaning as well as protection and control of this disease. We have already done that. Different departments such as the Education Bureau, the Social Welfare Department, are already heightening or increasing their vigilance towards this disease. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has also issued letters to private doctors and Chinese medicine practitioners so that they are alerted of the situation. As far as the Hospital Authority is concerned, they are also increasing their infection control measures. For example, they are going to look into the visiting hours, to see if there is a need to restrict the number of people going to the hospitals such as volunteers. There are already other measures which have already put in place before we put this to the Serous Response Level. For examples, we are reporting the number of this notifiable cases every day now and CHP is already trying to increase vigilance not only the airport but also all ports. 

Reporter: How is the Government improving the monitoring at other ports?

Secretary for Food and Health: At all these ports, there will be people monitoring incoming people that may have fever. CHP is increasing the manpower to do this. As far as the airport is concerned, there are infrared detecting machines on fever. Not only do they put in place these measures, they are also increasing publicity to alert everybody that have gone to Wuhan so that they are aware of their own health situation. For the general public, everybody should be aware of the situation and increase their own personal hygiene. 

Reporter: Should people start wearing mask when we go out now?

Secretary for Food and Health: I think, if you have respiratory symptom, our advice by the Department of Heath is that  you should wear mask. 

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

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting tomorrow (January 5).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.
     

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     The Government today (January 4) launched the Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance (The Plan). In parallel, the Serious Response Level was activated with immediate effect.
 
     The Plan sets out the Government's preparedness and response plan in case of an outbreak of Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance. A three-tier response level is adopted in the plan. Three response levels, namely Alert, Serious and Emergency, will be activated based on the risk assessment of the Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance that may affect Hong Kong and its health impact on the community.
 
     Upon the risk assessment of the cluster of cases of viral pneumonia with unknown cause in Wuhan reported by the National Health Commission, the Serious Response Level was activated. Under the Serious Response Level, the immediate health impact caused by Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance on local population is moderate.
 
     " 'Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance' refers to any infectious disease caused by a pathogen unknown to cause human disease before, but may have changed its property to cause human infection with or without the ability of efficient human-to-human transmission. The disease has the potential to lead to international spread and public health emergency. The current cluster of viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan can be regarded as a Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance," a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said.
 
     "The Government will assess the risk from time to time in view of the latest scientific evidence and situation, activate or deactivate the response level and implement corresponding measures," the spokesman said.
 
     For more information, please refer to the Plan which has been uploaded to the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/govt_preparedness_and_response_plan_for_novel_infectious_disease_of_public_health_significance_eng.pdf).