Tag Archives: China

     With reference to the concerns about foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) affected by the 5th wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong, a spokesman for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said today (March 5) that the HKSAR Government is working in concert with the relevant Consulates General in Hong Kong to render them statutory and compassionate protection. 
      
     Currently, about 330 000 FDHs, coming mainly from the Philippines and Indonesia, are serving local families in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government and the local community greatly value and appreciate the significant contributions rendered by FDHs in support of families and the local economy. We much empathise with their not being able to visit their families back at home because of the ravaging epidemic. The HKSAR Government is committed to continue protecting the employment rights and interests of FDHs in order to maintain Hong Kong as an attractive place for FDHs to work. 
      
     The HKSAR Government does not and will not tolerate any employers of FDHs illegally dismissing FDHs who have suffered from the COVID-19 and in violation of the Employment Ordinance (EO). Under the EO, an employer is prohibited from terminating the contract of employment of an employee on his/her paid sickness day, except in cases of summary dismissal due to the latter’s serious misconduct. An employer who contravenes relevant provisions of the EO commits an offence and is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $100,000. The HKSAR Government has continuously reminded employers of their statutory obligations and requirements under the EO and the Standard Employment Contract amidst the pandemic. Any breach of such requirements will render them ineligible to employ an FDH for a period of time and their visa applications for FDHs will be refused. Employers are also reminded of the possible violation of the Disability Discrimination Ordinance if they treat their FDHs less favourably (for example, by dismissing them) because the FDHs have been infected with or recovered from COVID-19. The HKSAR Government will stay vigilant in taking enforcement actions against any violation of law in liaison and collaboration with the relevant Consulates General.
      
     For those FDHs under employment who test positive to the COVID-19 or are regarded as close contacts, they will receive support like any other citizens of Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government, with the staunch support of the Central People’s Government, is expanding the capacity of community isolation facilities for those to whom priority should be accorded for isolation outside of the home environment. For those FDHs currently without employment in Hong Kong, the Labour Department has been assisting in their admission to suitable facilities with the support and assistance of the relevant Consulates General.  
      
     On the other hand, the HKSAR Government wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to employers of FDHs and the FDHs themselves for heeding the HKSAR Government’s advice to stay home as far as possible on their rest days in order to reduce the people flow to prevent the spread of the virus. Over the recent weekends, we noticed that FDH gatherings in popular spots had been significantly reduced.

     “The 5th wave of the COVID-19 epidemic has hit us hard and we could only overcome this major challenge with the full support and co-operation of the community. FDHs working in Hong Kong are a core part of our community and we believe the great majority of their employers are responsible and reasonable. The HKSAR Government will protect the legitimate rights and interests of FDHs in Hong Kong,” the spokesman said. 

      

     The Government yesterday (March 4) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 1pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Kowloon City (i.e. Tak Kei House, Tak Long Estate, Kowloon City.) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
 
     Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building, for more than two hours from February 19 to March 4, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before March 6, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around noon today (March 5) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 1.15pm today.
    
     Staff from the Environment Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the Home Affairs Department (including the Kowloon City District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Housing Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Department of Health took part in this exercise to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
 
     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central Government and rapid antigen test kits were also distributed to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
　
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around noon today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 1.15pm. Test records of 252 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Forty-eight persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government reminds the about 50 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
 
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
 
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) sternly clarified today (March 5) that the department has been urging Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse (SSSH) to resume services as soon as possible and renders full assistance in arranging Mainland slaughterers to come to Hong Kong in order to relieve manpower pressure on the slaughterhouse.

     As for a newspaper citing a reader who claimed that the department had obstructed SSSH from resuming services, it was entirely a distortion of the facts. The FEHD expressed deep regret that someone had deliberately disseminated false information.

     As a matter of fact, SSSH and the live pig industry indicated at a meeting on March 3 that due to the epidemic, there had been a severe shortage of manpower such that the supply chain could not operate.

     The FEHD expressed deepest gratitude to the Mainland for deploying professional and skilled personnel to come to Hong Kong to assist SSSH. The department will render all practicable assistance to expedite the resumption of services of the slaughterhouse. In response to the Government’s appeal, relevant trades have already increased the supply of chilled and frozen meat products. Over the past week, the total supply of chilled meat from the Mainland was maintained at a level higher than a normal day, some 1.7 to 1.9 times Hong Kong’s daily average supply from the Mainland. read more

     The Government yesterday (March 4) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effec… read more

     â€‹The Government today (March 5) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a “restriction-testing declaration” effective from 1pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Kowloon City (i.e. Tak Pui House, Tak Long Estate, Kowloon City. See Annex.) are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about noon tomorrow (March 6). The operation may be extended depending on test results.

     A Government spokesman said, “Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’. As the sewage discharged from the above building was tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’ for the relevant area.”

     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the “restricted area” and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 8pm today. Arrangements will be made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will make arrangement to facilitate specimen collection for people with impaired mobility. 
 
     The Government spokesman said, “We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the ‘restricted area’ as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around noon tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees.”
 
     If staying in the “restricted area” will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.

     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from February 20 to March 5, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before March 7, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.

     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and “restriction-testing declaration”. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more