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Government to specify New Zealand as medium-risk Group B specified place

     â€‹The Government announced today (November 10) that New Zealand will be specified as a medium-risk Group B specified place in view of the latest developments of the COVID-19 epidemic situation there. The adjustment will take effect from 0.00am on November 17.
      
     A Government spokesman said, “New Zealand authorities have announced earlier that they would pursue the policy of ‘living with the virus’ and have set their full vaccination target. We note that the number of confirmed cases there has been increasing. As the risk of the importation of cases has heightened, we have to tighten the quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from New Zealand.”
      
     Fully vaccinated persons who have stayed in Group B specified places on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 14 days before that day will be subject to 14-day compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels (DQHs), with four tests to be conducted during the period, followed by a seven-day self-monitoring period as well as compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th days of arrival at Hong Kong. Relevant Hong Kong residents who are not fully vaccinated will be subject to 21-day compulsory quarantine at DQHs, with six tests to be conducted during the period. Non-Hong Kong residents who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed entry.
      
     Details on the corresponding boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for relevant specified places can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.
      
     The Government will gazette the relevant updated specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to effect the above measure on November 17.
      
     Currently, New Zealand is the only Group C specified place. In other words, from November 17, no overseas place will be specified as a Group C specified place. By then, for persons arriving from overseas undergoing compulsory quarantine at DQHs, the shortest quarantine period will be 14 days (i.e. the quarantine period applicable to fully vaccinated persons arriving from Group B specified places).
      
     The Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situations of different places, and will consider a basket of factors under the risk-based principle, including public health considerations such as the epidemic situations in particular places, testing rates, vaccination rates, the volume of travellers and actual imported cases, as well as other socio-economic factors relevant to Hong Kong, to adjust the boarding, quarantine and testing requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places based on risk levels as the situation warrants. read more

East Asia

Government finishes exercise on “restriction-testing declaration” in respect of specified “restricted area” in Tsim Sha Tsui and enforcement operation for breaches of compulsory testing notice (with photo)

     The Government yesterday (November 9) 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 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tsim Sha Tsui (i.e. Harbour Pinnacle, 8 Minden Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui) 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 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 October 18 to November 9, 2021, 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 November 11, 2021. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (November 10) 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 11.15am today.

     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Yau Tsim Mong District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Health, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 230 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.

     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including bottled water, canned food, cup noodles, corn kernels, etc, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks, hand sanitizer, bleach, etc, were also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.

     The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.

     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 7am 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 11.15am. Test records of around 150 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Thirteen 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 hopes that the about 100 households who have not answered the door will 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 $5,000. 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.

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East Asia