The Transport Department (TD) today (July 8) appealed to the staff of public transport service operators to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme as soon as possible to protect themselves, their families and the community as a whole. To encourage members of the public transport trades to get vaccinated, following the health check included in the Safe Driving and Health Campaign this year, the TD will arrange one-off health check services specifically for taxi and public light bus (PLB) drivers from July 15 to August 14. The purpose of the health check is to help the drivers concerned understand their health conditions and decide whether they are suitable for vaccination. The health check is voluntary and free of charge.
 
     The items covered in the free health check, as well as the locations, opening dates, opening hours and contact numbers of the 10 designated health check centres, are detailed in the Annex.
        
     From July 12, taxi and PLB drivers may register by sending messages via WhatsApp or WeChat at 9465 1172, and provide their names, Hong Kong identity card numbers, driver identity plate numbers and phone numbers for registration. Upon successful registration, drivers will receive a registration number. They can call or send WhatsApp messages to the desired health check centre for booking two working days after receiving the registration numbers. A limited quota is available for the free health check services on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     The TD appeals to members of the taxi and PLB trades to participate in the health check and get vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure personal and public health and minimise risks of the spread of virus in the community.
     
     For details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, please visit the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).

     The Transport Department (TD) today (July 8) appealed to the staff of public transport service operators to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme as soon as possible to protect themselves, their families and the community as a whole. To encourage members of the public transport trades to get vaccinated, following the health check included in the Safe Driving and Health Campaign this year, the TD will arrange one-off health check services specifically for taxi and public light bus (PLB) drivers from July 15 to August 14. The purpose of the health check is to help the drivers concerned understand their health conditions and decide whether they are suitable for vaccination. The health check is voluntary and free of charge.
 
     The items covered in the free health check, as well as the locations, opening dates, opening hours and contact numbers of the 10 designated health check centres, are detailed in the Annex.
        
     From July 12, taxi and PLB drivers may register by sending messages via WhatsApp or WeChat at 9465 1172, and provide their names, Hong Kong identity card numbers, driver identity plate numbers and phone numbers for registration. Upon successful registration, drivers will receive a registration number. They can call or send WhatsApp messages to the desired health check centre for booking two working days after receiving the registration numbers. A limited quota is available for the free health check services on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     The TD appeals to members of the taxi and PLB trades to participate in the health check and get vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure personal and public health and minimise risks of the spread of virus in the community.
     
     For details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, please visit the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (July 8) announced that the department tested 79 water samples collected from cooling towers in 37 buildings during its routine inspections in June this year. Five samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers in which the five samples were collected in June are located at Victory Court, 185 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan; 55-57 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; Fa Yuen Plaza, 19 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; 94 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung and Ever Gain Centre, 28 On Muk Street, Sha Tin. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling towers in these five cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these five cases can be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).
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     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (July 8) announced that the department tested 79 water samples collected from cooling towers in 37 buildings during its routine inspections in June this year. Five samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers in which the five samples were collected in June are located at Victory Court, 185 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan; 55-57 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; Fa Yuen Plaza, 19 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; 94 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung and Ever Gain Centre, 28 On Muk Street, Sha Tin. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling towers in these five cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these five cases can be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).
     â€‹
     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 8) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District as Grade 2, which means the water quality has improved and the beach is suitable for swimming. The red flag has been lowered.

     The red flag was hoisted at the beach earlier on due to the water quality being classified as Grade 4 and unsuitable for swimming.