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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 12) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Deep Water Bay Beach, Stanley Main Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (June 12) will be cancelled.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (June 12). They are, on Hong Kong Island, The Hong Kong Award for Young People; in Kowloon, FUZI Chamber Limited; and in the New Territories, Hong Kong ABWE Social Services, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
 
     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.   
 
     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on June 12 is as follows:
 

 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
 
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) announced today (June 11) that after reviewing the usage of the community testing centres (CTCs) and public's demand for the testing service, the Government has decided to extend the operation period of 18 CTCs.
 
     As 12 CTCs for extending the operation period will switch service providers, these CTCs will suspend service temporarily on the following dates. Apart from these dates, other dates and time slots of the relevant CTCs will be open for the public for booking on the online booking system. The remaining six CTCs, including Leighton Hill Community Hall in Wan Chai, Quarry Bay Community Hall in Eastern District, Lei Tung Community Hall in Southern District, To Kwa Wan Sports Centre in Kowloon City, Yau Tong Community Hall and Hang Hau Community Hall, will operate as usual daily.
 

     Meanwhile, the CTCs at Ma On Shan Sports Centre in Sha Tin and Tsing Yi Sports Centre will cease operation after June 15 (Tuesday), and that at Tin Ching Community Hall in Tin Shui Wai will cease operation after June 30 (Wednesday).

     CTCs provide self-paid testing services for the public at a more affordable price to serve general community or private purposes such as certification for travelling or work. The price of concerned testing services is capped at $240. The Government will also, as and when necessary, such as in situations with higher risks of community transmission, conduct necessary testing for targeted groups, specified persons or other citizens at the testing centres for public health reasons on a need basis.

     CTCs in various districts have come into service in phases since November 15 last year. As at June 10, these centres had conducted tests for a total of over 4.68 million service visits, of which about 1 130 samples were tested preliminarily positive (about 0.02 per cent) and had been referred to the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health (DH) for confirmatory tests and follow-up.

     A spokesman for the FHB said, "The Government has been refining its anti-epidemic strategies in accordance with the development of the epidemic, including conducting large-scale COVID-19 testing for groups of different risks under the three key principles of 'compulsory testing on a mandatory basis, targeted testing on an obligatory basis and testing on a voluntary basis' with a view to achieving 'early identification, early isolation and early treatment', and cutting the transmission chains in the community as far as possible."
 
​     "CTCs provide services not only for those who undergo testing voluntarily at a more affordable price, but also for persons who are subject to compulsory testing and targeted groups, thus enabling the Government to meet unexpected testing demand in a more efficient and flexible manner and to strengthen disease prevention and control in Hong Kong."

     CTCs provide specimen collection services (using combined nasal and throat swabs) and COVID-19 testing services for all asymptomatic individuals holding valid Hong Kong identity cards, Hong Kong birth certificates or other valid identity documents (including Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents). The centres are open daily from 8am to 1.30pm and from 2.30pm to 8pm. Deep cleaning and disinfection would be conducted when they close in the afternoon and at night.

     Booking and walk-in services are available. Members of the public only need to provide simple personal information (including their name, number of valid identity document and phone number) on the 24-hour booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk/en) to select the testing centre and time slot. The booking system will show the booking status of centres for the coming one to two weeks, and members of the public can choose suitable time slots for testing. The testing centres would accord priority to provide service for individuals with advance bookings. Members of the public may also call the testing centres for enquiries on the availability of bookings or walk-in quotas before visiting the centres.

     At present, persons of certain targeted groups (including employees of scheduled premises and catering businesses, construction site personnel etc.), persons subject to compulsory testing, as well as persons with "LeaveHomeSafe" COVID-19 exposure notification may receive free testing at CTCs. They must register through the booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk/en) for free testing service. Those without bookings will need to pay the testing fee. Certain targeted groups are required to present medical certificate or vaccination record to staff of the CTCs for free testing service, and the Government does not preclude extending this requirement to other targeted groups later. The Government will regularly review the coverage and frequency of targeted group testing with reference to the latest epidemic risk assessment.

    "To reduce the risk of virus transmission, testing agencies provide various means of contactless payment. The Government encourages citizens using self-paid service to reduce or avoid using cash as a means of payment as far as possible," the spokesman added.
 
     Participants, upon receiving self-paid testing service, with a negative result will receive a test report for a COVID-19 nucleic acid test within 24 hours. Persons subject to compulsory testing and persons of targeted groups who are users of free testing service will be informed of test results by SMS notifications through their mobile phones. Those who are tested positive as confirmed by the DH will receive calls from the DH to arrange for isolation and treatment in public hospitals in accordance with established procedures.

     Please refer to the webpage for information of the CTCs: www.communitytest.gov.hk/en. The Government reminds the public that they can undergo COVID-19 testing through various means. For details on other testing means than CTCs, please refer to the webpage at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html. Person who has symptoms should seek medical attention immediately and should not attend the CTCs.

     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for 106 days since February 26, 2021.

     So far, about 2 837 400 doses of vaccines have been administered under the Vaccination Programme. Details are as follows:
 

* The numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.

     In the 24 hours ending at 8pm today (June 11), about 50 200 persons have received vaccination and about 38 700 new vaccination bookings have been made online. Details are as follows:
 

* The numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.

     In the 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were 16 cases of ambulance transfer to hospital from CVCs or designated general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority. They were sent to hospital after experiencing common side effects after vaccination and were in stable condition. Twelve of them were discharged, two persons were admitted for observation, one person was discharged against medical advice and one person left hospital without seeking any consultation.