Following the special work arrangement announced by the Government today (January 28), the Rating and Valuation Department announced today that its office will not open from January 29 to 31, 2020.  The counter services of the Department will also be temporarily suspended during the above period.

     Members of the public may use the drop-in box at the ground floor of the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices for urgent submission of documents, if necessary.  Payment of rates and Government rent can be made by way of PPS, ATM, internet banking services, faster payment service, at convenience stores (the maximum limit for each transaction is HK$5,000), or submission of cheque by post.

     The public may contact the Department by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk) or by fax (2152 0138), and the Department will handle the enquiries as soon as possible when its office resumes normal operations.  Telephone enquiries may also be made at 2152 0111 or 2152 2152.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

      In response to the Government's latest announcement on the hospital fee arrangement for "Non-eligible Person" (NEP), the spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) made the following announcement:

      With regard to the latest policy announced by the Government, the HA will start charging NEPs who meet the reporting criteria for novel coronavirus, beginning tomorrow (00:00am, 29 January).  The policy will apply to all confirmed and suspected cases.  The concerned NEPs will be charged in accordance with the prevailing fees and charges mechanism for NEP.

      Hospital fees will continue to be waived for "Eligible Persons" who meet the reporting criteria for novel coronavirus.

     The Government has announced that special work arrangement for government departments will be implemented after the Chinese New Year holidays (starting from January 29) in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community and has appealed to private sector organisations to make similar arrangements as far as practicable.

     In the light of the aforementioned arrangement, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (January 28) revised the arrangements for the welfare services subsidised by the SWD after the Chinese New Year holidays as follows:

(1) All aided child care centres, day care centres for the elderly, sheltered workshops, integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres and day activity centres will suspend their service delivery. These centres will, however, remain open to serve those in need. Members of the public who have the need for the services mentioned may contact the centres or service units concerned in advance;

(2) Apart from (a) below which is provided on a full scale, the other services will be provided on a limited scale:

a. All residential care services;
b. Integrated Family Service Centres (only providing casework service);
c. Integrated Services Centres (only providing casework service);
d. Short-term Food Assistance Service;
e. Integrated Home Care Services (only providing meals, escort, nursing and administration of medicine services);
f. Enhanced Home and Community Care Services (only providing meals, escort, nursing and administration of medicine services);
g. Home Care Service for Persons with Severe Disabilities (only providing escort, nursing and administration of medicine services);
h. Integrated Support Service for Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities (only providing escort, nursing and administration of medicine services);
i. Visiting Medical Practitioner Service for Residential Care Homes;
j. Hotline services; and
k. Humanitarian Assistance for Non-refoulement Claimants.

(3) For other services not covered by (1) and (2) above, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating them may decide whether to continue to provide them under their respective Funding and Service Agreements having regard to their circumstances.
 
     These arrangements should continue until February 17 unless amended earlier. NGOs should keep their clients informed of their specific arrangements.
      
     Regarding the SWD's own services, some services from tomorrow (January 29) onwards will only be provided on a limited scale until February 17 unless amended earlier. Members of the public may call hotline number 2343 2255 for enquiries.

     The Government announced today (January 28) the following special arrangements for cross-boundary transport services in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community.
      
Cross-boundary railway
      
     The services of Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Intercity Through Train will be suspended from January 30. West Kowloon Station will also be closed for extensive cleansing until further notice. Those passengers who bought the tickets should retain the tickets or receipts. Full refund will be arranged. MTR Corporation Limited would announce the refund arrangement.
      
     For the cross-boundary arrangements via Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line of the East Rail Line, the Government understands that there is still a travelling need for some members of public and thus there is no immediate plan to suspend its service.
      
Land-based cross boundary transport
      
     Due to the suspension of immigration clearance service for passengers and cross boundary private cars at Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To Control Points, cross boundary coaches using these two control points will also suspend the service at the same time. Besides, cross boundary private cars and hire cars also cannot use the control points concerned.
      
     With effective from January 30, cross boundary coach and shuttle bus services (including the short-haul cross boundary coach service at Huanggang Port, Yellow Bus and Gold Bus) using crossings other than the Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To Control Points (i.e. the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port) will reduce the service frequency, passengers should pay attention to the Government's latest announcement about the cross boundary transport news and approach the operators concerned enquiring about the service arrangement.     
      
Aviation services
      
     From January 30, four local airlines, including Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Airlines, Cathay Dragon and Hong Kong Express, will gradually reduce their scheduled passenger flights between Hong Kong and 24 Mainland destinations from about 480 flights weekly to about 240 flights until further notice. 
      
     The airlines will announce details of the arrangements on their websites and assist the affected passengers to rebook, cancel and reroute their tickets. All flights between Hong Kong and Hubei Province have been suspended since January 24. 
      
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has also contacted the relevant Mainland authority and airlines for reducing gradually about half of the passenger flights between Hong Kong and the Mainland destinations. The relevant airlines will announce details of the arrangements.
      
Cross-boundary ferry
      
     From January 30, the cross-boundary ferry services of China Ferry Terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui and Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal of the Marine Department will be suspended until further notice.
      
     Meanwhile, there may be frequency adjustments to the services going to and from Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan. Please refer to announcements which may be made by the operators from time to time.

The following is issued on behalf of the Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority Secretariat:     

     Following the activation of the Emergency Response Level under the "Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance", and to minimise the risk of spread of the novel coronavirus, the services by Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority Secretariat at Room 813, 8/F, Kowloon East Government Offices, 12 Lei Yue Mun Road, Kwun Tong will be temporarily suspended from tomorrow (January 29) until further notice.     

    For enquiries, please contact at 2801 6181.