The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Fanling this morning (February 23), in which a male worker was suspected to have fallen from height onto the 1/F canopy of a building under construction while installing window glass panes in an upper floor unit of the building. He was certified dead on the spot. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim's family.

     The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending any work activities liable to fall from height near the windows of the flats of the buildings on the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken."           

     The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."        

     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.       

     In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.       

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.        

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

     The Government today (February 23) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 8.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in San Po Kong (i.e. Cambridge Building, 6-24A Kam Wing Street, and Tong Seng Mansion, 1-33 Kam Wing Street and 5-7 Yin Hing Street, San Po Kong; 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 area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about 7am tomorrow (February 24), in order to achieve the goal of zero cases in the district with concerted efforts.
              
     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As there is a confirmed case recorded in Cambridge Building recently, and that sub-divided units are common in the above two buildings which are relatively old. As assessed, the risk of infection in the relevant area may be 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 2am tomorrow. Persons subject to compulsory testing will be arranged to undergo nucleic acid testing 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 arrange door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons.
              
     "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 at night after most people are released from work. 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 7am tomorrow with a view to allowing residents to start going to work at around 7am. 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 an individual who is not a resident 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 or her personal information for contact purposes.
      
     Persons in the "restricted area" who have undergone testing from February 21 to 23, 2021, and are able to provide the SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results, are not required to take the test again. However, they are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. Also, according to the compulsory testing notice issued today, any person who had been present at the above buildings for more than two hours from February 10 to 23, 2021, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing by February 25.
              
     The Government has prepared simple food and cleaning supplies for the residents restricted by the declaration. The Wong Tai Sin District Office has set up a hotline (Tel: 9617 0211), which started operation at 8.30pm today for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.
              
     The Government understands the residents in the district are anxious because of the increase in confirmed cases recently and they are worried that the resurgence of pandemic will affect their health and livelihood. The Government hopes this temporary inconvenience will completely cut the local transmission chains and ease residents' worries and fear, so that they will regain confidence in resuming social and business activities in the area, and return to a normal life.
             
     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 $5,000. 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.

     Around 200 people in the vaccination priority groups arranged by the Government today (February 23) received COVID-19 vaccination at the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) at the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library to appeal through their actions to other members of the priority groups to get vaccinated early, with a view to protecting themselves and others.

     People vaccinated in the morning session included more than 100 healthcare workers, staff of residential care homes for the elderly, airport staff and cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers. In the afternoon, over 100 officers of the six disciplined services, namely the Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Immigration Department and the Government Flying Service were vaccinated.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; and the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, visited the centre. 

     The Commissioner of Police, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Hermes Tang; the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Woo Ying-ming; the Director of Fire Services, Mr Joseph Leung; the Director of Immigration, Mr Au Ka-wang; and the Controller of the Government Flying Service, Captain Wu Wai-hung, also went with their colleagues to the CVC to get vaccinated.

     Vaccination is free of charge. Priority vaccination is arranged for five groups of people, namely persons aged 60 years or above (a maximum of two carers accompanying elderly people aged 70 or above can also get vaccinated); personnel in healthcare settings and those participating in anti-epidemic related work; residents and staff of residential care homes for the elderly/persons with disabilities; personnel maintaining critical public services; and personnel performing cross-boundary related work.

     People in the priority groups who have made reservations can get vaccinated at five CVCs and 18 general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority starting from Friday (February 26). Private doctors participating in the vaccination programme will also administer the Sinovac vaccine for people in the priority groups in early March.

     For information on vaccines, please visit the designated website at www.covidvaccine.gov.hk.

                                

     The Government is rolling out the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme (Vaccination Programme). Owners and their local deckhands of local fishing vessels, and fish collectors operating in the Mainland waters belong to one of the priority groups of the Vaccination Programme. These people concerned can book vaccination slots for both the first and second doses of vaccinations at any Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) through the designated website www.covidvaccine.gov.hk starting from today (February 23), or direct with a private clinic (from mid-March onwards).
 
     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said, "The abovementioned local vessel owners and deckhands are required to apply for a Proof of Identity of Recipient (Proof) from the AFCD to enable their priority participation in the Vaccination Programme. At the vaccination venue, an owner or a deckhand has to present the Proof issued by the AFCD bearing his/her name, and his/her identity document to prove that he/she belongs to a priority group."
 
     He added, "The CVCs also accept group bookings for vaccinations. The organisation concerned can call 5275 9255 or email cvc_group@csb.gov.hk for booking."
 
     COVID-19 has affected Hong Kong citizens' normal lives. The Government encourages people belonging to priority groups to receive the vaccine. It will contribute to an early revival of the economy and a return to a normal life.
 
     Should members of the public have any enquiry on the application for the Proof, please call the AFCD on 2150 7095 or 2150 7099, or visit the AFCD website: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/what_fis/what_fis.html. For any enquiry on the Vaccination Programme, please call the hotline on 3142 2366.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Grantham Hospital (GH) made the following announcement today (February 23) concerning a visitor who tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19:
 
     A female patient who tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 was found to have been a visitor of GH's palliative ward on February 20 and 21 when she visited her relative. According to the hospital records, the visitor had presented negative result proof of COVID-19 testing conducted within 72 hours each time when she entered the hospital premises. She stayed in the ward for about 30 minutes each time and she wore masks throughout the visits. Yesterday (February 22), the patient had the symptom of running nose and underwent a virus test at a mobile specimen collection station. The preliminary test result available today was positive for COVID-19.
 
     The hospital's infection control team conducted contact tracing accordingly. The relative visited by the visitor together with three other patients in the same cubicle were classified as close contacts and will be quarantined as they could not wear a mask properly due to their health conditions. All healthcare workers have been wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. No staff member was identified as a close contact.
 
     The hospital has arranged thorough cleaning and disinfection of the areas in the ward. GH will continue to closely monitor the health conditions of its staff and patients and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection about the latest situation.