The Government has set up a website (www.evt.gov.hk) to facilitate public downloading of their own electronic testing record through the COVID-19 Electronic Testing Record System (the System).

     With effect from 2.30pm on December 31, members of the public can download their electronic testing record after receiving negative test result SMS messages from the test services provided by the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority and community testing centres. They can simply input their Hong Kong identity card number and specimen bottle number to the System's website (www.evt.gov.hk) to download the record. The public can also access the System through the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     The Government will hold a briefing on the System in early January to institutions currently providing private testing services, with a view to also facilitating the public to download their electronic testing record through the System after conducting testing in private testing institutions.

     The "Electronic Vaccination Record" will be added to the System at a later stage. By then, the public can download both their COVID-19 electronic testing record and vaccination record after verifying their identity through "iAM Smart".
 

     A registered class III minor works contractor (minor works contractor) was fined a total of $15,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts last month for contravention of the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) (BO) when carrying out minor works. 

     The minor works contractor concerned submitted a certificate to the Buildings Department (BD) in August 2018 certifying that the erection of two wall signboards at a commercial building at Connaught Road West, Hong Kong commenced in July and was completed in August 2018. An audit inspection conducted by the BD revealed that the concerned minor works had already been completed in April 2018 and the minor works involved should belong to Class II minor works.
      
     As the minor works contractor had knowingly misrepresented the dates of commencement and completion of the works in the certificate and had carried out minor works belonging to a class for which he was not registered, contravening the BO, the BD instigated prosecution against the contractor. The minor works contractor was convicted and fined a total of $15,000 on December 17, 2020.
          
     A spokesperson for the BD today (January 3) reiterated that a misrepresentation to the BD is a serious offence. Arising from public reports or when carrying out audit checks on minor works submissions, the BD will conduct an investigation and take appropriate action against irregularities committed by the relevant persons, including instigating prosecution and/or disciplinary action.
      
     The spokesman said, "The Minor Works Control System aims to enable owners of private premises to carry out small-scale building works safely under the simplified requirements. However, registered minor works contractors should not carry out any minor works for which they are not registered. If they are requested by their clients to carry out minor works beyond the class, type or item they have registered, they should explain the situation to their clients and do not carry out such minor works."
      
     The BD will continue to conduct audit checks of minor works in order to ensure works quality and building safety, he added.
      
     Pursuant to section 40(2A)(c) of the BO, a registered minor works contractor who knowingly misrepresents a material fact in any plan, certificate, form, report, notice or other document given to the Building Authority commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for 18 months.
      
     Pursuant to section 40(2E) of the BO, it is an offence for any registered minor works contractor to carry out minor works belonging to a class, type or item for which he is not registered. The maximum penalty upon conviction is six months' imprisonment and a fine of $100,000, as well as a further fine of $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

The following is issued on behalf of the Liquor Licensing Board:
 
     The Liquor Licensing Board (LLB) will meet on Tuesday (January 5) to consider five applications for new issue, renewal and amendment of liquor licences.
 
     The applications are (not in order of discussion):
 
Hong Kong:
—————
Winstons Coffee in Kennedy Town
NISSA LA BELLA in Sheung Wan
Bocadito in Central
 
Kowloon:
————
"Spicy King" in Tsim Sha Tsui
 
New Territories:
———————
"Hap Lei Restaurant" in Tsuen Wan
 
     The meeting will be held at 9.45am in the conference room, Room 102, 1/F, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. In response to the latest developments of coronavirus disease 2019, to avoid the gathering of people in an enclosed environment and to safeguard the health of all participants, public seats will not be available for all open hearings of the LLB in the interim.

     With the prolonged local COVID-19 epidemic situation, there has been a widespread of confirmed cases across all districts. Some of the confirmed cases have been asymptomatic which indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains within the community. The Government has exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to cover a number of buildings across the territory under compulsory testing notices and require residents, workers and visitors to undergo testing. To facilitate persons covered under the compulsory testing notices to undergo testing, the Government has arranged for testing service providers to set up mobile specimen collection stations at a number of locations in various districts to provide free and convenient testing services for them.
 
     The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations already in operation or to be set up in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are at the Annex.  Two new mobile specimen collection stations are set up in Shui Pin Wai Estate, Yuen Long and LOHAS Park, Tseung Kwan O respectively.  The Government has taken into account the testing service need of individual buildings covered under compulsory testing notices and the existing testing services near the buildings in the course of setting up mobile specimen collection stations.
 
     The Government will decide whether it is necessary to increase the number of stations, adjust or extend the operation periods of the stations after reviewing their usage and the public's demand for the testing service.
    
     Apart from mobile specimen collection stations, persons subject to compulsory testing can also choose to attend any of the community testing centres in all districts to receive testing free of charge. The operating hours of the centres are from 8am to 1.30pm and from 2.30pm to 8pm daily. The centres provide booking as well as on-site registration services. Members of the public are only required to input simple personal information, and select the testing centre and time slot in the 24-hour appointment booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk). The centres accord priority to those who make bookings in advance.

     A Government spokesman said, "The testing service providers will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations and community testing centres for testing free of charge. Generally speaking, mobile specimen collection stations only provide testing services for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing."
 
     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS notifications through their mobile phones. Persons subject to compulsory testing must properly keep the relevant records. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.
 
     The Government reminds the public that they can undergo COVID-19 testing for free through various means. For details on other free-of-charge testing means other than mobile specimen collection stations and community testing centres, please refer to the following webpage: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html. If a person has symptoms, he or she should seek medical attention immediately and should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or community testing centres.
 
     For the 40 buildings covered under the compulsory testing notice issued on December 30, 2020 (amended on December 31) and the three buildings covered under the compulsory testing notice on December 31, 2020, persons subject to compulsory testing can receive free testing by January 4, 2021 at mobile specimen collection stations, community testing centres or via other testing routes specified in the notices, with ample time provided for them to comply with the requirements set out in the notice.

     The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.