Dear Staff and Students,
We would like to share the following message on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from Department of Health about Government tightens restrictions and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in places outside China.
Health, Safety and Environment Office
Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Government tightens restrictions and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in places outside China
According to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, the incubation period of the virus could be as long as 14 days. While there is currently no evidence showing that the incubation period of the new virus variant is longer, in view of the expert advice that the incubation period of virus carried by very few infected persons may be longer than the quarantine period of 14 days, and noting the drastic change of the global pandemic situation with the new virus variant found in more countries, there is a need for the Government to introduce resolute measures immediately.
The Secretary for Food and Health has exercised the power under the relevant Regulations to make specifications and notice, which took effect from 0.00am on December 25. Details are as below:
1. The requirements under Cap. 599C and Cap. 599E have been tightened so that all persons arriving at Hong Kong (either via the airport or land boundary control points) who have stayed in places outside China on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day have to undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in designated quarantine hotels;
2. The requirements under Cap. 599H have been tightened so that all persons who have stayed in South Africa, apart from the United Kingdom (UK) as announced earlier, for more than two hours in the past 21 days will not be allowed to board for Hong Kong; and
3. An updated compulsory testing notice has been made under Cap. 599J, which imposes compulsory testing requirements to persons subject to compulsory quarantine who arrived at Hong Kong during the period of December 2 to December 23, 2020 and have stayed in the UK, as well as persons subject to compulsory quarantine who arrived at Hong Kong during the period of December 2 to December 24, 2020 and have stayed in the remaining places outside China. Apart from the requirement to undergo testing at the community testing centres or the designated quarantine hotels on the 19th or 20th day following their arrival at Hong Kong, the relevant persons have to stay at their place of residence, private premises or the place of quarantine specified on the quarantine order until the test result is available.
For more details, please refer to the press release:
Government tightens restrictions and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in places outside China
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/25/P2020122500012.htm
Please visit our Facebook and Thematic Website (https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html) regularly for further information and updates.
We would like to solicit your support to disseminate the information to your colleagues, work associates and/or business partners so that they could adopt proper preventive measures. Thank you very much for your support.
Department of Health
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敬啟者：
2019冠狀病毒病的最新資訊
政府加強對由中國以外地區抵港人士的限制及強制檢疫要求
根據世界衞生組織的指引，病毒潛伏期可長達14天，而目前並沒有證據顯示新變種病毒的潛伏期會較長。然而，考慮到有專家認為極小部分受病毒感染人士的潛伏期可能超過14天檢疫期，加上全球疫情正出現急劇變化，愈來愈多國家發現新變種病毒，政府有需要果斷採取措施。
食物及衞生局局長引用相關規例作出指明及公告，由12月25日凌晨零時起生效。詳情如下：
（一）收緊第599C章及第599E章下的規定，所有於到達香港當天或之前21天曾在中國以外地區逗留的抵港人士（不論經機場或陸路口岸抵港），需要在指定檢疫酒店強制檢疫21天；
（二）收緊第599H章下的規定，除早前已宣布的英國外，所有於登機當天或之前21天曾逗留南非超過兩小時的人士，亦將不會獲准登機前來香港；及
（三）於第599J章下作出最新強制檢測公告，對於在2020年12月2日至12月23日期間到達香港而曾在英國逗留並須接受強制檢疫的人士，以及在2020年12月2日至12月24日期間由中國以外其餘地區到達香港並須接受強制檢疫的人士施加強制檢測要求。有關人士除了須在到港後第19天或第20天到社區檢測中心或在指定檢疫酒店接受檢測外，亦必須在確定檢測結果前留在該人的居住地點、私人處所或在檢疫令上指明的檢疫地點。
詳情請參閱有關新聞公報：
政府加強對由中國以外地區抵港人士的限制及強制檢疫要求
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/24/P2020122400963.htm
請定期留意我們的Facebook及專題網站（https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/chi/index.html），以獲取更多及更新的資訊。
希望你可以將有關資訊與你的同事、合作者及／或業務伙伴分享，讓他們都能採取合適的預防措施。非常感謝你的支持。
衞生署
