Dear Staff and Students,
We would like to share the following message on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from Department of Health about Government to raise penalties for offences against relevant Regulations under Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance.
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Health, Safety and Environment Office
Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Government to raise penalties for offences against relevant Regulations under Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance
The Government has introduced a number of regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance in the past few months to reduce people flow and social contact so as to stop the virus from spreading in the community. Faced with the epidemic surge, apart from tightening various infection control measures, it is imperative to increase the relevant penalties in order to create the necessary deterrence effect and ensure strict compliance with relevant requirements.
The relevant legislative amendments will take effect from 11 December 2020.
The latest penalties as amended under relevant Regulations are as follows:
(1) under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G), any person who participates in a prohibited group gathering commits an offence. The fixed penalty for discharging liability for the offence is raised from $2,000 to $5,000;
(2) under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I), anyone who fails to wear a mask in accordance with the requirement when boarding or on board a public transport carrier, entering or present in an MTR paid area, or entering or present in a specified public place (currently covering all public places, save for outdoor public places in country parks and special areas as defined in section 2 of the Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208)) commits an offence. The fixed penalty for discharging liability for the offence is raised from $2,000 to $5,000; and
(3) Under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J), anyone who fails to comply with a requirement of a compulsory testing direction or a compulsory testing notice commits an offence. The fixed penalty for discharging liability for the offence is raised from $2,000 to $5,000.
In tandem with the increase in fixed penalties, the maximum penalty upon conviction for the related offences under Cap. 599I and Cap. 599J would be increased accordingly. Details are at attachment.
The Government will step up inspections and law enforcement, taking stringent enforcement actions against offenders. If compliance is not satisfactory, the Government does not rule out the possibility of further raising the penalties.
For more details, please refer to the press release and the attachment:
Government to raise penalties for offences against relevant Regulations under Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/04/P2020120400674.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
政府提高違反《預防及控制疾病條例》相關規例罰則
政府過去數月已在《預防及控制疾病條例》下推出多項規例，以減低人流和社交接觸，阻止病毒在社區傳播。面對疫情高峰期，政府有必要提高有關罰則，以達致所需的阻嚇力，確保市民嚴格遵守相關規定。
有關的法例修訂將於2020年12月11日生效。經修訂後相關規例的最新罰則如下：
（1）在《預防及控制疾病（禁止羣組聚集）規例》（第599G章）下，任何人參加受禁羣組聚集，即屬犯罪。該人士可藉繳付定額罰款解除因該罪行而須負的法律責任，定額罰款金額由2,000元提升至5,000元；
（2）在《預防及控制疾病（佩戴口罩）規例》（第599I章）下，任何人在登上公共交通工具或在身處公共交通工具上時；或在進入或身處港鐵已付車費區域時；或進入或身處指明公眾地方（現時包括所有公眾地方，《郊野公園條例》（第208章）第2條所界定的郊野公園及特別地區內的戶外公眾地方除外）時未有按規定佩戴口罩，即屬犯罪。該人士可藉繳付定額罰款解除因該罪行而須負的法律責任，定額罰款金額由2,000元提升到5,000元；及
（3）在《預防及控制疾病（對若干人士強制檢測）規例》（第599J章）下，任何人未有遵從強制檢測指示或強制檢測公告的要求，即屬犯罪。該人士可藉繳付定額罰款解除因該罪行而須負的法律責任，定額罰款金額由2,000元提升到5,000元。
因應定額罰款的提升，第599I章及第599J章下相關罪行經定罪後的最高刑罰亦會相應提高。詳情見附件。
政府會加強巡查及執法，對罔顧有關規例的人士採取嚴厲的執法行動。如發現遵守規定的情況未如理想，政府不排除會進一步加強罰則。
詳情請參閱有關新聞公報及附件：
政府提高違反《預防及控制疾病條例》相關規例罰則
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202012/04/P2020120400664.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
