Dear Staff and Students,
We would like to share the following message on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from Department of Health about Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19):Government begins to relax social distancing measures in gradual and orderly manner AND Government enhances testing capabilities.
Health, Safety and Environment Office
Dear Sir/Madam,
Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
1. Government begins to relax social distancing measures in gradual and orderly manner
Thanks to the efforts of the whole community in Hong Kong, the epidemic situation has been gradually improving in the past month. With the epidemic situation under control, the Government will relax social distancing measures in a gradual and orderly manner in accordance with the latest developments of the epidemic situation and risk assessments.
Catering business: Catering premises fall under Category A / Category B according to the infection control measures adopted by the persons responsible for carrying on the catering business. The requirements and restrictions are different.
Scheduled premises: Some of the scheduled premises under Cap. 599F can be open when the relevant requirements and restrictions are fulfilled.
Group gathering: Unless exempted, the prohibition on group gatherings of more than two persons in public places will continue. The requirement is also applicable to group gatherings in catering business and scheduled premises regulated under Cap. 599F in which the relevant requirements or restrictions are not complied with. If there is no major change to the epidemic situation, the Government will seek the approval from the Executive Council shortly to relax the relevant group gathering restriction from two persons to four persons.
Mask-wearing requirement: The mandatory mask-wearing requirement under Cap. 599I will continue.
For details, please refer to the press release and annexes:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202102/17/P2021021700662.htm
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202102/17/P2021021700662_361121_1_1613570287637.pdf
2. Government enhances testing capabilities
In the wake of recent clusters of infection or higher risk of transmission at different premises, the Government provides free testing services at community testing centres with online bookings to various target groups such as foreign domestic helpers, construction site workers, and security and guarding personnel. To tie in with the reopening or relaxation of restrictions of restaurants and multiple scheduled premises, schools, etc, the Government also provides free testing services with online bookings to these target groups at community testing centres, and they may also continue to undergo testing via the above free testing means. Those with symptoms shall seek medical advice promptly and undergo testing as instructed by medical professionals, and they ought not visit the community testing centres.
The Government reiterates that, for those scheduled premises which will reopen on the seventh day of Lunar New Year and those restaurants which will resume dine-in dinner service on the same date, the operators are only required to arrange their staff to undergo the first testing from February 11 to 24, and arrange another test for them every 14 days. In other words, the operators can arrange the staff to receive the test on any dates within the first 14-day period, and there is no need to rush for test completion by February 18. For those who were unable to make a booking for testing at the community testing centres, they may go to the aforesaid locations to obtain deep throat saliva specimen collection packs for free testing. In general, the test result is available through SMS within 24 to 48 hours from the time of returning the specimen.
For details, please refer to:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202102/17/P2021021700655.htm
Please visit our Facebook and Thematic Website 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
1. 政府開始逐步有序放寬社交距離措施
有賴全港市民的努力，疫情在過去一個月逐漸緩和。政府會在疫情受控的前提下，按最新疫情發展及風險評估，逐步有條件地放寬社交距離措施。
餐飲業務：餐飲處所根據負責人採取的預防感染措施分為類別A或類別B，其限制及規定有別。
表列處所：部分第599F章下附表所列處所，在符合相關規定及限制下可予開放。
羣組聚集：除獲豁免者外，繼續禁止在公眾地方進行二人以上的羣組聚集。有關規定同樣適用於未有遵從第599F章下相關規定或限制的餐飲業務及表列處所內的羣組聚集。如疫情沒有出現重大變化，政府將於短時間內尋求行政會議批准，把有關羣組聚集的限制由二人放寬至四人。
佩戴口罩要求：延續第599I章下強制佩戴口罩的要求。
詳情參閱新聞公報及附件：
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202102/17/P2021021700029.htm
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202102/17/P2021021700029_361094_1_1613501105785.pdf
2. 政府提升檢測服務
政府因應最近不同場所出現群組感染或有較高傳播風險，為包括外籍家庭傭工（外傭）、建造業工地人員、保安及護衞業人員等多個特定群組，於社區檢測中心提供網上預約免費檢測服務。而為配合食肆、多個表列處所、學校等重開或放寬限制，政府亦為相關特定群組，於社區檢測中心提供網上預約免費檢測服務。相關人士亦可繼續循其他免費檢測途徑進行檢測。相關人士如果已有病徵，應立即求醫並按醫護人員指示接受檢測，不應前往社區檢測中心。
政府重申，初七重開的表列處所和恢復晚市堂食的食肆，負責人只須安排員工於本月十一日至二十四日期間，接受第一次檢測，並在其後每個14日期間進行一次檢測。換言之，有關處所負責人可安排員工在上述第一個14日期間內進行檢測，無須趕在二月十八日前安排員工接受檢測。至於未能預約社區檢測中心的相關人士，亦可到上述地點領取深喉唾液樣本收集包接受免費檢測，一般而言，檢測結果可於交回樣本後24至48小時內獲電話短訊通知。
詳情可參閱：
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202102/17/P2021021700034.htm
請定期留意我們的Facebook及專題網站，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
