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 rate of medical wards in public hospitals.  Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting today (January 12).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     The Marine Department today (January 12) reminded masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels navigating in Hong Kong waters to proceed at a safe speed and exercise extreme caution because restricted visibility of less than 2 nautical miles has been reported.

     Appropriate sound signals shall be made when underway or at anchor. All vessels must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea.

     Also, when radar is used without the benefit of adequate plotting facilities, the information obtained from the equipment is rather limited and should be construed accordingly.

     Visibility reports are broadcast by the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) on VHF channels 02, 12, 14, 63 and 67.

     In the event of an accident, a report shall be made immediately to the VTC at Tel: 2233 7801.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (January 12). They are, on Hong Kong Island, the Society for Truth and Light; in Kowloon, Hans Andersen Club Limited; and in the New Territories, North District Hospital Charitable Foundation, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.

     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on January 12 is as follows:
 

     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678. Information on flag days is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew/) and the GovHK portal (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search/). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap/). For enquiries about the detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.

     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).

     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

    The Education Bureau (EDB) today (January 11) announced a collaboration arrangement with the Hospital Authority (HA) to provide hearing aids and fitting services for children and students with hearing impairment (HI).
 
    A spokesman for the EDB said that the Bureau attached great importance to the provision of hearing aids and related audiological services to children and students with HI. Since there were no service providers that fulfilled the tender requirements this school year, the Bureau has taken contingency measures aimed at resuming the provision of hearing aids and related services for those children and students through various channels as soon as possible.
 
    The spokesman said, "We are grateful to the HA for their assistance. A consensus has been reached between the two parties. Starting from next week, the audiologists of the EDB will use the audiology centre of the HA to provide hearing aid fitting and related services for children and students newly diagnosed with HI."
 
    "In addition, since last week, the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf has been offering hearing aid fitting services to children and students whose hearing aids are provided by the EDB."
 
    The number of new cases involved is around 40. Around 1 100 children and students who have been offered hearing aids and related services before the 2018/19 school year will continue to receive follow-up services from the original service provider according to the terms of the contract; hence they will not be affected.
 
    The EDB will continue to explore feasible long-term options in order to improve the related services for children and students with HI.