The Advisory Committee on Post-office Employment for Former Chief Executives and Politically Appointed Officials has advised on the proposed employment of Dr Raymond So Wai-man, former Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, and Mr Mark Fu Chuen-fu, former Political Assistant to the Secretary for Transport and Housing, after their departure from the Government on July 1, 2022. 

     The Advisory Committee considers that, subject to the observance of certain restrictions it has advised, the proposed employment of the aforementioned former politically appointed officials would not give rise to any potential conflict of interest. The Advisory Committee also does not anticipate adverse public perception to arise from the proposed employment.
 
     The Advisory Committee considers and advises on the post-office employment or appointments for former politically appointed officials. In considering each case, the Advisory Committee has regard to the information provided by the former politically appointed official concerned, the assessments by relevant government bureaux or offices, and the criteria for advice as stipulated in the guidance notes on post-office employment for politically appointed officials.

     Details of the above-mentioned cases are available at the Advisory Committee's website (www.ceo.gov.hk/poo/eng/index.htm).

     The membership of the Advisory Committee is as follows:
 
Professor Liu Pak-wai (Chairman) 
Mr Cheng Yan-kee
Mr Simon Ip Sik-on
Mrs Margaret Leung Ko May-yee
Ms Lo Wing-sze

     The Government exercises the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and publishes relevant specifications in the Gazette to continue to empower a registered medical practitioner to require any person whom he or she clinically suspects has contracted COVID-19 to undergo a test during a period of 14 days from September 3 to September 16, 2022. 
 
     According to expert advice, compulsory testing for symptomatic patients can effectively slow down the transmission of the virus by early identification, early isolation and early treatment. To keep the epidemic situation under control, the Government considers it necessary to continue to solicit help from medical practitioners in identifying possibly infected persons as soon as possible.
 
     During the specified period, registered medical practitioners may, by a written direction, require a person whom the medical practitioner attends to in the course of professional practice and clinically suspects to have contracted COVID-19 to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test. Persons who receive the written direction (persons who are subject to testing under written directions) should undergo a test within two days after the issue date of the written direction (the testing deadline).
 
     If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or above, the Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or the post-super typhoon "extreme conditions" announcement by the Government is in force at any time during the period for undergoing the compulsory testing, the testing deadline will be extended for one day.
 
     Persons who are subject to testing under written directions may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:

(1) To use the specimen bottle provided by the registered medical practitioner who issued the written direction to collect a deep throat saliva specimen and submit the specimen bottle to a designated specimen collection point by the testing deadline (see the specimen collection points and times at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html). Having reported the case to the Department of Health (DH), the registered medical practitioner who issued the written direction will be notified of the test result; or

(2) To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories recognised by the DH (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf) by the testing deadline and submit the test result to the medical practitioner who issued the written direction or his clinic staff by email, fax or hard copy within four days after the testing deadline.

     For example, if the written direction is issued on a Monday, the person subject to testing under the written direction should undergo a test via one of the above options on or before Wednesday, the testing deadline.

     "Persons who are subject to testing under written directions are suspected to be infected and should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or community testing centres for testing. To reduce transmission risk, relevant persons who underwent testing are advised to stay at home and avoid going out when waiting for test results," a Government spokesman said.
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     The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the compulsory testing directions. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing directions commits an offence and the maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. The fixed penalty for discharging the liability is $10,000. The person may also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Any person in breach of the compulsory testing order would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     Relevant officers of different government departments are empowered to perform certain functions under the relevant Regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including requesting individuals to provide information when necessary. Any person who fails to comply with the relevant request to provide information commits an offence and would be liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000). Collection and use of any personal data for conducting COVID-19 tests must meet the requirements under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Government departments or testing service providers which handle the relevant information may provide the data to the DH or other relevant departments for anti-epidemic purposes as necessary. The workflow does not involve the provision of any personal data to organisations or persons outside Hong Kong.

     The spokesman said, "The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons."

     Construction contractors, site supervising teams, front-line supervisors and workers with outstanding safety performance were commended at the 28th Considerate Contractors Site Award Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony today (September 2), the finale of Construction Safety Week 2022.
 
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau, said the industry should work together to build a safety culture that cares for all, and appealed to those in the industry to adopt the design for safety approach with due consideration of site safety at the construction and maintenance stages, and use modern construction methods and technologies, such as the Smart Site Safety system, smart devices and the modular integrated construction method, to enhance construction safety performance and productivity. He noted that a new category of award, the Innovation Awards for Safety and Environment Excellence, was introduced this year to promote wider use of innovative technologies and smart devices, bringing the Award Scheme closer to government policy and construction industry development.
 
     Also officiating at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Construction Industry Council (CIC), Mr Thomas Ho, affirmed the effectiveness of the Smart Site Safety system in enhancing site safety. The system utilises smart devices to monitor safety at work, which helps reduce the occurrence of site accidents. The CIC will continue to support the industry in implementing innovative construction technologies. 
 
     The Considerate Contractors Site Award Scheme was co-organised by the Development Bureau and the CIC. Sixty-four sites received awards this year, of which 36 came from the public works stream and 28 from the non‑public works stream. The list of awardees of the Scheme will be available at the Construction Safety Week website (www.safetyweek.hk).

      

     The Task Force on Supplies from the Mainland led by the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) has been working closely with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government to explore various means to stabilise the supply of goods from the Mainland to Hong Kong.
 
     A spokesperson for the TLB said that the "Sea Express" water transportation service from the Mainland to Hong Kong has been fully launched and its capacity is rising to increase the supplies of fresh food, other daily necessities and manufacturing materials. The current supply of fresh food from the Mainland is stable.
 
     The spokesperson said today (September 2) that Shenzhen operated 40 cargo vessel trips and transported around 4 630 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cross-boundary supplies by water yesterday (September 1), equivalent to about 20 190 tonnes of goods, of which around 10 TEUs (about 20 tonnes) were fresh food and around 4 620 TEUs (about 20 170 tonnes) were non-fresh food, according to information from the Mainland authorities.
 
     Since the launch of services from the three ports in Shenzhen since February 18 to yesterday, a total of around 890 110 TEUs of cross-boundary supplies have been transported, equivalent to about 4 281 090 tonnes of goods, of which around 2 290 TEUs (about 19 300 tonnes) were fresh food and around 887 820 TEUs (about 4 261 790 tonnes) were non-fresh food.
 
     Meanwhile, to avoid a spillover of the epidemic, the Transport Department (TD) arranges for dedicated staff to conduct rapid nucleic acid tests, using nasopharyngeal swabs for specimen collection, for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers at various land boundary control points. Only drivers with a negative result are allowed to enter the Mainland. A total of 3 482 rapid nucleic acid tests were conducted yesterday, among which six cases that tested preliminarily positive or indeterminate were found. The TD has passed the cases to the Department of Health for follow-up.
 
     The TLB will closely monitor the situation and co-operate with the Mainland authorities to facilitate and implement various measures to ensure both smooth cross-boundary land transport and a stable goods supply to Hong Kong, while reducing the risk of epidemic transmission in both the Mainland and Hong Kong.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 2) reported the latest number of dengue fever (DF) cases, and urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.
 
     From August 26 to yesterday (September 1), the CHP recorded three imported DF cases. The patients had been to Thailand, Cuba and Pakistan respectively during the incubation period.
 
     As of yesterday, six imported cases of DF had been recorded in 2022. In 2021, two imported cases of DF were recorded. Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, has been uploaded to the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf). Members of the public should stay vigilant and carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures.
 
     "Apart from general measures, travellers returning from areas affected by DF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:
 
• Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
• Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
• Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
• Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
• Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
• Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
• Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and trousers and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.
 
     DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
 
• Read the label instructions carefully first;
• Apply right before entering an area with risk of mosquito bites;
• Apply on exposed skin and clothing;
• Use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children*;
• Apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent; and
• Re-apply only when needed and follow the instructions.

* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.

     The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and may visit the following pages for more information: the DF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.