In view of the deteriorating situation of COVID-19, walk-in counter services provided by the Police Licensing Office will be suspended from February 7 (Monday).   

     Members of the public who are in urgent need of applying for licenses or permits, please call the Police Licensing Office in advance for registration and appointments (appointments are only available for the coming week), or submit applications with supporting documents by post or via the drop-in box located at 1/F, Arsenal House, Police Headquarters, 1 Arsenal Street, Wan Chai.

     For the latest arrangements, please visit the webpage of the Police Licensing Office (https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/licences/?fbclid=IwAR07urRDSTtHO586IXHz-lP25IZNGN9rmABFAxG5gY-CWltMSN-gelIUSXk).

     Other non-emergency services of the Hong Kong Police Force may also be adjusted according to the latest epidemic situation. If members of the public are in urgent need of the services listed below, please visit Police’s website for the latest updates, and register and make appointments online or via telephone system.

1. Sexual Conviction Record Check
(https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/scrc.html)

2. Application for Certificate of No Criminal Conviction
(https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/cert_no_crime.html)

3. Data Access Request for Criminal Conviction Data
(https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/ccd.html)

     To contain the epidemic, Police appeal to members of the public to reduce social contact and avoid unnecessary outings and activities.

     The Government today (February 5) announced that the 49th round of compulsory testing for staff members of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) and nursing homes will commence shortly.
 
     In accordance with section 10(1) of the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J), the Secretary for Food and Health issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday (February 4), requiring persons who are employed by and will be on duty at RCHEs, RCHDs, nursing homes and day service units attached to the premises of residential care homes during the period from February 16 to 22, 2022, or who will provide services to residents or users through hire-of-service contracts with residential care homes and the aforementioned units during that period (including full-time, part-time and relief staff), to undergo polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 during the period from February 9 to 15, 2022, according to the requirements and procedure set out in the notice (the Specified Test). The samples must be collected by using combined nasal and throat swabs and must not be taken by the person to be tested. However, persons who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course (i.e. received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the end of the testing period) are not required to undergo the Specified Test. Persons who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course in places outside Hong Kong (i.e. received the recommended dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine as stipulated in relevant guidelines at least 14 days before the end of the testing period, and the vaccine used is included on the list of vaccines recognised for specified purposes as published on www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/list_of_recognised_covid19_vaccines.pdf) are also not required to undergo the Specified Test.
 
     The staff of the aforementioned institutions may choose the following means to undergo the Specified Test:
 
(1) To undergo the Specified Test in any of the Community Testing Centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en), Temporary Testing Centres (if any) (see the list at www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_ttc), or mobile specimen collection stations (if any) (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) in accordance with the instructions given by the staff at the centre/station;
 
(2) To have a sample collected by a healthcare professional or trained personnel as arranged by institution operators at a laboratory listed on the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf); or
 
(3) To self-arrange testing provided by a laboratory listed on the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" at their own expense (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf) and the sample through a combined nasal and throat swab must not be taken by the person himself or herself.
 
     Any person who fails to comply with the testing notice commits an offence and may be subject to a fixed penalty of $5,000. He or she would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
 
     A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said that the SWD and the Department of Health would issue letters to institutions to inform them of the relevant arrangements and requirements. The spokesman reminded that staff of the said institutions who would undergo testing at community testing centres should make an advance booking via the community testing centre booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk) for the free testing service. In addition, institution operators should remind their staff members to properly keep the SMS notifications of their test results or their test result reports.
 
     Institution operators are required to keep records of their staff having received the Specified Test and the results within the time frame specified by the Government. They are also required to keep the list of staff members who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course. Institution operators also have to co-operate with Checking Officers (Compulsory Testing) of the SWD who are enforcing the Regulation at residential care homes.
 
     The SWD spokesman said that starting from the 26th round of compulsory testing, staff members who have not been vaccinated and do not have medical certificates certifying that they are unfit to receive COVID-19 vaccination owing to health reasons have to undergo compulsory testing at their own expense. The Government will continue to monitor the epidemic situation and make adjustments to the aforementioned testing policy after taking the overall anti-epidemic measures into account. Although staff members who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course are exempted from the regular compulsory testing, they can still receive free testing if they voluntarily choose to undergo the test for the time being.

     The Official Receiver's Office (ORO) today (February 5) said that a staff member has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. 

     The staff member concerned works in the public counter of ORO on 10th Floor, High Block, Queensway Government Offices and last performed duties on January 31. She has no recent travel history. She was wearing a face mask and following disease prevention measures while performing duties. She had also properly maintained social distancing with people she had contact with. Her body temperature was normal when undergoing temperature screening at work and she did not have any symptoms.

     Thorough cleaning and disinfection has been arranged at the premises concerned. The ORO has also arranged for all staff of the same floor to undergo COVID-19 testing and work from home until a negative test result is obtained. The ORO will maintain close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health in taking appropriate follow-up actions. 

     The public counter of ORO on 10th Floor, High Block, Queensway Government Offices will be closed on February 7 (Monday) and will provide emergency and essential public services from 9am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm, from February 8 (Tuesday) until further notice. Meanwhile, the opening hours of other offices of the ORO will remain unchanged during office hours (i.e. 8.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.45pm from Monday to Friday).

     During the pandemic, the ORO has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures, including measuring the body temperature of people entering the office, providing masks and other personal protective equipment for staff, and stepping up the cleaning and sterilising measures for the working environment. The ORO has also reminded its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant. Staff have been reminded to seek medical advice immediately if feeling unwell.

     The Government yesterday (February 4) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Wong Tai Sin (i.e. Block 14, Tsui Chuk Garden, Wong Tai Sin) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 19, 2022 to February 4, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before February 6, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today (February 5) and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 10am today.
      
     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Wong Tai Sin District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 110 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
      
     The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
      
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 10am. Test records of around 120 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
      
     The Government reminds the about 30 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. 

     The Government yesterday (February 4) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Sham Shui Po (i.e. The buildings of 107-131 Apliu Street (odd numbers), 11-17 Shek Kip Mei Street (odd numbers), 140-164 Yu Chau Street (even numbers), 112-126 Nam Cheong Street (even numbers), 195-223A Tai Nan Street (odd numbers), 1F Shek Kip Mei Street, 238-272 Lai Chi Kok Road (even numbers) and 66-72 Nam Cheong Street (even numbers), excluding the shops on the ground floor) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained.

     In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above buildings, including the shops on the ground floor, for more than two hours from January 22 to February 4, 2022 to undergo compulsory testing on or before February 6, 2022 even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 9.15am today (February 5) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
 
     Starting from around 9.15am today, persons in the specified "restricted area" in Sham Shui Po who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results or wear wristbands as proof of having undergone testing may leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
 
     The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the "restricted area" yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 1am today. Around 2 100 people within the area had undergone testing, among which four cases tested preliminarily positive were found. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will arrange to follow up.
 
     Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 962 households within the "restricted area", among which 352 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
 
     The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result or wear a wristband as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.