In view of the latest local epidemic situation, a spokesman for the Government announced today (January 24) that bureaux and departments will implement new special work arrangements having regard to their operational needs starting from tomorrow (January 25). The Government will closely monitor the epidemic situation and review the arrangements in due course.
     
     The spokesman said that the Civil Service Bureau has issued guidelines to bureaux and departments requesting them to review demand for their services, and, having regard to their operational needs, to implement new special work arrangements with a view to reducing the number of staff present at the same time in the office, while generally maintaining basic public services and not affecting anti-epidemic work. Such arrangements may include allowing some of their staff to take turns to work from home as far as possible. As a result, there may be temporary reduction in provision of some of the public services offered by individual departments. The departments concerned will make suitable arrangements and announcements separately. The Government appeals to members of the public for their understanding should there be any inconvenience caused.
 
     Reducing the flow of people in government buildings and offices will help contain the epidemic. Members of the public are encouraged to use alternative means, such as the post, drop-in boxes or online channels, to receive the services they need. Meanwhile, members of the public should wear surgical masks at all times when they are entering or are present in any government buildings or offices, and comply with the infection control and social distancing measures implemented by relevant departments including using the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app, temperature checks and crowd control arrangements.
 
     The spokesman also appealed to employers to allow their staff members to work from home as far as possible according to their operational needs so as to significantly reduce the flow of people and social contact in the community.

The following is issued on behalf of the Sir David Trench Fund Committee:
 
     The Sir David Trench Fund Committee is inviting eligible organisations to apply for projects funded by the Main Fund of the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation (the Fund) for 2022-23.
 
     The Fund is to be used for the provision of facilities and purchase of equipment for projects in the furtherance of the objectives of the Fund. In keeping with the donor's wishes, emphasis is placed on encouraging the purposeful use of leisure by young people.
 
     Three categories of grants available under the Fund are listed as follows:
 

     Each applicant organisation can only submit one application under each type of project within that year. The application guidelines and application forms are available on the website of the Home Affairs Bureau (www.hab.gov.hk/en/public_forms/forms.htm).      
 
     For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Sir David Trench Fund Committee at 3509 7068 or 3509 8039.

     Firing practice will take place at two military sites, namely the San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range and the Tsing Shan Firing Range, next month (February).
 
     Red flags or red lamps will be hoisted at the firing areas before and during firing practice. For their safety, people are advised not to enter the firing area.
 
     Following are the dates and times for the firing practice sessions in February 2022:
 
San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range
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Tsing Shan Firing Range
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     A woman who went missing in Tin Sum has been located.

     Lam Ngan-ying, aged 68, went missing after she was last seen at a convenience store in Lung Hang Estate on January 19. Her family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The woman was located in Tai Hang Tung Estate, Sham Shui Po yesterday (January 23). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Government yesterday (January 23) 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 Tai Wo Hau (i.e. Fu Keung House, Tai Wo Hau Estate) 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 14, 2022 to January 23, 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 January 25, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (January 24) 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 9am today.
      
     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Sai Kung District Office), the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Government Logistics Department, the Environmental Protection Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 295 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 7am 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 9am. Test records of around 335 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Twenty-four persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them, among which three of them were also issued with fixed penalty of $5,000. 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 40 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.