The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority closely monitors the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (January 17) that to provide further relief to the sectors directly affected by the tightened social distancing measures, applications for the Catering Business Subsidy Scheme, the Commercial Bathhouse Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme and the Places of Public Entertainment Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme under the fifth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) starts today until February 18.
To provide relief for catering premises providing dine-in services, the new-round Catering Business Subsidy Scheme will provide a one-off subsidy ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to eligible licence holders of general restaurants, light refreshment restaurants, marine restaurants and factory canteens in operation according to the floor areas of the premises as specified on their licences. It is estimated that the scheme will benefit over 17 600 catering outlets.
Moreover, for each eligible catering outlet mentioned above, if it is also running a karaoke establishment, nightclub and bar or pub and has closed the whole of its licensed premises as directed under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirement and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), it is eligible to apply for an additional one-off subsidy of $25,000 according to the respective business.
The Government will also continue to provide financial support to licensees of eligible food factory licences in food courts inside shopping malls. "Food court" means a place inside a shopping mall comprising licensed food factories and an adjoining seating area (with both tables and chairs/stools) provided by the property management/owner of the shopping mall for non-exclusive use by its visitors, which may include patrons of the licensed food factories. Each licensee of eligible licensed food factories in operation is eligible for a one-off subsidy ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 according to the licensed area of its premises. If the business is not run by the licence holder, an affirmation of the business operator on supporting the application of the subsidy is required. About 1 700 licensees of eligible licensed food factories are expected to benefit from the scheme.
As regards cooked food/light refreshment market stall tenants as well as persons holding a hawker licence and operating cooked food business in public housing developments, each tenant or licensee is eligible to apply for a one-off subsidy of $25,000. It is expected to benefit about 1 000 operators.
Separately, the Commercial Bathhouse Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme will provide a one-off subsidy of $50,000 to each eligible licence holder of a commercial bathhouse. The Places of Public Entertainment Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme will provide a one-off subsidy of $50,000 for each eligible holder of a places of public entertainment licence (PPEL) (excluding cinema operators eligible under the Cinemas Subsidy Scheme) and $10,000 for each eligible holder of a temporary places of public entertainment licence (TPPEL). The schemes are expected to benefit the licence holders of around 50 commercial bathhouses, about 570 PPEL holders and TPPEL holders.
A spokesman for the FEHD reminded that corporate applicant shall hold a valid Certificate of Incorporation under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) with status "live" as shown in the Integrated Companies Registry Information System of the Registrar of Companies throughout the application for this AEF subsidy. In addition, the applicant should not be bankrupt/wound-up or subject to any bankruptcy or winding up procedure/proceedings throughout application to the date of receiving the subsidy.
For eligible holders of food licence, liquor licence, karaoke establishment permit, commercial bathhouse licence and places of public entertainment licence, the application forms and guidelines can be obtained from various District Environmental Hygiene Offices of the FEHD starting from today. The application documents and details of the schemes can also be downloaded from the website of the FEHD (www.fehd.gov.hk). The applicants can submit their applications as appropriate through the FEHD website. They can also submit their applications to various District Environmental Hygiene Offices of the FEHD (to the corresponding licensing offices for liquor licences) in person or by mail. The deadline for application is February 18. For approved applications, the FEHD will disburse the subsidies by crossed cheques to the correspondence addresses of the licensed premises registered in the FEHD.
The FEHD will distribute application forms separately to its cooked food/light refreshment market stall tenants as well as hawker licensees who operate cooked food business in public housing developments. They do not need to make applications online.
The Government had earlier on provided financial relief measures to businesses affected by the epidemic and the Government's various anti-epidemic and social distancing measures through a number of schemes under various rounds of the AEF, including the Food Licence Holders Subsidy Scheme, the Subsidy Scheme for Tenants of Cooked Food/Light Refreshment Stalls at FEHD Markets, the Catering Business (Social Distancing) Subsidy Scheme, the Food Courts Subsidy Scheme, the previous rounds of Catering Business Subsidy Scheme; the Commercial Bathhouse Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme and the Places of Public Entertainment Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme. Hitherto, a total of over $13 billion in subsidies has been disbursed to eligible applicants.
​The Government yesterday (January 16) 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 Aberdeen (i.e. 2-4 Tung Sing Road, Aberdeen, excluding the shops located on G/F of 2-8 Tung Sing Road) 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 December 27, 2021 to January 16, 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 18, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 6.30am today (January 17) 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 8.30am today.
In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (including the Southern District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 80 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including canned food and instant noodles, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks and bleach were also provided to each person subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
The Southern District Office 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 6.30am 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 8.30am. Test records of around 20 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 10 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 Social Welfare Department (SWD) invites applications, starting from today (January 17), for admission to a two-year full-time Enrolled Nurse (General) Training Programme for the welfare sector which will provide 200 places.
A spokesman for the SWD said that to alleviate the shortage of enrolled nurses in the welfare sector and enhance the quality of care services, the SWD has since 2006 organised training programmes and has continued to commission the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) (formerly the Open University of Hong Kong) to provide training programmes for four consecutive years from 2021-22.
The Enrolled Nurse (General) Training Programme, which aims to equip graduates to become competent and caring professional nurses, is to be provided through the Higher Diploma in Nursing Studies (General Health Care) (Programme code: HDNGOSF1) organised by the HKMU. This training programme, to commence on September 5, will be conducted on the campus of the HKMU in Ho Man Tin, and the HKMU will also be responsible for the arrangement of relevant clinical practices.
On the qualifications required, the spokesman said, "Applicants must have attained the age of 18 by the time the training programme commences and have attained Level 2 or above in five subjects, including Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and any two other subjects in Categories A and B in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination; or have completed a Pre-Associate Degree programme, or an equivalent qualification."
The spokesman added, "To encourage youths and frontline staff currently serving the welfare sector to upgrade their skills, priority will be accorded to applicants who have successfully completed the two-year Diploma Programme and obtained the diploma under the Navigation Scheme for Young Persons in Care Services launched since 2015 (or under the First-hire-then-train Pilot Scheme from 2013 to 2016) by the SWD; or those who are currently working full-time in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or private organisations providing elderly, rehabilitation, family and child care, youth or correctional services. Individuals who aspire to start a career as enrolled nurses in the welfare sector are also welcome."
Tuition fees will be reimbursed to the trainees in full on condition that the trainees have successfully completed the training programme and qualified to register as an enrolled nurse within two years. Trainees will also be required to sign an undertaking to ensure their employment as Enrolled Nurse (General) providing elderly, rehabilitation, family and child care, or correctional services operated by NGOs or private organisations for a continuous period of no less than two years after satisfactory completion of the training. Trainees will have to repay the tuition fees to the SWD in breach of this term.
An information seminar on the training programme will be held online at 4pm on January 25 (Tuesday). Information about the seminar and the training programme is available on the webpage of the HKMU (www.hkmu.edu.hk/nhs/tc/hdns_g_2022_r/) (Chinese version only). Applicants are required to submit their applications for the training programme via the Online Admission Application System of the HKMU (www.hkmu.edu.hk/FTUG_application). Hyperlinks are also provided on the SWD webpage (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew). Applications will close on March 4. For enquiries, please contact the HKMU on 3970 2958 or 3970 2955.
​The Government yesterday (January 16) 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 Aberdeen (i.e. 2-4 Tung Sing Road, Aberdeen, excluding the shops located on G/F of 2-8 Tung Sing Road) 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 had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the building for more than two hours from December 27, 2021 to January 16, 2022 to undergo compulsory testing on or before January 18, 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 6.30am today (January 17) 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 6.30am today, persons in the "restricted area" in Aberdeen 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 10pm yesterday. As at 10pm yesterday, around 55 residents had undergone testing. No cases tested positive were found.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit around 45 households, among which around 10 households did not answer the door. Those may include some households undergoing quarantine or isolation. Some units are possibly vacant as well. The Government does not have detailed information in this respect and 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.
