â€‹The Government announced today (January 5) that in view of the rapidly worsening global pandemic situation due to the Omicron variant, it will, from 0.00am on January 8, implement the place-specific flight suspension mechanism for Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Government will also specify Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan as Group A specified places to tighten the boarding and quarantine requirements for relevant inbound travellers.
 
Implementing place-specific flight suspension mechanism for eight places
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     The global pandemic situation has become exceptionally severe with the Omicron variant ravaging places overseas, while the number of new confirmed cases is continually reaching record highs.  Currently, Hong Kong has already implemented very stringent measures to guard against the importation of cases, with the majority of overseas places already specified as high-risk Group A specified places, where non-Hong Kong residents are not allowed to enter Hong Kong or to come to Hong Kong via these places, and relevant arriving Hong Kong residents are subject to the most stringent quarantine and testing requirements to prevent the virus from entering the community. As the number of imported cases tested positive and carrying the Omicron variant has been continuously rising recently, and there are signs of local community transmission and spreading, the Government must implement more stringent inbound control measures to further reduce the number of persons arriving at Hong Kong from high risk places, so as to intercept the importation of cases.
      
     With reference to inbound passenger traffic and the number of imported cases, the Government will, from 0.00am on January 8 (Hong Kong time) to January 21 (for 14 days), invoke the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to implement the place-specific flight suspension mechanism for Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. All passenger flights from these eight places will be prohibited from landing in Hong Kong, and at the same time, persons who have stayed in these places for more than two hours will be restricted from boarding passenger flights for Hong Kong, so as to stop persons from the relevant places from travelling to Hong Kong via transit. The Government will review in due course whether the place-specific flight suspension mechanism should be lifted or continued by taking into account the latest global and local epidemic developments.
      
     A Government spokesman said, "We understand that the place-specific flight suspension mechanism is an extremely stringent measure. As an international city, Hong Kong has all along seen large numbers of Hong Kong residents returning from these eight places, and so the relevant measure will inevitably affect the return journey of relevant Hong Kong residents. However, Hong Kong is at the moment facing the threat of a rapid deterioration of the local epidemic situation. We must act quickly and decisively to lower the risk to the local epidemic situation."
 
Tightening boarding and quarantine requirements for places with Omicron cases detected
———————————————————–
     Meanwhile, in view of the latest global developments of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan will be specified as Group A specified places from 0.00am on January 8 to tighten the boarding and quarantine requirements for relevant inbound travellers.
 
     To manage and prevent the importation risks posed by Omicron cases, the Government will continue to employ the most stringent measures to guard against importation of cases. Overseas places where Omicron cases have been detected that may lead to local transmission and exportation of cases will be specified as Group A specified places. Noting that the detection of Omicron cases was confirmed in Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan, the Government will specify them as Group A specified places from 0.00am on January 8. Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed there within 21 days will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. Hong Kong residents can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they have been fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record. They will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel for 21 days upon returning to Hong Kong, with six tests to be conducted during quarantine, followed by compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival in Hong Kong.
 
     Details on the relevant boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for respective specified places can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.
      
     The Government will gazette the relevant updated specifications under Cap. 599H to effect the above measures.

     â€‹The Government announced today (January 5) that in view of the rapidly worsening global pandemic situation due to the Omicron variant, it will, from 0.00am on January 8, implement the place-specific flight suspension mechanism for Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Government will also specify Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan as Group A specified places to tighten the boarding and quarantine requirements for relevant inbound travellers.
 
Implementing place-specific flight suspension mechanism for eight places
———————————————————–
 
     The global pandemic situation has become exceptionally severe with the Omicron variant ravaging places overseas, while the number of new confirmed cases is continually reaching record highs.  Currently, Hong Kong has already implemented very stringent measures to guard against the importation of cases, with the majority of overseas places already specified as high-risk Group A specified places, where non-Hong Kong residents are not allowed to enter Hong Kong or to come to Hong Kong via these places, and relevant arriving Hong Kong residents are subject to the most stringent quarantine and testing requirements to prevent the virus from entering the community. As the number of imported cases tested positive and carrying the Omicron variant has been continuously rising recently, and there are signs of local community transmission and spreading, the Government must implement more stringent inbound control measures to further reduce the number of persons arriving at Hong Kong from high risk places, so as to intercept the importation of cases.
      
     With reference to inbound passenger traffic and the number of imported cases, the Government will, from 0.00am on January 8 (Hong Kong time) to January 21 (for 14 days), invoke the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to implement the place-specific flight suspension mechanism for Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. All passenger flights from these eight places will be prohibited from landing in Hong Kong, and at the same time, persons who have stayed in these places for more than two hours will be restricted from boarding passenger flights for Hong Kong, so as to stop persons from the relevant places from travelling to Hong Kong via transit. The Government will review in due course whether the place-specific flight suspension mechanism should be lifted or continued by taking into account the latest global and local epidemic developments.
      
     A Government spokesman said, "We understand that the place-specific flight suspension mechanism is an extremely stringent measure. As an international city, Hong Kong has all along seen large numbers of Hong Kong residents returning from these eight places, and so the relevant measure will inevitably affect the return journey of relevant Hong Kong residents. However, Hong Kong is at the moment facing the threat of a rapid deterioration of the local epidemic situation. We must act quickly and decisively to lower the risk to the local epidemic situation."
 
Tightening boarding and quarantine requirements for places with Omicron cases detected
———————————————————–
     Meanwhile, in view of the latest global developments of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan will be specified as Group A specified places from 0.00am on January 8 to tighten the boarding and quarantine requirements for relevant inbound travellers.
 
     To manage and prevent the importation risks posed by Omicron cases, the Government will continue to employ the most stringent measures to guard against importation of cases. Overseas places where Omicron cases have been detected that may lead to local transmission and exportation of cases will be specified as Group A specified places. Noting that the detection of Omicron cases was confirmed in Cape Verde, Niger and South Sudan, the Government will specify them as Group A specified places from 0.00am on January 8. Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed there within 21 days will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. Hong Kong residents can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they have been fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record. They will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel for 21 days upon returning to Hong Kong, with six tests to be conducted during quarantine, followed by compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival in Hong Kong.
 
     Details on the relevant boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for respective specified places can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.
      
     The Government will gazette the relevant updated specifications under Cap. 599H to effect the above measures.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (January 5) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, further measures have to be adopted to maintain social distancing. Starting from January 7 (Friday), most of the leisure and cultural venues/facilities will be temporarily closed for 14 days until midnight on January 20 (Thursday). The recreational, sports and cultural programmes to be held in the above period will also be cancelled.

Leisure and Sports Venues

     Apart from the barbecue sites, holiday camps and Pui O Campsite which remain closure, outdoor leisure venues/facilities will be temporarily closed, including tennis courts, bowling greens, sports grounds, Ngau Chi Wan Park Archery Range, Shek O Obstacle Golf Course, Tuen Mun Recreation and Sports Centre, hard-surface/ sand/ grass pitches, gateball courts, table tennis tables, skateparks, roller skating rinks, roller hockey grounds, skateboard grounds, outdoor fitness equipment, model car play areas, model boat pools, cycling facilities (except for cycle paths), outdoor children play facilities (including tricycling area, outdoor children playgrounds, road safety towns), pebble walking trails, chess tables, amphitheatres, public swimming pools and water sports centres. Lifeguard services at those gazetted beaches which were originally open during the winter period, including Deep Water Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Silverstrand Beach and Golden Beach, will be suspended.       
     
     All indoor sports facilities including sports centres, squash centres and badminton centres will also be closed.

     Passive/Amenity areas at the LCSD's parks (such as lawns and benches in parks) and outdoor jogging tracks at parks will remain open.

     Application for use of amphitheatres non-fee charging leisure venues for non-designated use/sales activities and application from schools or organisations on road safety towns will continue to be suspended until further notice.

     For refund arrangements in relation to venue closures, the hirer may submit a completed refund application form together with the original booking permit to the LCSD booking office at a District Leisure Services Office or to relevant leisure venues by post. The application form can be downloaded from www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/aboutlcsd/forms/refund.html. Due to the closure of fee-charging facilities, the number of refund cases will increase tremendously. The LCSD has adopted measures to handle these refund cases as soon as possible but a prolonged processing time for refunds is expected. Members of the public are advised to note the longer time required for refunds. The department apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Cultural Venues
      
     All public libraries and their students' study rooms will be temporarily closed. All book drop services of the Hong Kong Public Libraries and those located at MTR Central, Kowloon Tong and Nam Cheong Stations as well as the self-service library stations at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai, will maintain services. Public libraries will continue to provide online services such as e-Books and e-Databases. Please visit www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/index.html for details.
     
     All performance venues, music centres of the Music Office and museums will be temporarily closed. All programmes and activities will be suspended. During the period, all applications for Museum Passes and Hong Kong Film Archive Resource Centre's Audiovisual Materials Viewing Cards will be suspended. Admission arrangement for holders of Museum Passes will be announced in due course.

     The URBTIX outlets and ticket dispensing machines at the LCSD performance venues will be closed. URBTIX will maintain Internet and mobile app ticketing and hotline services.

     Refund arrangements in relation to the closure of cultural facilities will be announced in due course.

     During the venue closure period, members of the public can visit the LCSD 's Edutainment Channel (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/edutainment-channel.html), an one-stop online platform covering informative and learning materials on aspects of culture and leisure, to participate the online programmes "vis-a-vis +01" series and its access videos on various fields including culture, arts and sports.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (January 5) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, further measures have to be adopted to maintain social distancing. Starting from January 7 (Friday), most of the leisure and cultural venues/facilities will be temporarily closed for 14 days until midnight on January 20 (Thursday). The recreational, sports and cultural programmes to be held in the above period will also be cancelled.

Leisure and Sports Venues

     Apart from the barbecue sites, holiday camps and Pui O Campsite which remain closure, outdoor leisure venues/facilities will be temporarily closed, including tennis courts, bowling greens, sports grounds, Ngau Chi Wan Park Archery Range, Shek O Obstacle Golf Course, Tuen Mun Recreation and Sports Centre, hard-surface/ sand/ grass pitches, gateball courts, table tennis tables, skateparks, roller skating rinks, roller hockey grounds, skateboard grounds, outdoor fitness equipment, model car play areas, model boat pools, cycling facilities (except for cycle paths), outdoor children play facilities (including tricycling area, outdoor children playgrounds, road safety towns), pebble walking trails, chess tables, amphitheatres, public swimming pools and water sports centres. Lifeguard services at those gazetted beaches which were originally open during the winter period, including Deep Water Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Silverstrand Beach and Golden Beach, will be suspended.       
     
     All indoor sports facilities including sports centres, squash centres and badminton centres will also be closed.

     Passive/Amenity areas at the LCSD's parks (such as lawns and benches in parks) and outdoor jogging tracks at parks will remain open.

     Application for use of amphitheatres non-fee charging leisure venues for non-designated use/sales activities and application from schools or organisations on road safety towns will continue to be suspended until further notice.

     For refund arrangements in relation to venue closures, the hirer may submit a completed refund application form together with the original booking permit to the LCSD booking office at a District Leisure Services Office or to relevant leisure venues by post. The application form can be downloaded from www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/aboutlcsd/forms/refund.html. Due to the closure of fee-charging facilities, the number of refund cases will increase tremendously. The LCSD has adopted measures to handle these refund cases as soon as possible but a prolonged processing time for refunds is expected. Members of the public are advised to note the longer time required for refunds. The department apologises for any inconvenience caused.

Cultural Venues
      
     All public libraries and their students' study rooms will be temporarily closed. All book drop services of the Hong Kong Public Libraries and those located at MTR Central, Kowloon Tong and Nam Cheong Stations as well as the self-service library stations at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai, will maintain services. Public libraries will continue to provide online services such as e-Books and e-Databases. Please visit www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/index.html for details.
     
     All performance venues, music centres of the Music Office and museums will be temporarily closed. All programmes and activities will be suspended. During the period, all applications for Museum Passes and Hong Kong Film Archive Resource Centre's Audiovisual Materials Viewing Cards will be suspended. Admission arrangement for holders of Museum Passes will be announced in due course.

     The URBTIX outlets and ticket dispensing machines at the LCSD performance venues will be closed. URBTIX will maintain Internet and mobile app ticketing and hotline services.

     Refund arrangements in relation to the closure of cultural facilities will be announced in due course.

     During the venue closure period, members of the public can visit the LCSD 's Edutainment Channel (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/edutainment-channel.html), an one-stop online platform covering informative and learning materials on aspects of culture and leisure, to participate the online programmes "vis-a-vis +01" series and its access videos on various fields including culture, arts and sports.

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (January 5) that, in view of the latest situation of COVID-19, EPD public facilities will be temporarily closed from Friday (January 7). Visitor and education programmes at Recycling Stations and Recycling Stores will be cancelled until further notice.
 
     The EPD's facilities to be temporarily closed from Friday include:
 

• T•PARK visitor centre
• O•PARK1 visitor centre
• WEEE•PARK visitor centre
• EcoPark visitor centre
• Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre
• Facilities at restored landfills (namely Shuen Wan Restored Landfill – Golf Driving Range, Tseung Kwan O Restored Landfill – Football Training Centre, and Gin Drinkers Bay Restored Landfill – Cricket Hong Kong Centre and the Hong Kong Jockey Club International BMX Park)

 
     All Recycling Stations and Recycling Stores will remain open to collect recyclables, but the collection service of Recycling Spots will be temporarily suspended until further notice.
 
     "We will inform members of the public who have made advance bookings for some of the EPD public facilities about the temporary closures via SMS, Facebook or other channels," the spokesman added.