Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 31) announced that the amended Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230A) will take effect tomorrow (January 1). The amended Regulations allow access to franchised buses for persons carrying compressed oxygen cylinders for self-medical use when travelling provided that the total number of compressed oxygen cylinders being carried on board each bus does not exceed two.

     “At present, patients having certain illnesses (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases) require oxygen therapy and have to carry oxygen cylinders, which contain compressed oxygen, for self-medical use when travelling. However, under the Public Bus Services Regulations, they shall not bring along compressed oxygen cylinders for self-medical use when travelling on franchised buses. Under the ‘Transport for All’ policy objective, the Government is committed to providing appropriate public transport services for members of the public with different needs, including persons who require oxygen therapy and therefore need to bring along compressed oxygen cylinders for self-medical use when travelling,” a department spokesman said.

     The amended Public Bus Services Regulations will take effect tomorrow. Under the amended Regulations, a passenger may bring onto a bus compressed oxygen cylinder(s) required for his/her own medical use if the following conditions are met before paying any fare:

1. the passenger shows that the compressed oxygen is required for his/her own medical use by inhaling the oxygen through a nasal cannula or oxygen mask connected to the cylinder;

2. the passenger advises the driver of the number of compressed oxygen cylinders that he/she is carrying; and

3. after declaring the number of compressed oxygen cylinders that he/she is carrying, the passenger has not been advised by the driver that the total number of oxygen cylinders on board the bus will exceed two if he/she brings the oxygen cylinder(s) onto the bus.

     For details, please visit the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk) or call 2804 2600. read more

     Following is a reminder of the press releases on statistical data to be issued between January and April 2020. The schedule for issuing press releases on statistical data in 2020 was provided to the media in September 2019. No change has been made to the original schedule.
 

January 2020
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Date	Press Release
—–	—————-
3	Retail sales statistics for November 2019
16	Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for November 2019
17	Business expectations for first quarter 2020
20	Unemployment and underemployment statistics for October – December 2019
21	Consumer Price Index for December 2019
30	External merchandise trade statistics for December 2019
February 2020
=========
Date	Press Release
—–	—————-
3	Advance estimates on Gross Domestic Product for fourth quarter and whole year of 2019 (Note)
4	Retail sales statistics for December 2019
5	Restaurant receipts and purchases statistics for fourth quarter 2019
18	Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for December 2019
18	Unemployment and underemployment statistics for November 2019 – January 2020
18	Year-end population for 2019
20	Consumer Price Index for January 2020
25	External merchandise trade statistics for January 2020
26	Revised figures on Gross Domestic Product for fourth quarter and whole year of 2019 : data contained in the Budget supporting documents (Note)
March 2020
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Date	Press Release
—–	—————
2	Retail sales statistics for January 2020
3	Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for fourth quarter 2019
10	Quarterly business receipts indices for service industries for fourth quarter 2019
12	Construction output statistics for fourth quarter 2019
12	Statistics on trade involving outward processing in the mainland of China for fourth quarter 2019
13	Index of industrial production and producer price index for the industrial sector for fourth quarter 2019
16	Gross National Income and external primary income flows for fourth quarter 2019
17	Unemployment and underemployment statistics for December 2019 – February 2020
19	Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for January 2020
19	Chain volume measures of Gross Domestic Product by economic activity for fourth quarter 2019
20	Employment and vacancies statistics for December 2019
23	Balance of Payments and International Investment Position statistics for fourth quarter 2019
23	Consumer Price Index for February 2020
26	External merchandise trade statistics for February 2020
26	Wage and payroll statistics for December 2019
31	Retail sales statistics for February 2020
April 2020
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16	Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for February 2020
20	Unemployment and underemployment statistics for January – March 2020
23	Consumer Price Index for March 2020
24	Business expectations for second quarter 2020
27	External merchandise trade statistics for March 2020

 

Note:

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) will issue press releases on quarterly advance estimates on Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The C&SD will compile and release revised figures on GDP in the “Gross Domestic Product (Quarterly) Report” when more data become available. The revised GDP figures for the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2019, together with other supporting materials, will also be released along with the Financial Secretary’s “Budget Speech”. According to the Financial Secretary’s Office, the Budget is scheduled to be delivered on 26 February 2020. No separate press release will be issued by the C&SD in respect of the revised GDP figures.

     The schedule for regular press releases in the other months of 2020 can be downloaded from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/press_release/index.jsp). read more

     The Department of Health (DH) will fully implement the Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme (CRCSP) tomorrow (January 1), further extending its coverage to Hong Kong residents aged 50 to 75, i.e. those born in the years 1944 to 1970, to enrol in screening tests subsidised by the Government for the prevention of colorectal cancer.
 
     Regularised in August last year, the CRCSP heavily subsidises  asymptomatic Hong Kong residents to undergo screening tests for colorectal cancer with no quota for participants.
 
     Participants shall attend a medical consultation by an enrolled primary care doctor (PCD) and will receive a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) screening arranged by the PCD. A government subsidy of $280 per consultation applies including the second consultation by the PCD to follow up on a positive FIT test result.  Under the CRCSP, about 97% of the service locations of enrolled PCDs will not require additional charges.

     If the FIT result is positive, the participant will be referred to an enrolled colonoscopy specialist to receive a colonoscopy examination subsidised by the Government in order to find out the cause of bleeding. Under the standard colonoscopy service package targeted at FIT-positive participants, the subsidy amount is $8,500 if polyp removal is necessary, whereas the amount is $7,800 if no polyp removal is needed. Colonoscopy specialists may charge a co-payment not exceeding $1,000 when providing the standard colonoscopy examination service. Overall, more than 70% of the locations of enrolled colonoscopy specialists will not require additional charges.
 
     And for FIT-negative participants, they should receive FIT re-screening every two years until they pass the age of 75 so as to maximise the Programme’s capability to prevent colorectal cancer. They will receive reminders via SMS, email or postal mail when they are due for re-screening. The subsidised FIT re-screening services are provided in any enrolled PCD clinic.
 
     A spokesman for the DH said that the screenings can identify those who have colorectal cancer before they present with symptoms, or individuals at increased risk of colorectal cancer and enable them to receive early treatment, thus improving the prognosis significantly. And with colorectal adenoma removed in the course of a colonoscopy, these lesions are also prevented from turning into cancer.
 
     The spokesman called on eligible persons to join the CRCSP as soon as possible, and prevent colorectal cancer by leading a healthy lifestyle and having well-organised screenings.
　　 
     Eligible persons who are interested to join the CRCSP should enrol in the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS). Please refer to the eHRSS website at www.ehealth.gov.hk or call the Registration Office at 3467 6300 for details. 
 
     For more information on the CRCSP, please visit the DH’s thematic website www.colonscreen.gov.hk or call the dedicated hotline (3565 6288) during office hours. read more

     The Government today (December 31) tightened the emission requirements of Franchised Bus Low Emission Zones (FBLEZs) to Euro V or above emission standards to further improve the roadside air quality at busy corridors within the… read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible: Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 31) that due to bi… read more