Government appeals to foreign domestic helpers to comply with anti-epidemic regulations and measures on mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings of more than two persons in public places (with photos)

     The Labour Department (LD) today (January 10) conducted joint operations in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force (the Police), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the Home Affairs Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), including mobile broadcasts in popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) to call upon them to comply with the anti-epidemic regulations on the mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings of more than two persons in public places.

     The LD arranged mobile broadcast on January 9 and 10 at popular FDH gathering places (including Tamar Park in Admiralty, Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, footbridge near Fa Yuen Street in Mong Kok, and various places at Central, Sha Tin and Ma On Shan). Publicity vans were arranged to broadcast reminders in Chinese, English and major FDH languages (including Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Thai) to call upon FDHs to comply with the regulations on the mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings of more than two persons in public places. During the joint operations on January 10, multiple-language promotional leaflets were distributed by officers from relevant government departments to appeal to FDHs to maintain environmental hygiene and refrain from conducting unlicensed hawking activities, including cooked food or other hawking activities. Also, the Police increased manpower to step up patrols at those places and the FEHD took follow-up actions to keep those places clean.

     A Government spokesman said, "According to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I), a person who participates in a prohibited group gathering of more than two persons in public places or fails to wear a mask in accordance with the requirement may be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000. The Government will continue to conduct publicity to FDHs and remind them to strictly observe the relevant regulations, and to avoid gatherings (including in boarding facilities), food sharing and other social activities on their rest days and stay at home for rest as far as possible to safeguard their personal health."

     The Government will continue to step up publicity and enforcement, and as needed conduct joint operations to ensure compliance with the relevant requirements. The Government also appeals to FDHs to exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together and abide by the law.