Government completes enforcement action on compulsory testing notices at six buildings in Sham Shui Po (with photos)
The Sham Shui Po District Office, the Sham Shui Po Police District and the Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS), conducted enforcement action on compulsory testing notices today (January 29) at six buildings in Sham Shui Po, which were included in the compulsory testing notices earlier. The operation started at around 7am and ended at around 10.30am.
Starting from around 7am today, residents of the following six buildings were requested to provide an SMS notification received through mobile phone or related certification containing the results of COVID-19 tests arranged by the Government, to show that they had taken such tests as required pursuant to the compulsory testing notices within the specified period issued by the Government earlier on. The Government arranged staff to verify the testing certifications of the residents at the entrances/exits of the six buildings, and conducted random checks in the buildings to verify whether residents have undergone testing in compliance with the requirement. The six buildings are:
1. 355-357 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
2. 95 Kweilin Street/359 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
3. 126-128 Fuk Wing Street/96-98 Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
4. 260-262 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
5. 171 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
6. 25-27 Un Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
During the operation, test records of over 220 residents were checked. Among them, 14 persons were found to have violated the compulsory testing notice. The Government has issued fixed penalties of $5,000 as well as compulsory testing orders to them, requiring them to undergo testing within a specified period. Non-compliance with a compulsory testing order is an offence liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. The Government will not rule out that enforcement actions will be taken again in these buildings in future.
The Government reiterates that the aim of issuing the compulsory testing notice is to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community as soon as possible to protect the overall public health and safety. Persons subject to testing under the compulsory testing notice should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene; and unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
The Government wishes to thank the many residents who had complied with the compulsory testing notices for their co-operation to fight against the virus together. However, the Government had also found a small number of residents who had violated the compulsory testing notices during the operation, and the Government will continue to enforce the law strictly.
The Sham Shui Po District Office is also grateful for the support and co-operation by the Police and the AMS to enable the enforcement actions to be carried out smoothly. The Government understands that the enforcement process may cause some inconvenience to the residents, but hopes the residents can understand that this is for the purpose of achieving compulsory testing on a mandatory basis and community case clearing.
