Tag Archives: China

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting tomorrow (December 13) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debates on the Road Traffic Legislation (Enhancing Personalized Point-to-point Transport Services) (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Taxi-Driver-Offence Points Bill will resume. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Reading, they will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bills and their reports are adopted by the Council, the Bills will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     Meanwhile, the Nurses Registration (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Electronic Traffic Enforcement (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2023, the Extension of Government Leases Bill and the Building Management (Amendment) Bill 2023 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debates on the Bills will be adjourned.
 
     On Members’ motions, Mr Adrian Ho will move a motion on promoting healthy ageing to create a good quality of life for the silver-haired group. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Dr Johnny Ng, Ms Elizabeth Quat and Professor Lau Chi-pang will move separate amendments to Mr Adrian Ho’s motion.
 
     Ms Chan Yuet-ming will move a motion on proactively responding to national development strategies by following up on the development of the Northern Metropolis. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Duncan Chiu, Professor William Wong, Mr Shang Hailong, Ms Carmen Kan, Mr Lau Kwok-fan, Mr Kenneth Lau, Professor Priscilla Leung, Mr Yim Kong, Mr Luk Chung-hung and Dr Hoey Simon Lee will move separate amendments to Ms Chan Yuet-ming’s motion.
 
     The Chairman of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Mr Paul Tse, will present the “Committee on Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Progress Report for the period January to December 2023” and address the Council.
 
     In addition, the Chairman of the Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, Dr Junius Ho; the Chairman of the Panel on Development, Mr Tony Tse; the Chairman of the Panel on Commerce, Industry, Innovation and Technology, Mr Jimmy Ng; the Chairman of the Panel on Constitutional Affairs, Mr Holden Chow; the Chairman of the Panel on Transport, Mr Chan Han-pan; the Chairman of the Panel on Economic Development, Mr Sunny Tan; the Chairman of the Panel on Manpower, Mr Luk Chung-hung; the Chairman of the Panel on Security, Mr Chan Hak-kan; and the Chairman of the Panel on Education, Professor Priscilla Leung, will present the Reports of the related Panels and address the Council respectively.
 
     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the “Webcast” system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats. read more

     Police today (December 12) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tuen Mun.      Fok Hon-nam, aged 79, went missing after he left his residence on Lung Mun Road on D… read more

     In light of the supply of XBB mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong, the Government today (December 12) announced the latest vaccination arrangements of COVID-19 vaccine, with a view to providing better protection for high-risk priority groups and regularising the relevant vaccination arrangements gradually with COVID-19 being managed as a type of upper respiratory tract infections.
      
     Following the arrival of a batch of 100 000 doses of XBB mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 30mcg/dose) in Hong Kong earlier, another batch of XBB mRNA vaccines (Spikevax XBB.1.5 0.1 mg/mL) from another manufacturer will also arrive in Hong Kong soon. Scientific data shows that the efficacy and safety profile of the two vaccines are similar.
      
     As recommended by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), people belonging to the high-risk priority groups (i.e. persons aged 50 or above including the elderly living in residential care homes (RCHs), adults aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers), regardless of the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses they received, can receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine booster for free with a dosing interval of at least six months after the last dose or recovery from COVID-19 infection. Those with higher risks, i.e. adult residents of RCHs and elderly aged 65 or above, would be accorded priority to receive the first batch of XBB mRNA vaccines.
      
     First phase of vaccination arrangements
      
     Starting from 9am on December 13, elderly aged 65 or above can make a booking through the Government online booking system at booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp to receive XBB mRNA vaccine for completing their initial or booster dose on or after December 14 at Private Clinic COVID-19 Community Vaccination Stations or designated general outpatient clinics under the Hospital Authority (HA). Also, designated specialist outpatient clinics of the HA and designated Elderly Health Centres of the DH will also provide XBB mRNA vaccines to patients and members respectively starting from December 14. 
      
     With regard to the use of the two types of XBB mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 30mcg/dose and Spikevax XBB.1.5 0.1 mg/mL), the Government will base on the remaining shelf life to supply different types of XBB mRNA vaccines, which is in accordance with vaccination arrangements for general vaccines (e.g. seasonal influenza vaccines). Eligible persons may still choose to receive inactivated vaccines (CoronaVac/Sinovac). The Government will also continue to provide vaccination for adult residents at RCHs for the elderly and RCHs for persons with disabilities through outreach services under the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme.
      
     Second phase of vaccination arrangements
      
     The second phase will be extended to cover other high-risk priority groups, including persons aged 50 to 64, adults aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers. The Government will closely monitor the demand for XBB vaccines and launch the second phase at appropriate times.
      
     As the local activity of COVID-19 may be higher in winter while a peak of seasonal influenza usually happens also in winter, experts strongly recommended members of the public, especially those high-risk individuals, to receive COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccination to guard against the possible COVID-19 upsurge and influenza season which may appear simultaneously. According to experts’ views, all currently available COVID-19 vaccines (i.e. inactivated/mRNA ancestral strain/mRNA bivalent vaccines) are effective in preventing severe disease. Persons aged below 65 should receive any currently available COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible instead of waiting for the XBB vaccines.
      
     A Government spokesman said, “The COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are all safe and effective, and fulfil quality requirements. The key to maintain the protection conferred by the vaccine is to receive suitable doses according to the vaccination schedule. As the protection conferred by the vaccines will diminish over time, the Government appeals to the members of the public who have not received a suitable number of doses of vaccine to get the dose(s) as soon as possible for self-protection, in particular high-risk persons such as the elderly and RCH residents.”
      
     Details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme can be found at the CHP’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html). read more

     In light of the supply of XBB mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong, the Government today (December 12) announced the latest vaccination arrangements of COVID-19 vaccine, with a view to providing better protection for high-risk priority groups and regularising the relevant vaccination arrangements gradually with COVID-19 being managed as a type of upper respiratory tract infections.
      
     Following the arrival of a batch of 100 000 doses of XBB mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 30mcg/dose) in Hong Kong earlier, another batch of about 100 000 doses of XBB mRNA vaccines (Spikevax XBB.1.5 0.1 mg/mL) from another manufacturer will also arrive in Hong Kong soon. Scientific data shows that the efficacy and safety profile of the two vaccines are similar.
      
     As recommended by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), people belonging to the high-risk priority groups (i.e. persons aged 50 or above including the elderly living in residential care homes (RCHs), adults aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers), regardless of the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses they received, can receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine booster for free with a dosing interval of at least six months after the last dose or recovery from COVID-19 infection. Those with higher risks, i.e. adult residents of RCHs and elderly aged 65 or above, would be accorded priority to receive the first batch of XBB mRNA vaccines.
      
     First phase of vaccination arrangements
      
     Starting from 9am on December 13, elderly aged 65 or above can make a booking through the Government online booking system at booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp to receive XBB mRNA vaccine for completing their initial or booster dose on or after December 14 at Private Clinic COVID-19 Community Vaccination Stations or designated general outpatient clinics under the Hospital Authority (HA). Also, designated specialist outpatient clinics of the HA and designated Elderly Health Centres of the DH will also provide XBB mRNA vaccines to patients and members respectively starting from December 14. 
      
     With regard to the use of the two types of XBB mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5 30mcg/dose and Spikevax XBB.1.5 0.1 mg/mL), the Government will base on the remaining shelf life to supply different types of XBB mRNA vaccines, which is in accordance with vaccination arrangements for general vaccines (e.g. seasonal influenza vaccines). Eligible persons may still choose to receive inactivated vaccines (CoronaVac/Sinovac). The Government will also continue to provide vaccination for adult residents at RCHs for the elderly and RCHs for persons with disabilities through outreach services under the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme.
      
     Second phase of vaccination arrangements
      
     The second phase will be extended to cover other high-risk priority groups, including persons aged 50 to 64, adults aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities, persons aged 6 months or above and with immunocompromising conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers. The Government will closely monitor the demand for XBB vaccines and launch the second phase at appropriate times.
      
     As the local activity of COVID-19 may be higher in winter while a peak of seasonal influenza usually happens also in winter, experts strongly recommended members of the public, especially those high-risk individuals, to receive COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccination to guard against the possible COVID-19 upsurge and influenza season which may appear simultaneously. According to experts’ views, all currently available COVID-19 vaccines (i.e. inactivated/mRNA ancestral strain/mRNA bivalent vaccines) are effective in preventing severe disease. Persons aged below 65 should receive any currently available COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible instead of waiting for the XBB vaccines.
      
     A Government spokesman said, “The COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are all safe and effective, and fulfil quality requirements. The key to maintain the protection conferred by the vaccine is to receive suitable doses according to the vaccination schedule. As the protection conferred by the vaccines will diminish over time, the Government appeals to the members of the public who have not received a suitable number of doses of vaccine to get the dose(s) as soon as possible for self-protection, in particular high-risk persons such as the elderly and RCH residents.”
      
     Details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme can be found at the CHP’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html). read more

     â€‹The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled “Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries” on December 20 (Wednesday). The talk will introduce the structure and functions of the back, causes and preventive measures of back injuries, and proper manual handling operations, with demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises.

     The talk will be given by the LD’s occupational hygienist and occupational health nurse at 3.30pm at the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.

     The LD will hold another talk, entitled “Work & Healthy Lifestyle” on December 29 (Friday). The talk will introduce a balanced diet, regular exercise, sufficient rest and stress management to encourage employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises will also be included.

     The talk will be given by the occupational health nurse at 3.30pm at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

     Both talks will be given in Cantonese. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. Interested participants can register online (www.oshsreg.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 2852 4040. read more