Government finishes exercise on "restriction-testing declaration" in respect of specified "restricted area" in Cheung Sha Wan and enforcement operation for breaches of compulsory testing notice
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Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from February 10 to February 23, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before February 25, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 1.30pm today (February 24) and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 3pm today.
In this exercise, the Environment Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the Home Affairs Department (including the Sham Shui Po District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health mobilised around 250 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 1.30pm today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 3pm. Test records of around 220 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Twenty persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminds the 64 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
Ends/Thursday, February 24, 2022
Issued at HKT 15:53
Issued at HKT 15:53
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