FEHD markets to close at 7pm for deep cleaning and disinfection

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     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (March 4) announced a temporary arrangement in view of the developments of the epidemic situation. All FEHD markets will be closed an hour earlier at 7pm every day from today onwards until further notice for continuous deep cleaning and disinfection, so as to safeguard the health and safety of market tenants and the public. The same arrangement will also be conducted for hawker bazaars (including Yue Man Hawker Bazaar, Hau Tei Square Hawker Bazaar and Yau Ma Tei Temporary Jade Hawker Bazaar), which will be closed not later than 7pm every day for deep cleaning and disinfection.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "During the deep cleaning and disinfection period, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the markets and hawker bazaars, and call for the co-operation of market and hawker bazaar tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls. In addition, the FEHD will arrange for street cleaning and disinfection in the vicinity of the markets and hawker bazaars."

     The FEHD has liaised with the sector of the relevant trade federation on the opening hours of markets and garnered its support and co-operation. The FEHD will continue to maintain communication with the sector to fight the virus together.

     In addition, taking into consideration the public's need to buy takeaway food and the operational needs, the opening hours of the FEHD's cooked food markets (CFMs) and cooked food centres (CFCs) will remain unchanged. The FEHD will closely monitor the conditions of the venues, and adjust the opening hours of the venues in light of the actual circumstances and needs, as well as the cases of COVID-19 found to be related on the day concerned.

     The FEHD attaches importance to the hygiene conditions of public markets, CFMs and CFCs, and has adopted the following measures in view of the epidemic situation:

* Stepped up regular cleaning and disinfection of communal areas and facilities in the markets, CFMs and CFCs, including toilets, escalators, elevators and stair handrails, with diluted household bleach regularly every day. Management service contractors also conduct thorough cleaning in all markets, CFMs and CFCs after the venues are closed every day. Also, the FEHD strongly appeals to the public to use the disinfectant hand sanitisers that are always provided in the markets, CFMs and CFCs;

* With the assistance offered by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, a check on air change in the FEHD's markets, CFMs and CFCs has been completed in 2021 and installation of air purifiers has been carried out according to needs, and the FEHD is now following up with the installation of ultraviolet-C sterilisers at escalator handrails and is arranging a special round of cleaning and disinfection of air-conditioning and exhaust systems at the FEHD's markets, CFMs and CFCs; and

* Apart from free testing on a regular basis that has been routinely made available to tenants of markets, CFMs and CFCs and licensed hawkers and registered assistants, etc, rapid antigen test kits have been delivered to them and stationed staff of management service contractors on a one-off basis for testing in case of need.

     "The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation of each market, CFM and CFC, and will take necessary follow-up action accordingly," the spokesman said.

Ends/Friday, March 4, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:00

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