The Government today said rumours claiming that some departments are forcing their staff to participate in voluntary work related to the fight against the novel coronavirus are totally unfounded.

In order to tackle the critical situation, the Government said it hopes departments will encourage staff and former civil servants to voluntarily provide support in carrying out non-medical and non-professional tasks.

Government departments will release their staff, who have voluntarily signed up to be volunteers, on loan to the Department of Health, the Home Affairs Bureau and its departments, or the Social Welfare Department for the work concerned, it added.