(To watch the full media briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Each of the confinees at quarantine centres will undergo an assessment before they are allowed to quarantine at home for the final four days of the 14-day quarantine period, the Centre for Health Protection said today.

The centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan made the remark prior to tomorrow's implementation of the new arrangement.

The new rule states that after 10 days of quarantine centre confinement, people can be put under home quarantine for the remaining four days.

Dr Chuang emphasised that confinees can be sent home as long as they test negative for the virus and pass health condition assessments.

“For the new arrangement of 10 days plus four days in home quarantine, our relevant colleagues in the quarantine centre will assess the suitability of individual cases.

“So (each case) would have to test negative (first) and they will be checked (to ensure) their health condition is suitable and home environment and other conditions are suitable (before) they can move on to home quarantine.

“They will then put on the (tracking) bracelet (so the Government can) monitor the situation."

The new arrangement comes in anticipation that the usage of quarantine facilities will remain high and to cope with the large number of patients’ close contacts.