Social distancing maintained

August 17, 2021

The Government today announced that it will maintain most of the social distancing measures currently in place for 14 days until September 1.

 

The Food & Health Bureau noted that the global COVID-19 epidemic situation is under serious threat from the Delta variant, with acute surges in the number of confirmed cases within a short period of time in many countries.

 

Despite large-scale vaccination programmes, many places are also experiencing a resurgence of the virus, which poses enormous challenges to local anti-epidemic efforts.

 

The bureau pointed out that while the vaccination rate has been increasing steadily, vaccination among seniors is still low. The elderly will be subject to an extremely high risk of becoming seriously ill and death if there is a fifth wave of the epidemic, therefore, the Government has to maintain most of the existing social distancing measures.

 

Taking into account the risk involved in the operation of catering businesses, especially the fact that customers do not wear masks when consuming food or drinks on the premises, the Government will tighten the testing requirement for staff of catering businesses which adopt the Type B Mode of Operation from August 26.

 

Staff will be required to undergo more frequent testing, from the current requirement of once every 14 days to once every seven days.

 

Fully vaccinated staff will continue to be regarded as having complied with the testing requirement. 

 

The leisure, children's and toddlers' pool in swimming pools can be opened if specified measures are adopted, but jacuzzis must remain closed.

 

Click here for the latest measures.

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