Dear Staff and Students,
We would like to share the following message from Department of Health about Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and vaccines.
Health, Safety and Environment Office
Dear Sir/Madam,
Updated information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)and vaccines
1. Government to relax social distancing measures under "vaccine bubble"
The Government has gazetted directions and specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) to relax social distancing measures with conditions with "vaccine bubble" as the basis. These directions and specifications take effect from 0.00am on April 29, for a period of 14 days till May 12.
1. Except for bars or pubs which are subject to other requirements, all catering business must operate according to one or more of the following operating mode(s). Among them, Types A and B Mode of Operation are existing arrangements, while Types C and D Mode of Operation are introduced under the "vaccine bubble".
Arrangements for Catering Business, Bars/Pubs and five Scheduled Premises under the “Vaccine Bubble”
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800868_366077_1_1619624036686.pdf
Summary of latest measures on catering business and scheduled premises:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800868_366078_1_1619624036680.pdf
2. Unless exempted, the prohibition on group gatherings of more than four persons in public places will continue during the specified period. The requirement is also applicable to group gatherings in catering business and scheduled premises regulated under Cap. 599F in which the relevant requirements or restrictions are not complied with.
Relaxation Arrangements for Group Gathering Restrictions under the “Vaccine Bubble”:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800868_366072_1_1619624036695.pdf
3. The mandatory mask-wearing requirement under Cap. 599I will be extended during the specified period.
The Government reminds the public that a staff member or a customer who makes false declarations or provides false information under the measures may be subject to a fixed penalty of $5,000.
Relevant specified forms and template of medical certificate:
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/cap599FG_forms.html
To help catering premises and scheduled premises operators, as well as the general public, understand the operational details of the "vaccine bubble", the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has launched a thematic webpage as a one-stop portal to provide relevant information and working tools:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900690.htm
www.fehd.gov.hk/english/events/covid19/vaccine_bubble_FP.html
Depending on the epidemic development and the implementation of the first phase of measures under the 'vaccine bubble', the Government will review and adjust the details of the measures and consider further relaxation of restrictions in respect of the operation of restaurants and other premises under the second phase.
For details, please refer to:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/28/P2021042800868.htm
2. The Government continues to ensure that the authorised vaccines satisfy the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality
The Advisory Panel on COVID-19 Vaccines convened a meeting on 29 April 2021 to conduct continuous benefit-risk analysis of the authorised COVID-19 vaccines. After reviewing all the latest available clinical and safety data related, the Advisory Panel still considered that the benefits outweighed the risks. There was no need to recommend changes regarding the use of the vaccine.
For details, please refer to:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900881.htm
More information on COVID-19 vaccines:
www.covidvaccine.gov.hk
3. Government further tightens place-specific flight suspension mechanism and suspends passenger flights from Nepal
In view of the continually unstable global epidemic situation, the Government will adjust the place-specific flight suspension mechanism. A new criterion will also be introduced to run in parallel. If a total of 10 or more passengers were confirmed positive by any tests (including tests conducted during quarantine) with the N501Y mutant strain or relevant virus mutation within a seven-day period, the flight suspension mechanism would also be triggered. At the same time, as a measure to manage the flight resumption arrangements more cautiously under the mechanism, the Government will conduct risk assessments every two weeks for comprehensive reviews of relevant factors such as the epidemic situation of the relevant places, vaccination rate, and the prevalence of new virus variants, etc., before determining whether it was appropriate to remove the flight suspension. Due to the need to review the epidemic situation of the place concerned, the flight suspension mechanism will not be lifted automatically.
Under the tightened place-specific flight suspension mechanism, the Government will extend the measure to prohibit all passenger flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines from landing in Hong Kong, and starting from 00.00am on May 1, prohibit all passenger flights from Nepal from landing in Hong Kong.
For details:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900946.htm
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/high-risk-places.html
We would like to solicit your support to disseminate the information to your colleagues, work associates and/or business partners so that they could adopt proper preventive measures. Thank you very much for your support.
Department of Health
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敬啟者：
2019冠狀病毒病及疫苗的最新資訊
1.政府以「疫苗氣泡」為基礎放寬社交距離措施
政府就《預防及控制疾病（規定及指示）（業務及處所）規例》（第599F章）、《預防及控制疾病（禁止羣組聚集）規例》（第599G章）及《預防及控制疾病（佩戴口罩）規例》（第599I章）下的指示及指明刊憲，以「疫苗氣泡」為基礎，有條件地放寬社交距離措施。這些指示及指明由4月29日凌晨零時起生效，為期14天，直至5月12日。
1. 除酒吧或酒館另有規定外，所有餐飲業務處所須按其中一種或多種模式運作。其中A類及B類運作模式為現時已有的運作模式，而C類及D類運作模式則為「疫苗氣泡」下的新增運作模式。
在「疫苗氣泡」下餐飲業務、酒吧/酒館及五類表列處所的安排:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800750_366059_1_1619612900714.pdf
餐飲業務及表列處所最新措施概覽:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800750_366056_1_1619612900707.pdf
2. 除獲豁免者外，於指明期間繼續禁止在公眾地方進行四人以上的羣組聚集。有關規定同樣適用於未有遵從第599F章下相關規定或限制的餐飲業務及表列處所內的羣組聚集。
在「疫苗氣泡」下羣組聚集限制的放寬安排:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/28/P2021042800750_366057_1_1619612900726.pdf
3. 指明期間延續第599I章下強制佩戴口罩的要求。
政府提醒市民，若員工或顧客在措施下作出虛假聲明或提供虛假資料，可處定額罰款5,000元。
相關指定表格及醫生證明書樣本:
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/chi/cap599FG_forms.html
為協助餐飲業務和表列處所負責人，以及公眾人士了解「疫苗氣泡」的操作細節，食環署已推出主題專頁，一站式提供相關資訊和操作工具:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900689.htm
www.fehd.gov.hk/tc_chi/events/covid19/vaccine_bubble_FP.html
視乎疫情發展以及『疫苗氣泡』第一階段措施的落實情況，政府會在第二階段檢討和適當地調節有關措施細節，並考慮進一步放寬食肆和其他處所的營運限制。
詳情可參閱：
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/28/P2021042800750.htm
2.政府繼續確保認可疫苗符合安全、效能及質素要求
2019冠狀病毒病疫苗顧問專家委員會在2021年4月29日就認可新冠疫苗的持續效益及風險評估舉行會議。顧問專家委員會在檢視所有相關的最新臨床及安全數據後，仍然認為疫苗的效益均大於風險，並沒有需要建議更改疫苗的使用。
詳情可參閱：
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900743.htm
更多新冠疫苗資訊：
www.covidvaccine.gov.hk
3.政府進一步收緊地區性航班「熔斷機制」並禁止尼泊爾客機來港
鑑於全球疫情持續反覆，政府將調整地區性航班「熔斷機制」，增設一項並行準則：如七天內共有十名或以上乘客經任何檢測（包括檢疫期間的檢測）而確診並帶有N501Y變種病毒株或相關病毒變種，亦會觸發「熔斷機制」。同時，為了更審慎處理機制下的復飛安排，政府會每兩星期作風險評估，全盤考慮相關地區的疫情、疫苗接種率、新變種病毒的流行程度等因素，再決定是否適合撤銷「熔斷」要求。由於需要檢視當地疫情，「熔斷機制」因而不會自動撤銷。
在經收緊的地區性航班「熔斷機制」下，政府將延續禁止所有從印度、巴基斯坦及菲律賓來港的民航客機着陸香港的措施，並由五月一日凌晨零時起禁止所有從尼泊爾來港的民航客機着陸香港。
詳情可參閱：
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/29/P2021042900912.htm
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/chi/high-risk-places.html
希望你可以將有關資訊與你的同事、合作者及／或業務伙伴分享，讓他們都能採取合適的預防措施。非常感謝你的支持。
衞生署
