The Social Welfare Department today launched a subsidy scheme to support all the some 1,000 residential care homes for the elderly and people with disabilities to give their premises an anti-virus coating spray.

The Anti-virus Coating Spray Subsidy was approved by the Anti-epidemic Fund Steering Committee on April 20, with the total subsidy amounting to $80 million.

Subvented, contract, self-financing and private residential care homes for the elderly and the disabled with valid licences as of April 30 are eligible to apply.

The ceiling of the subsidy amount is calculated on the basis of the floor area of the home.

The Social Welfare Department has issued letters to invite eligible care homes to apply for the subsidy.

After undergoing a streamlined confirmation procedure, the care homes may procure the anti-virus coating spray service on their own for one-off or multiple applications of coating to provide disinfection protection for an aggregate of no less than 180 days.

The coating spray process must start on or before August 31.