Other restricted areas may be set: CE

January 26, 2021

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:
Shortly after this operation in Jordan, we had a very quick wash-up to identify areas for improvement. Because it has proven to be an effective tool to help us combat COVID-19, which means that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will be ready to use it again when the situation warrants, so it is always necessary to see whether we could do better in the next operation.
As a result of that very quick wash-up, we have identified at least three areas that we could improve. First is the (operation’s) announcement. In the future we will have to decide how to ensure better confidentiality, or if, unfortunately again, there was a leakage, whether we should (start the operation) earlier. The next thing we need to consider for the next operation is whether we could be more focused, that we should do smaller scale restriction-testing operations, but we could do more at the same time. It could be one in this district, another one in another district, but the scale of each operation could be smaller. The third is of course once we start the operation, how we could compress the time, so that the inconvenience to residents could be minimised.
Enforcement is very important. It is part and parcel of any operation. We will go back to that building without notice and then we try to check everyone coming out of the building (to see) whether you have an SMS showing a negative result. If no that means that you have not complied, then we will take down your personal data and pass it to the Centre for Health Protection to consider issuing a summons, or where permissible, issue a fixed penalty ticket. There are two legislative regimes for us to take enforcement actions, so we would continue to do that.

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

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the Government may use the restriction-testing declaration for restricted areas again to combat COVID-19 in the future.

Speaking ahead of this morning’s Executive Council meeting, Mrs Lam said the operation taken at the restricted area in Jordan has been an effective tool against the virus by identifying 13 confirmed cases from more than 7,000 compulsory virus tests among residents living in about 150 buildings.

After a review of the operation, she said three areas need improvement.

“First is the operation’s announcement. In the future we will have to decide how to ensure better confidentiality, or if, unfortunately again, there was a leakage, whether we should start the operation earlier.

“The next thing we need to consider for the next operation is whether we could be more focused, that we should do smaller scale restriction-testing operations, but we could do more at the same time. It could be one in this district, another one in another district, but the scale of each operation could be smaller.

“The third is of course once we start the operation, how we could compress the time, so that the inconvenience to residents could be minimised.”

The Chief Executive also pointed out that enforcement is an integral part of the operation.

“We will go back to that building without notice and then we try to check everyone coming out of the building to see whether you have an SMS showing a negative result.

“If no that means that you have not complied, then we will take down your personal data and pass it to the Centre for Health Protection to consider issuing a summons, or where permissible, issue a fixed penalty ticket.”