(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Patrons are required to present proof of a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) result obtained within 24 hours before entering bars, pubs, clubs or nightclubs from June 16 to 29, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan announced today.

Given the recent emergence of COVID-19 infection clusters in bars and pubs, Prof Chan told a press conference this afternoon that the new requirement is aimed at protecting the entire community.

“We are trying to protect the people who are going into these places, for example, bars and pubs, that are really high risk because people are not wearing a mask probably for a period of time and people are socialising etc. This is normal behaviour, but we are in a situation of an epidemic and pandemic.

“So therefore, I think some of these measures that we have announced just now, for example, the RAT (rapid antigen test) - doing RATs (and) having a negative RAT (result) before going into bars - is really to protect everybody, for all the bar-goers and also the entire community situation.”

Patrons must present a photo showing the RAT device with their name, testing date and time written on it as the proof.