Tag: measures

Local

Govt extends social distancing measures

The government said late on Wednesday that it's extending social distancing measures for another two weeks. However, it will allow sports venues and pools to be used for training by candidates for teams representing Hong Kong. Officials said performance venues could also be used for rehearsals and online streaming or...
International

South Africa formally ends national state of disaster

People wait to be vaccinated against COVID-19 at Discovery vaccination site in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Dec 15, 2021. (LUCA SOLA / AFP) JOHANNESBURG/HAVANA - South Africa's national state of disaster, in place for more than two years in response to COVID-19, ended from midnight local time on Monday. The national...
Local

LegCo approves HK$27bn for anti-epidemic fund

The Legislative Council on Tuesday approved a government request to inject HK$27 billion into the anti-epidemic fund to support businesses and individuals affected by the latest coronavirus outbreaks and the tightening of social distancing measures. More than 50 lawmakers attended the 4.5-hour long online meeting of Legco's Finance Committee, and...
Local

Up to 300,000 to benefit from unemployment subsidy

The government said on Monday that a planned pandemic-related unemployment subsidy scheme will benefit up to 300,000 people who've lost work since the end of December. To be eligible for a one-off payment of HK$10,000, applicants must have been jobless for at least a month. Their monthly salary before they...
Local

‘Current measures aren’t controlling Covid outbreak’

A respiratory medicine specialist, Dr Leung Chi-chiu, said on Thursday that the recent increase in untraceable Covid cases shows that current pandemic restrictions are not enough to control the outbreak. Since last month, Hong Kong has implemented a series of social distancing measures, such as the closure of schools and...
Local

Send your well-wishes virtually: Sophia Chan

Health minister Sophia Chan on Sunday urged people to cut down on gatherings over the Lunar New Year holiday and use virtual communications to send season's greetings. "The year of Tiger is fast approaching. Because of the pandemic, we have to strictly follow social-distancing rules during the Lunar New Year...
Local

Cowling says Omicron may evade latest measures

A prominent medical expert has warned that measures that were effective against previous waves of coronavirus, may not work as well against the Omicron variant. Benjamin Cowling from the University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health said on Friday that working-from-home and school closures - may not be effective...
Local

Wait for the Budget for more relief measures: CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam says that if the government decides to roll out more relief measures for coronavirus-hit sectors and individuals, they will be announced in next month’s budget. At a media session on Tuesday, Lam was asked to respond to complaints from businesses that the HK$3.57 billion funding earmarked...
Local

‘Subsidise sectors affected by anti-Covid measures’

Lawmakers have called on the government to provide subsidies to businesses and workers hit by anti-epidemic measures, in order to tide them over the Chinese New Year. The Liberal Party's Tommy Cheung told a Commercial Radio programme on Sunday that he expects the catering sector to lose business worth more...
Local

Edward Yau defends stringent quarantine measures

Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Edward Yau has defended the government’s stringent quarantine measures, saying the 21-day quarantine period is needed for arrivals from parts of the world where there are a high number of Covid-19 cases. Yau made the comments on Friday following reports of concern by some in...
Local

Anti-sanctions law can be added to Basic Law: SJ

The Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng said on Sunday that Beijing’s anti-sanctions law could be imposed on Hong Kong in the same way that the national security law was – by adding it annex three of the Basic Law. Cheng said this would be the “most natural and appropriate” method....
Local

Distancing rules extended by two weeks

The government on Wednesday announced that most social distancing curbs would remain in place until July 21 as Hong Kong’s coronavirus situation stabilised. A government spokesman said the measures were needed as “the threat brought by mutant strains to the global epidemic situation cannot be neglected”. Among the changes to...
Local

No exact science behind eased Covid measures, says CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday reiterated that there is no exact science behind the government’s decision to keep in place a ban on public gatherings of more than four people under newly eased social distancing rules, while allowing up to 180 people to dine in banquets indoors. During a...
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