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Following is the transcript of the media session given by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, after inspecting the implementation of the health declaration measure at Lo Wu this afternoon (April 19):

Mr Tung: I am here today to emphasize that in order to prevent further spread of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), it is important that we strengthen the health check at all the border points. We will be working very closely with authorities on the Mainland to check the health of the people going from here to the Mainland, and from Mainland to Hong Kong.

Because across these checkpoints there are so many people coming and going everyday and our wish is not to inconvenient people, the travellers, in any way, the best way to do this checking is through an infrared thermal imaging machine. I have been talking with the Secretary and Directors. Looking at this place, I think it is entirely possible for us to use the thermal imaging machine to take up the work. And we will push full steam with the scheme. It may take a bit of time. So in the meantime, we are going to check the travellers crossing the borders with a body check on the temperature on a random basis. I want to emphasize that to prevent the spread of SARS is the most important work we have, and we will not relax on this at all. Thank you very much.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

End/Saturday, April 19, 2003

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