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The Government today (November 13) distributed two newly published leaflets on avian flu prevention at nine locations in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. This is the second distribution exercise launched on a Sunday by the authorities within a fortnight to heighten public alertness to avian flu.
Government staff distributing the leaflets at Hong Kong Park, Stanley Plaza, outside Mong Kok and Kwun Tong MTR stations, Sha Tin Park, outside Sha Tin Town Hall, Tai Wo Shopping Centre in Tai Po, Cheung Fat Shopping Centre in Tsing Yi and Tin Shui Shopping Centre in Tin Shui Wai would work until 4 pm.
To further extend circulation of the health advice on avian flu prevention, the Government has recently secured the support of major supermarket and pharmacy store chains as well as public transport operators.
A Government spokesman said that a week from now, copies of the new leaflets will be available for public collection at the retail outlets of China Resources Supermarkets, PARKnSHOP, Wellcome, Mannings and Watsons; selective customer services counters of the Citybus, New World First Bus, Kowloon Motor Bus and Kowloon-Canton Railway; and Star Ferry piers. The Mass Transit Railway Corporation will also broadcast the health advice via its passenger information display system at MTR station concourses.
"The Government is grateful to the private enterprises and public transport companies for their support in the avian flu prevention campaign. Surely when the public sector join hands with the private sector, the combat against bird flu will yield better results," the spokesman said.
Within the Government, various bureaux and departments are also co-operating in educating the public on avian flu prevention from different angles. For instance, the leaflets being distributed today have been produced by two different departments and both provide useful tips.
The leaflet on the health risks and prevention of seasonal influenza, avian influenza and influenza pandemic is prepared by the Centre for Health Protection while the other on tips for food safety to prevent avian flu is produced by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
The first leaflet explains the health risks of the three types of influenza and preventive measures to take. It also gives advice on travelling and ways to handle birds. The second leaflet carries advice on purchasing live chickens, handling live, frozen or thawed poultry or eggs, and consumption of poultry and eggs.
To enable people to know more about avian flu, the Government has recently published a leaflet entitled "Avian Flu fact sheet". It explains the clinical features of avian flu, its mode of transmission, and the ways to manage and prevent it.
The fact sheet comes in three versions – Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese and English. In order to convey the health advice to ethnic minorities here and visitors to Hong Kong as well, work is in hand to produce the fact sheet in 19 other languages. Currently, multi-lingual versions of the fact sheet, together with the other publicity leaflets, are available in the dedicated avian flu prevention website at www.gov.hk/info/flu.
Leaflets on the prevention of avian flu can be collected at public enquiry service centres of the Home Affairs Department, public housing estates, recreation and cultural venues of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, clinics under the Department of Health (DH), public hospitals and out-patient clinics, Hong Kong International Airport, land border points and ferry terminals.
Copies are also available at the Central Health Education Unit of the DH, seventh floor, Southorn Centre, Wan Chai, and Publishing and Internet Resource Section of the Information Services Department, fourth floor, Murray Building, Garden Road, Central.
Ends/Sunday, November 13, 2005
Issued at HKT 14:15
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