As the Government understands that outsourced cleansing service contractors have encountered difficulties in procuring masks, to protect the health of cleansing workers and maintain environmental hygiene, the Chief Executive announced on February 8 that the Correctional Services Department (CSD) would increase the production of an additional 700 000 masks, which would be set aside for distributing to cleansing workers engaged by outsourced cleansing service contractors in order to relieve the imminent need.
 
     The first batch of around 95 000 masks was delivered by the CSD to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Housing Department. The two departments have started distributing masks to cleansing workers today (February 17). Priority was given to those workers who are responsible for cleaning public toilets, public markets, refuse collection points, streets and public housing estates. Starting next week, some of the masks will be provided to frontline outsourced contract cleansing workers through the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, as well as the control points at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Shenzhen Bay. 
 
     The above initiative is expected to benefit around 21 000 frontline cleansing workers of government contractors.

Ends/Monday, February 17, 2020
Issued at HKT 21:30

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