In order to avoid group gatherings so as to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) today (April 29) appealed to members of the public to avoid going to Cheung Chau to participate in the Jiao Festival activities.
      
      The Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee has announced earlier that the arrangement of the 2020 Cheung Chau Jiao Festival activities will be simplified. A ritual ceremony will be held in accordance with tradition while the Bun Carnival, the "floating colours" parade, "plays for the gods", the "rice race" and the unicorn/kung-fu performance will be cancelled. Members of the public will not be allowed to enter the venue where the bun towers are located and the arrangement to distribute "lucky buns" to the public in the morning on May 1 has been cancelled.
      
      The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, thanked the Committee for its arrangement to tie in with the anti-epidemic measures of the Government. "Although various activities for the Jiao Festival have been cancelled, it is believed that some people still plan to go to Cheung Chau. I hereby remind members of the public to refrain from going out unnecessarily and to maintain appropriate social distancing with others at all times in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through social contact," he said.
      
      360-degree video and photos of the activities have been uploaded to the HAB's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HomeAffairsBureau/).

Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Issued at HKT 15:00

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