HAD proactively follows up on compulsory testing notices 
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     The Home Affairs Department (HAD) yesterday (January 7) said that it is verifying whether persons covered by the compulsory testing notices have undergone testing, and is proactively tracing those who may not have done so to follow up on whether the concerned persons have complied with the compulsory testing notices.

     The relevant District Offices (DOs) will first check the test records of residents of buildings covered by the compulsory testing notices taken at mobile specimen collection stations. As some of the residents may have taken the tests through other means, the HAD has to verify their testing information. The HAD will work with the Housing Department (HD), the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) or the related owners' corporations (OCs) and property management companies (PMCs) to invite those residents to provide the DOs with information on the tests they have taken. The HAD hereby thanks the staff members of the HD, the HKHS, the OCs and the PMCs for their support and assistance.

     As for Ming Lai House and Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate, for which the compulsory testing notices expired on December 29, 2020 and December 31, 2020 respectively, government departments will verify relevant records from mobile specimen collection stations and other specimen collection means, tracing those who may not have taken the tests, in order to strictly enforce the testing notices.

     Estate offices of the HD will also assist in proactively contacting residents without records of having undergone compulsory testing. According to the HD's records, some of the households may have moved out of the flats or be currently away from Hong Kong, and thus cannot undergo testing. Some residents may not have taken the tests due to special reasons, such as elderly people with poor health condition or mobility difficulties and the disabled. The HAD will follow up on these cases with the Social Welfare Department. After the completion of enforcement action at Ming Yan Lau of Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin last month, the Sha Tin District Office has already referred a number of cases to the Department of Health for follow up.

     Regarding private buildings, as the HAD has no contact information of the residents of those households which have not taken the tests at the mobile specimen collection stations, the department has to proactively approach the residents to invite them to provide information on tests taken through other means. The DOs, with the assistance of the OCs and the PMCs, will issue notices to the residents and post the notices at lobbies to remind the residents to provide information to the DOs. The DOs have also proactively sent staff members to conduct home visits at some buildings, in order to verify if the residents have testing records. The HAD hopes to implement the compulsory testing notices expeditiously by verifying relevant records, and by taking a supportive and advisory approach in the first place.

     The HAD appeals to residents who have not undergone testing to take the test as soon as possible and reiterates the serious stance taken by the Government in following through the compulsory testing notices to curb the spread of the virus.

     The Government reminds the public to undergo testing as required by the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the testing notice commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. 

Ends/Friday, January 8, 2021
Issued at HKT 0:47

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