Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a radio programme today (November 7):
 
Reporter: The booster shot have opened for some people, can you tell us how is the response so far? If the Government is going to make the use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mandatory at all venues? Besides restaurants, what other venues are you considering?
 
Secretary for Food and Health: First about the additional dose, the booster dose, the Joint Scientific Committee (The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health) has made recommendations and the Government has also announced the arrangements for taking the third dose. So it will start the coming Thursday (November 11). The Joint Scientific Committee has also made recommendations about how the third dose can be administered both for people who have taken Sinovac, as well as for people who have taken BioNTech. The Joint Scientific Committee has made some recommendations, but ultimately, we respect the choice of people, as to whether they would like to mix the third dose, or they would like to maintain on taking the third dose as the same platform that they have taken before.
 
Reporter: Do you know if the response is good, talking from the booking numbers?
 
Secretary for Food and Health: I do not have this information right now, but I think many people actually have been asking questions about the third dose, so I think a number of people are prepared to take the third dose.
 
Reporter: We know "LeaveHomeSafe" would become mandatory in restaurants, what other venues are you considering?
 
Secretary for Food and Health: I think using "LeaveHomeSafe" is good as a general prevention and control measure, and can help with the general control of the epidemic, in terms of contact tracing, and also self-protection. If there is a confirmed case, one would very quickly know that they have to go for a compulsory testing, so it is of the best interest of the entire society to extend the use of "LeaveHomeSafe" in more premises. Now the C and D Type of restaurants are using mandatory "LeaveHomeSafe" under the "vaccine bubble", we have also extended it to the Government buildings. Obviously there are other places where people may go frequently, and also places like restaurants where people would take off their masks, are more high-risk. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has met the trade to explore the feasibility of having mandatory "LeaveHomeSafe" in restaurants that is operated under A and B Type, where it is not mandatory right now. We are looking into extending "LeaveHomeSafe" to restaurants, as well as exploring the feasibility to other premises as well.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Sunday, November 7, 2021
Issued at HKT 13:30

NNNN