A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (May 30) reminded operators of catering premises that the Vaccine Pass requirement will enter the third stage tomorrow (May 31). By then, only customers who fulfill the requirement under the third stage of the Vaccine Pass are allowed to enter catering premises and relevant scheduled premises. The spokesman indicated that the FEHD would continue to take stringent enforcement action and appealed to catering premises operators to comply with the requirements and directions under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), etc. Customers must also comply with the various anti-epidemic regulations and restrictions, including the requirements on vaccination, group gatherings and the wearing of masks.

     After the commencement of the third stage of the Vaccine Pass, only the following persons will be regarded as being compliant with the vaccination requirements and could continue to use the Vaccine Pass:
 
(1) Ordinary persons: 
     (a) Received three doses of vaccine; or
     (b) Within six months after having received the second dose of vaccine;
(2) Recovered persons: 
     (a) Received three or two doses of vaccine;
     (b) Within six months after recovery;
     (c) Within six months after having received the first dose of vaccine after recovery; or
     (d) Aged 12 to 17 and received one dose of Comirnaty vaccine;
(3) Inbound travellers: Arrived in Hong Kong within six months and holding the Provisional Vaccine Pass; and
(4) Persons who are verified to be unsuitable to receive vaccination by medical practitioners, and hold the COVID-19 Vaccination Medical Exemption Certificate.

     The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has updated the COVID-19 Electronic Vaccination and Testing Record System (www.evt.gov.hk/portal/en) to facilitate the public to download their electronic vaccination records by inputting the identity document number and date of issue or date of birth. For assistance, members of the public may visit the website (fb.watch/dhoQGzWAez) for OGCIO's tutorial video, call the "LeaveHomeSafe" telephone hotline (2626 3066) or approach the mobile support stations of the OGCIO set up at 25 MTR stations, namely:
 
(1) Hong Kong Island: Sai Ying Pun, Wan Chai, Shau Kei Wan, Wong Chuk Hang and North Point; 
(2) Kowloon: Wong Tai Sin, Kai Tak, Ngau Tau Kok, Nam Cheong, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Prince Edward, Kowloon Tong and Ho Man Tin; and
(3) New Territories: Long Ping, Sheung Shui, Wu Kai Sha, Tai Wai, Tsuen Wan West, Siu Hong, Tai Po Market, Tung Chung, Tsing Yi, Kwai Fong and Tiu Keng Leng.

     Operators of catering premises and relevant scheduled premises are required to use the latest version (Version 4.3.2) of "QR Code Verification Scanner" mobile app to scan the QR code of a patron's vaccination record, medical exemption certificate or recovery record on the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app or displayed through other means (such as "eHealth", "iAMSmart", on paper or in photo) to ensure compliance with the active checking requirements, and must take all reasonable steps to ensure that only customers who fulfill the third stage Vaccine Pass requirement are allowed to enter the premises. They must also ensure that their staff comply with requirements including those on vaccination, and request them to conduct rapid antigen tests (RAT) every three days before entering the premises.

     In view of the commencement of the third stage of the Vaccine Pass tomorrow and the next round of social distancing measures coming into effect on June 2, the FEHD will check whether catering premises (including bars/pubs) comply with Vaccine Pass regulations, whether relevant persons (including customers and staff) who enter or remain in those specified premises comply with the Vaccine Pass requirements, and whether the staff comply with the requirements on RAT.

     The spokesman also requests catering premises operators to seriously check the ventilation systems of their restaurants, to ensure their proper operation, sufficient fresh air supply and even coverage of all areas. They should seek assistance from professionals, such as a registered specialist contractor (ventilation works category), if necessary. Catering premises operators have the responsibility to properly maintain and repair the fresh air supply systems, and to switch on and operate the systems when the premises are open for business, in order to comply with the requirement under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) that licensed premises must be provided with a ventilating system that will provide for each person accommodated in the premises an amount of outside air of not less than 17 cubic metres per hour per person. In addition, catering premises operators are also required to attain the air change and/or install air purifiers pursuant to the directions under Cap. 599F. The ventilation systems and the air purifiers must be properly maintained and repaired, and ensured to be in operation effectively when the premises are open for business.

     The spokesman said that since the advent of the fifth wave of the pandemic, the FEHD has all along been stepping up its inspections territory-wide and conducting joint operations with the Police, so as to take stringent enforcement actions against operators, staff and customers of catering premises and relevant scheduled premises in defiance of the anti-epidemic regulations. From December 30 last year to yesterday (May 29), the FEHD initiated procedures on prosecution against operators of 409 catering premises and two scheduled premises suspected of breaching relevant requirements, and issued fixed penalty notices to 74 staff and customers suspected of breaching relevant requirements.

     ​The spokesman strongly appeals to all sectors of the community to stay vigilant and comply with the relevant regulations on prevention and control of disease in a persistent manner, and urges them not to defy the law.

Ends/Monday, May 30, 2022
Issued at HKT 21:51

NNNN