The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (October 7) that following the earlier refinement to the special visiting arrangements for non-acute wards and departments in public hospitals, the arrangements will be further extended to acute and specialist hospitals and wards from next Thursday (October 13), covering 38 public hospitals (details shown in the Appendix).
 
     The HA spokesperson said, "We understand the wish of patients and their families for more flexible visiting arrangements in public hospitals. After reviewing the overall epidemic situation and the implementation of the refined arrangements, the HA decided to further extend the arrangements to acute and specialist hospitals and wards to benefit more patients and families."
 
     Under the risk-based principle, patients at lower risk of infection, including patients aged under 60, or patients aged 60 or above who have completed two doses or above of COVID-19 vaccination, or one dose of COVID-19 vaccination with infection history of COVID-19, a one-hour visit will be arranged for them once a day. Subject to the situation in the ward, up to two registered visitors can enter the ward to visit the patient at the same time. An exchange of visitors is allowed with a maximum of three registered visitors.
 
     For patients at higher risk of infection, such as immunocompromised patients, or patients aged 60 or above who have completed less than two doses of COVID-19 vaccination, two sessions of one-hour visit will be arranged each week. Subject to the situation in the ward, up to two registered visitors can enter the ward to visit the patient at the same time.
 
     Hospital staff will contact patients' family members on a case-by-case basis and explain the visit arrangements and schedule the visit. Family members are not required to call the hospital for appointments.
 
     All visitors must provide a nucleic acid test negative result obtained within 48 hours prior to the visit, and must meet the requirement of the Vaccine Pass, including having completed the required dosage of COVID-19 vaccination or being recovered persons of COVID-19 in the Government's record, and holding the relevant vaccination record or record of a recovered person. Visitors entering public hospitals are also required to observe the requirements of scanning the "LeaveHomeSafe" venue QR code and to strictly comply with the infection control measures, such as wearing surgical masks and undergoing temperature checks.
 
     Visitors are required to fill in visiting required information and read the statement found in the HA webpage (vis.ha.org.hk) or the mobile app "HA Go" before the visit and show the QR code generated by the system to ward staff. 
 
     Public hospitals will also continue to facilitate compassionate visiting arrangements or video visiting as far as practicable and provide other feasible assistance to patients and their families. The HA will continue to monitor the latest development of the epidemic and to extend the refined arrangements to other hospitals, departments and wards if the situation allows.

Ends/Friday, October 7, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:11

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