Public services gradually back on line starting next week

After implementing work from home arrangements for government employees in the past month, the government announced this afternoon that public services will resume gradually from August 24 to meet the needs of the public and enterprises.

A spokesman for the government said although the current situation of the Covid-19 outbreak remains severe, more public services should be provided starting next Monday taking into account the need for the functioning of society.

He added that the resumption of public services will be supplemented by the implementation of targeted measures to reduce social contact and measures for infection control.

“The government's ultimate goal is to resume full public services when conditions permit," the spokesman said.

For instance, the Housing Authority and the Housing Department will take an incremental approach to the resumption of basic public services starting from August 24.

For example, the Public Rental Housing Application Office of the HA Customer Service Centre will open for three days a week. All the HA's Estate Management Offices will be open from 10am to 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 

Flat selection sessions of Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2019 will gradually resume services from August 31.

Meanwhile, the Labour Department will resume all counter services on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from August 24. The Kwun Tong Occupational Health Clinic will be open the whole day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as Saturday morning. The Fanling Occupational Health Clinic will be open the whole day on Tuesday and Thursday, and Saturday morning.

Starting next week, all Home Affairs Enquiry Centres and Estate Beneficiaries Support Units of the Home Affairs Department will also resume the provision of declaration or oath and counter services respectively for two days on a pre-booking basis.

The Receipt and Dispatch Counter services at the office of the Buildings Department's New Buildings Divisions on Taikoo Wan Road will be open from 9:30am to 3pm from Monday to Friday. 

"If bureaux or departments require more time to make necessary manpower deployments, procure supplies and put in place necessary arrangements, they may resume their services by phases. They will make announcements of their latest service arrangements separately," said the spokesman.

The spokesman also said bureaux and departments will continue to implement targeted measures while resuming more public services, such as by adopting a roster system to reduce the number of staff working in an office at any one time.

“We appeal to the understanding of members of the public as the waiting time for public services may be lengthened, or a longer time may be needed for the processing of applications," he added.

The spokesman also appealed to members of the public to use alternative means, such as the post, drop-in boxes or online channels to receive the services they need as much as possible. 

Meanwhile, if members of the public have to visit government buildings or offices, they should wear surgical masks at all times and comply with the infection control measures implemented by relevant departments including temperature checks and crowd control arrangements.