Masks in all indoor public spaces, restaurant ban extended

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has ordered many civil servants to work from home and mandated wearing of masks at indoor public places as Hong Kong's Covid-19 epidemic has become critical and uncontrollable, with a record high 108 confirmed cases yesterday.

The dining-in ban for eateries from 6pm to 5am will also be extended for seven more days to next Tuesday.

The government decided not to extend the dining ban to breakfast and lunch hours as it will greatly affect citizens' lives. Many people such as civil servants still need to go to work, Lam said.

"I think the situation is really critical and there is no sign the situation is being brought under control," Lam said at a press briefing.

Civil servants except those providing emergency and essential public services will work from home from today until next Sunday, Lam said

About 40 percent will work from home today, with the government providing only emergency and essential public services. The remainder will still work on site, including disciplinary services and those fighting the pandemic.

The government will also require everyone to wear a face mask in all indoor public places - an extension from the current requirement of masking up on public transport, where violators face a maximum fine of HK$5,000.

Closure of 12 types of establishments including bars, karaoke lounges, gyms and beauty centers will be extended for a week until next Tuesday.

On the release of Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education results on Wednesday, schools are required to inform students online, instead of face-to-face.

If some students have to get their results on campus, schools have to arrange different times to report.

Meanwhile, Lam said deep cleaning and disinfection will be enhanced in Kowloon East, where a large number of cases have emerged.

Support will be offered to elderly people who stay at home in the district.

Lam said she understands citizens may be tired of fighting the pandemic since late January, but she urged people to remain patient.

"It's tough, but still we need to fight this pandemic together. I must appeal to the public to be patient, so we can bring this wave of infections under control," Lam said.

She also urged employers not to lay off staff and called on landlords to cut rents.

Asked why she did not take the extreme measures earlier, Lam said the government has taken one step at a time after considering the latest situation.

"Every measure has a price, every measure may have a counter-effect, that is why we keep in view the latest development and give the swift response," she said.

Lam said the experience in March of letting civil servants work from home, with the government providing essential and emergency public services, had caused a public outcry as it affected businesses directly, such as license applications.

"So we could not just take a big leap and go to the very extreme. We must consider the situation at the time," Lam said.

But she warned if the situation continues to worsen, the government may introduce other measures.

"I can't say at this point, but around the world, in some places they have lock-down orders and stay-at-home orders. But in Hong Kong, we haven't introduced all these in the past six months while safeguarding public health because we want to maintain the day-to-day operation in the city," Lam said.

The Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan Siu-chee, said many confirmed patients have been to indoor places like restaurants and shopping malls, while many people turned to supermarkets and wet markets after the dine-in ban took effect.

"We notice that not all of them would wear a mask so if we want to make sure that they do, especially indoor, we need to introduce a measure," she said.

"For outdoor exercises, it will be difficult to wear a mask while people are jogging or running, so we'd like to regulate it in the indoor public places first."

Chan said authorities have received 40 reports of not complying with the mask regulation on public transport, but no penalty tickets have been issued.

Separately, Ocean Park, closed since last Wednesday, has extended the shutdown until further notice.