Civil Service Newsletter Issue 112

Message from the Chief Executive

President Xi Jinping’s arrival to inspect Hong Kong and attend the meeting celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Four Sessions on “Spirit of the President’s Important Speech” held by Civil Service Bureau

Uniting expertise: civil servants fight epidemic together

Leveraging technologies in fight against COVID-19

Explanation of WCAG 2.0 Level Double-A Conformance

Uniting expertise: civil servants fight epidemic together

Civil Service Newsletter Editorial Board

EARLY this year, the fifth wave of the epidemic took a turn for the worse and brought unprecedented challenges to Hong Kong. The Government assumed the primary responsibility for the anti-epidemic work and utilised all available manpower and resources to fight against and control the epidemic situation as quickly as possible.

The civil service, as the backbone of the Government, is obligated and assumes an important role in the fight against the virus. As the fifth wave is more severe than previous ones, the anti-epidemic measures involve a wide range of sectors and require enormous human resources. Regardless of their departments and grades, civil servants, whether civilian or disciplined services staff, are all mobilised to take up various roles in the anti-epidemic work.

Since the outbreak of the fifth wave, over 140,000 government employees have participated in the anti-epidemic work at different times and in different roles, accounting for 70% of the total number of government employees.

Despite facing unprecedented pressure, various Bureaux and Departments displayed solidarity, responsiveness and flexibility, which coupled with the proactive participation of civil servants at all ranks, are indispensable to the quick and smooth implementation of the anti-epidemic measures. Nevertheless, various departments also strive to maintain public services and provide frontline and backend support in the fight against the virus.

In face of the ever-evolving situation, the civil service will continue to uphold the spirit of serving the public, stay committed to their duties and firmly stand by the public in the fight against the epidemic.

Please click below for more details.

	Promoting Vaccination
	Mobilising the Affected Trades to Join Anti-epidemic Work
	Distributing Anti-epidemic Service Bags
	Coordination and Distribution of Anti-epidemic Supplies from the Mainland
	Support for Persons under Home Isolation or Quarantine
	Support for Various Sectors

	Risk-based Testing Strategy
	Contact Tracing, Notification of Confirmed Cases and Follow-up Work
	Community Isolation and Treatment Arrangements
	Other Anti-epidemic Support
	Civil Servants Fighting the Virus with You

Community Isolation and Treatment Arrangements

AMS is responsible for carrying out evacuation operations in public and private residential buildings, residential care homes for the elderly and institutes. It has also taken up the duty of escorting positive cases found in residential buildings covered by "RTD" to CIFs since February 2022. — **AMS** is responsible for carrying out evacuation operations in public and private residential buildings, residential care homes for the elderly and institutes. It has also taken up the duty of escorting positive cases found in residential buildings covered by "RTD" to CIFs since February 2022.

ImmD is responsible for managing three CIFs in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Tsing Yi. They have a combined total of more than 2,300 rooms for people under quarantine, which can accommodate nearly 8,000 people. At its peak, more than 1,000 officers performed shift duties there around-the-clock to provide necessary supplies and appropriate support to the quarantined persons staying there. — **ImmD** is responsible for managing three CIFs in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Tsing Yi. They have a combined total of more than 2,300 rooms for people under quarantine, which can accommodate nearly 8,000 people. At its peak, more than 1,000 officers performed shift duties there around-the-clock to provide necessary supplies and appropriate support to the quarantined persons staying there.

抗疫靠邊個?要靠你同我! (Chinese version only) — 抗疫靠邊個?要靠你同我!
(Chinese version only)

風雨下的社區隔離設施 (Chinese version only) — 風雨下的社區隔離設施
(Chinese version only)

有愛在隔離 (Chinese version only) — 有愛在隔離
(Chinese version only)

More than 20 clerical and secretarial grade members of MD were deployed to the Contact Tracing Office from March to May 2022. They assisted in tracing the close contacts of infection cases, thereby reducing the further spread of virus in the community. — Colleagues of SB’s anti-epidemic task force distributed newspapers at a CIF to meet patients’ daily need of reading newspaper.

United Fight Against COVID-19—Episode 2
• The community isolation facility on the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macao Bridge

HKPF has spared no effort in anti-epidemic work. In March 2022, about 70 staff members of HKPF were seconded to the SB’s anti-epidemic task force to operate CIF on the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macao Bridge round the clock.

This episode sheds light on how officers adhere to the guiding principle of “people-oriented and small community-centric management” when operating the CIF and how they have put themselves in the patients’ shoes when offering them all kinds of assistance to fight the virus.

On 17 April 2022, a series of Easter celebration events were held at CIF, wherein SB’s anti-epidemic task force produced a toy capsule vending machine namely “方艙俠”, bringing festive joy to the residing kids.

The Government Flying Service is required to transport outlying island residents diagnosed with COVID-19 to hospitals for further treatment. To reduce the risk of virus transmission, the crew would don protective clothing during missions and engineering staff would thoroughly disinfect the cabin upon completion of each mission.

房屋署－齊心事成火速完成社區隔離設施 (Chinese version only) — **房屋署**－齊心事成
火速完成社區隔離設施
(Chinese version only)

To ensure that elderly patients who have received preliminary medical treatment and pending admission to hospitals can receive proper care, with the coordination of DEVB, the then FHB and LWB, the professional teams of the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) assisted SWD in setting up holding centres by converting suitable government premises in a very short period of time to provide the much needed temporary care services for the elderly. Staff members of ArchSD attended the hospital beds donation activity after the completion of the Kai Tak Holding Centre. — To ensure that elderly patients who have received preliminary medical treatment and pending admission to hospitals can receive proper care, with the coordination of **DEVB**, the then **FHB** and **LWB**, the professional teams of the **Architectural Services Department (ArchSD)** assisted **SWD** in setting up holding centres by converting suitable government premises in a very short period of time to provide the much needed temporary care services for the elderly. Staff members of **ArchSD** attended the hospital beds donation activity after the completion of the Kai Tak Holding Centre.

Appreciation letters were presented to staff members of the Contact Tracing Office of DH on 11 May 2022 to extend gratitude to their contribution to anti-epidemic work.

Under the leadership of DEVB, the Civil Engineering and Development Department worked day-and-night to fully support the Central Government-aided Makeshift Hospital and CIFs at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, including site formation, infrastructure construction works and liaison with relevant government departments and public utilities for speedy connection of water, electricity and gas supply and telecommunication facilities. The works was completed at an unprecedented speed for overcoming the pandemic as soon as possible. — Under the leadership of **DEVB**, the **Civil Engineering and Development Department** worked day-and-night to fully support the Central Government-aided Makeshift Hospital and CIFs at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, including site formation, infrastructure construction works and liaison with relevant government departments and public utilities for speedy connection of water, electricity and gas supply and telecommunication facilities. The works was completed at an unprecedented speed for overcoming the epidemic as soon as possible.

The Government has set up a number of quarantine centres for the close contacts of the confirmed cases to undergo compulsory quarantine. Medical posts in these centres were manned by medical professionals from DH to provide 7/24 medical support, including medical surveillance, medical care, health monitoring, hospital referrals and the granting of permission to temporarily leave the quarantine centres under special circumstances.

Officers of C&ED assisted in managing Yuen Long Tam Mei CIF. The picture shows officers doing the registration for citizens checking in the facility. — Officers of **C&ED** assisted in managing Yuen Long Tam Mei CIF. The picture shows officers doing the registration for citizens checking in the facility.

The Fire Services Department (FSD) has established “Rapid Response Teams” and “Small Fire-fighting Units” at various CIFs to provide around-the-clock support, such as firefighting and rescue services. — The **Fire Services Department (FSD)** has established “Rapid Response Teams” and “Small Fire-fighting Units” at various CIFs to provide around-the-clock support, such as firefighting and rescue services.

Staff of the dedicated compliance team of the Designated Quarantine Hotel (DQH) Scheme Office under the then FHB conducted various drills with staff of the hotels which were new to the scheme to help them familiar with the procedures for handling various situations. Photo shows the staff of the dedicated compliance team and hotel staff carrying out a drill for handling confirmed cases. — Staff of the dedicated compliance team of the Designated Quarantine Hotel (DQH) Scheme Office under the then **FHB** conducted various drills with staff of the hotels which were new to the scheme to help them familiar with the procedures for handling various situations. Photo shows the staff of the dedicated compliance team and hotel staff carrying out a drill for handling confirmed cases.

To minimise the transmission risk of COVID-19 at RCHEs, FSD coordinated the fleets and manpower of AMS as well as the non-emergency ambulance transfer service of the Hospital Authority and Hong Kong St. John Ambulance, so as to convey infected residents of RCHEs to isolation facilities or holding centres operated by SWD. Amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, FSD experienced an upsurge in the demand for ambulance service. It helped to evacuate infected residents of RCHEs to appropriate facilities and was fully committed to anti-epidemic efforts with tenacity. — To minimise the transmission risk of COVID-19 at RCHEs, **FSD** coordinated the fleets and manpower of **AMS** as well as the non-emergency ambulance transfer service of the Hospital Authority and Hong Kong St. John Ambulance, so as to convey infected residents of RCHEs to isolation facilities or holding centres operated by **SWD**.

Amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, **FSD** experienced an upsurge in the demand for ambulance service. It helped to evacuate infected residents of RCHEs to appropriate facilities and was fully committed to anti-epidemic efforts with tenacity.