Appeal to community to join cleansing campaign

Friday, March 28, 2003

The Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, today (March 28) appealed to every member of the community to join a territory-wide cleansing campaign to combat atypical pneumonia.

Speaking at a press conference to announce details of the campaign, which will start this Saturday and Sunday (March 29 and 30), Dr Ho said: "We need the cooperation of every member of the public in our war against atypical pneumonia.

"Each and every one of us should pay attention to personal hygiene. We must take special measures to protect ourselves and our loved ones against the disease. These include keeping the household clean, keeping the work and entertainment places clean."

He emphasised: "The most effective way to prevent us from contracting diseases is to adopt a positive attitude toward personal and environmental hygiene."

He appealed to different sectors of the community, including District Councils (DCs), Area Committees (ACs), owners' corporations (OCs), property management companies, commercial firms and district organizations, and the entire community to join the campaign and carry out cleansing operations in private and public places.

"This will not be a one-off operation. Sustainability is most important. Cleansing activities must be carried out regularly," he said.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and its cleansing contractors will deploy a total of 22 additional street cleansing vehicles to step up street cleansing at busy districts with high pedestrian flow. The Department has issued guidelines to all food business licensees, urging them to enhance the cleansing and disinfection of their premises, utensils and equipment. It has enhanced the cleansing of common parts of markets and urged all market stall lessees to intensify cleansing of their stalls, making use of the afternoon breaks and after close of business.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has stepped up the cleansing and disinfection of its leisure and cultural facilities including indoor recreation centres, parks and playgrounds, swimming pools and holiday camps; museums and libraries, civic centres and indoor stadia. Sector specific guidelines have been issued to all operators of camps under non-governmental organizations, billiard establishments, public ice-skating rinks and public bowling alleys licensed by the Department.

The Housing Department has carried out an extensive exercise to clean 160 public housing estates and so far over 80 percent of domestic blocks has been cleaned, using diluted bleaching agent. Efforts will continue in the next few days to clean all areas including commercial centres and carparks. Meanwhile, arrangements have been made to display and distribute posters and leaflets on the prevention of respiratory diseases in estate offices and lift lobbies in the estates.

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will issue letters to DCs, ACs, OCs, MACs, property management companies and other district organizations to call on them to join the exercise. HAD and the Department of Health have been organizing health talks by medical professionals in various districts since 26 March 2003. Pamphlets and posters have been distributed to various community organizations. Letters have been issued to remind licensees of hotels, clubs and bedspace apartments to take precautionary measures.

The Transport Department has solicited the support of the taxi trade members to launch a large-scale taxi cleansing campaign on March 30 at West Kowloon Reclamation Area near the liquefied petroleum gas station. The Commissioner for Transport will distribute cleansing kits and join hands with frontline taxi drivers to demonstrate proper ways to clean taxi compartment.

The Labour Department has urged employers and employees to work closely together to take exceptional measures to combat atypical pneumonia. A health advisory leaflet on the prevention of respiratory tract infections in the workplace will be distributed to employers' associations, trade unions and human resources managers' clubs. Copies of the leaflet will also be available for public collection at the Department's offices throughout the territories. Through its Telephone Enquiry Service and labour relations offices, the Department will handle public enquiries and provide consultation service on employment and labour relations matters arising from the spread of atypical pneumonia.

For health advice and guidelines on cleansing, please obtain a free copy of the relevant leaflets from District Offices of HAD, call HAD's hotline 2835 2500, or visit Department of Health's website: www.info.gov.hk/dh