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Saturday, March 28, 2020, 13:04
Govt to gazette ban on gathering of more than 4 people
By Shadow Li
Saturday, March 28, 2020, 13:04 By Shadow Li

HONG KONG -  The government will gazette on Saturday to prohibit gathering of over 4 persons in public places for 14 days.

The new measure, under the Prevention and Control of Diseases (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation, will commence on Sunday.

On Friday, the government published in gazette to close for 14 days, the public entertainment facilities such as gyms, cinemas and game centers, and impose 14-day restrictions for dining-in services of eateries. 

The regulations on business and venues under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirement and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation will take effect starting from 6 pm on Saturday.  

READ MORE: HK leader appeals to residents not to let guard down

These measures will be extended for another 14 days when necessary, as long as the regulations are in force.

Both regulations, which will take effect for three months, were enacted to address the public health emergency owing to the COVID-19 outbreak

Both regulations, which will take effect for three months, were enacted to address the public health emergency owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. They were announced on Friday, the same day the city recorded its largest single-day infections of 65. It has brought the city’s tally to 518, a four-fold increase compared with March 2, when only 100 cases were recorded.

The ban on gatherings will not applied to 12 conditions, including in the case of public transport, places of work, residential units, court hearings, meetings of government or legislative and district council. Wedding ceremony of no more than 20 people will also be exempted if no food or drinks is served.

Fails to abide by the ban may incur a fixed penalty of HK$2,000 or a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

The tougher control on public entertainments and eateries came after the city found 45 patients were linked to bars in various locations of the city – making it the largest local infection cluster.

Six types of public entertainment facilities were ordered to be shut down, including game houses, bathhouses, gyms, party rooms and places of public entertainment, such as cinemas, theaters and places of amusement, snooker clubs and ice skating rinks.

READ MORE: HK bans gatherings of over 4 people as daily tally hits record

Measures to restrict dine-in services in restaurants will be imposed starting from 6 pm Saturday. The maximum number of dine-in customers will be restricted to no more than half of the restaurant's available seats. Each table should be at least 1.5 meters apart and no more than 4 people should sit in one table.

Customers are required to wear masks when they enter the restaurants and should only remove them when they eat. They also need to have their body temperature taken by restaurant staff. Restaurants are required to provide hand sanitizers for customers.

Breaching the ban on entertainment and restrictions may be liable for a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$50,000 and six months in jail.

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