P4-1-1.jpgHong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor visits families from ethnic minorities and distributes face masks as part of an event conducted by the New Home Association in Yau Tsim Mong district on Sunday. (PHOTO / INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT)

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor visited ethnic minority families in Yau Tsim Mong district on Sunday and distributed face masks and other daily necessities to the residents.

During the visit, Lam talked with the ethnic families with school-age children and expressed her concern about their lives amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. She handed out face masks, healthcare leaflets and daily necessities to those in need.

Noting that some residents are security guards or construction workers, Lam thanked them for their efforts during the epidemic and said the government has allocated anti-epidemic fund to them, including a monthly allowance of HK$1,000 (US$128) to cleaning workers and security workers for no fewer than four months.

Families of those students who have to study at home will also be granted a one-time stipend of HK$1,000 to HK$3,500 to ease the economic burden on the parents, who buy e-learning materials and devices.

To get the city’s ethnic minorities informed with the latest updates on the epidemic, the government has translated parts of the content on the thematic website on the coronavirus into several different ethnic languages.

Lam said the current situation is still severe and called on the city to stand united and fight the epidemic.

“The government will strive to implement various relief measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund and the 2020-21 budget as soon as possible to help people ride out the difficult times,” she said.

Hui Wing-mau, chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Home Association, accompanied Lam on the visit.