Commuters wearing face masks ride an MTR subway train in Hong Kong, Oct 19, 2022. (VERNON YUEN / AP)

HONG KONG – Despite the stabilizing COVID-19 pandemic situation, Hong Kong’s health chief has stressed the importance of wearing masks in public, noting that the vaccination rates of the elderly and children are still not satisfactory.

Echoing Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s remarks made on a Friday morning radio program, the Secretary of Health Lo Chung-mau said it is still not the right time to relax restrictions on the wearing of masks. 

At a Friday news conference that aimed to highlight health and labor welfare initiatives that were unveiled in the new Policy Address, Lo said the global pandemic has not completely subsided. Some overseas areas that had canceled such orders are considering reintroducing them in a bid to control risks, he said.

Lo did not offer any clear answers on what levels of vaccination rate would be sufficient to cancel the wearing of masks, but he pointed out that 28 percent of Hong Kong older adults still have not received any vaccinations. Over the past nine months, nine children under the age of 11 died because of the COVID-19 virus, which is quite alarming, he said.

He said that the HKSAR government will further strengthen its vaccination work. Over the weekend, officials from various government departments will visit Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong and other districts to encourage elderly people to get jabbed.

READ MORE: HK officials to visit seniors to boost vaccination

Lo said the authorities will issue targeted measures for certain events, but it does not mean that participants will be completely exempt from the city’s anti-pandemic rules

Local media reported earlier that the government has permitted some exemptions on anti-pandemic restrictions for overseas attendees of the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, which will be held in Hong Kong on Nov 1 and 2. 

Guests will be allowed to leave the city via private jet if they test positive for COVID-19. They can also dine and mingle in certain venues, according to the reports.

At the Friday news conference, Lo said the authorities will issue targeted measures for certain events, but it does not mean that participants will be completely exempt from the city’s anti-pandemic rules. The Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan Chung-ching said guests still need to take nucleic acid test and their activities will be confined to designated venues.

He added that the government has always striven to strike a balance between controlling the pandemic risks and maintaining economic growth.

Relaxation of anti-pandemic rules will also apply to other large-scale events. On Friday afternoon, the Hong Kong Rugby Union announced that spectators at the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, which will be held from Nov 4-6, will be allowed to eat and drink at the stadium. 

Meanwhile, the High Court ruled on Friday that the Hong Kong SAR government has no power to invalidate the over 20,000 vaccination exemption certificates issued by seven doctors who have been accused of issuing documents without holding proper medical consultations.

Lo said the government is obliged to safeguard the health of all Hong Kong residents. He said he will study the judgment with the Department of Justice and issue an official response later. 

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At the same news conference, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said the government is about to complete its investigation into an accident at a concert by boy band Mirror at Hong Kong Coliseum on July 28 that saw a wire snap and a giant screen falling onto the stage, seriously injuring two dancers. Meanwhile, a separate investigation into a crane that collapsed on a construction site in Anderson Road, Sau Mau Ping on Sept 7, killing three workers is continuing. 

Sun added that the government’s Strive and Rise Programme, which aims to tackle intergenerational poverty and aid underprivileged students, will hold its launch ceremony at the end of October. The project received a warm response from students and teachers, and the number of applications has exceeded the government’s expectations, Sun said.