The Compulsory Testing Notice for Designated Cold Store Practitioners under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap 599J)(15 November 2021)

In view of the ongoing severe situation of COVID-19 infection around the world and the higher transmissibility of mutant strains which has a much faster rate of spread, the Government has announced earlier that it will continue to expand and strengthen the large-scale COVID-19 testing for groups of different risks. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) held a briefing session on 5 November to cold store operators and practitioners to explain the latest arrangements applicable to them.

A compulsory testing notice has been issued to designated cold store practitioners to require them to undergo a polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid test for COVID-19 starting from 17 November pursuant to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) (the Regulation). Please refer to Annex I for details.

Designated Cold Store Practitioners Included in Compulsory Testing

The Government has stipulated under the Regulation that any cold store practitioners (including full-time, part-time, causal and relief staff, and staff under a hire-of-service contract with cold stores) who would enter the warehouse in which articles of food are stored under refrigeration inside the cold store; or come into contact with or be involved in loading / unloading of articles of food which require refrigeration, during their work or providing service, will be required to undergo testing compulsorily. Those who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course¹ are required to get tested once every three days (three-day testing periods), while those who have not yet completed a COVID-19 vaccination course (including staff who are unfit to receive vaccination at the moment because of health reasons) are required to get tested on a daily basis. For the frequently asked questions, please see Annex II.

As the Government no longer accepts deep throat saliva specimen for compulsory or regular testing, the testing of all targeted group persons (inclusive of designated cold store practitioners), whether they have completed a vaccination course or not, must be done by using combined nasal and throat swabs collected by professionals. Eligible designated cold store practitioners can make use of community testing centres (CTCs) and mobile specimen collection stations to obtain free testing. Also, person may undergo a self-arranged test provided by a private laboratory recognized by Department of Health (only combined nasal and throat swab samples collected by professionals are accepted) which can issue SMS notification containing the confirmation on registration for undergoing the test and SMS notification in respect of the test result. Information of CTCs or mobile specimen collection stations in various districts and private laboratories can be found in CTC website (www.communitytest.gov.hk) and coronavirus disease 2019 thematic website (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

To facilitate designated cold store practitioners included in the compulsory testing requirement, FEHD will provide additional mobile testing services for them starting from 17 November. The arrangement for the first two weeks have been confirmed, and the subsequent arrangement will based on the utilization rate to adjust the number, location and time of mobile specimen collection trucks. In particular, apart from CTCs, eligible persons may make use of mobile specimen collection stations in various districts (such as Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan) and mobile specimen collection trucks set up in Sha Tin District and Kwai Tsing District to undergo testing. Please visit FEHD webpage for the timing and locations of the mobile collection trucks in Sha Tin and Kwai Tsing districts (https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/events/covid19/ColdStore_Compulsory_Testing_collect_trucks.html).

At CTCs, mobile specimen collection stations and mobile specimen collection trucks, cold store practitioner has to show to the registration staff a duly completed and stamped employer's letter (sample at Annex III). The employer's letter will not be collected by CTS or mobile specimen collection stations and the person can bring the same letter for the required testing. Free COVID-19 testing service at community testing centres, mobile specimen collection stations and mobile specimen collection trucks is only provided for eligible individuals. An eligible person who has received COVID-19 vaccines must produce a valid letter issued by his/her employer and a vaccination record. For an individual who is unfit to receive COVID-19 vaccination because of health reasons, he/she is required to present a valid letter from his/her employer and a relevant valid medical certificate. In other words, persons who are unvaccinated not on grounds of health reasons will need to pay for the testing service at $240.

Registration of the Number of Vaccination at FEHD Website

Licensee/Operators of cold stores are requested to register the number of completed vaccination, the number of unvaccinated and the respective name and post of the designated cold store practitioners including the hire-of-service contractual staff during the specific period via the FEHD website (https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/events/covid19/ColdStore_Compulsory_Testing_disclaimer.html).

Health Advice for Cold Store Practitioners on the Prevention of COVID-19

According to information from the World Health Organization, the virus causing COVID-19 can survive on different objects (including frozen foods and other frozen goods) for a few hours to several days, but cannot multiply. Practitioners who come into contact with imported frozen foods and other frozen goods do have potential risks of infection. Cold store practitioners who frequently come into contact with imported frozen food and other frozen goods should always pay attention to personal hygiene and take personal protection, including receiving COVID-19 vaccines and virus testing.

Practise good personal hygiene – always wash hands before touching the mouth, nose or eyes;
When on duty, frozen food handlers should be equipped with masks, equipment for eye protection (such as face shield), gloves and gowns;
Gloves that are damaged, soiled or removed when interruptions occur in the operation should be discarded;
Gloves must be changed frequently, and hands must be washedbetween changing of gloves; and
Do not touch the mouth, nose or eyes after wearing gloves.

It is of utmost importance that licensees and operators of cold stores should always observe and comply with the latest directions in a concerted and persistent manner. The FEHD would take stringent enforcement actions against offenders in defiance of legislation on prevention and control of diseases as well as environmental hygiene and food safety issues.

Early Vaccination for All!

[1] For both the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac vaccine) and Fosun Pharma/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty vaccine), completion of the vaccination course in general means having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days ago, except for persons previously infected with COVID-19, who are to receive one dose of vaccine at least 14 days ago. For persons aged 17 or below and employed in compliance with the Employment Ordinance (Chapter 57) who have received one dose of Comirnaty vaccine at least 14 days ago, they would be deemed to have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course. For persons who received COVID-19 vaccines in places outside of Hong Kong and have received the recommended dose(s) as stipulated in relevant guidelines at least 14 days ago, they will also be regarded to have completed the vaccination course of the relevant COVID-19 vaccine, subject to the vaccine used being included on the list of vaccines recognised for specified purposes as published on
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/list_of_recognised_covid19_vaccines.pdf.