6 May 2020
To the food business proprietors and food handlers
Dear Sir/Madam,
Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions)
(Business and Premises) Regulation, (Cap. 599F)
Directions in relation to Catering Business
and Other Matters Requiring Attention
Further to the letter on 9 January, 23 March and 28 March 2020, this department writes to the food business proprietors and food handlers again in the light of the latest situation of the COVID-19. Apart from informing you that the captioned directions will be extended to 21 May 2020 (see details below), we further suggest you to take appropriate measures, so as to reduce the risk of spreading diseases.
Pursuant to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) (the Regulation), the Secretary for Food and Health has issued the latest directions through notices published in the Gazette on 5 May 2020 which will take effect from 0.00 a.m. on 8 May 2020 to 21 May 2020. As compared with the prevailing directions that are in force, the maximum number of persons that may be seated together at one table within any catering premises will be lifted from 4 persons to 8 persons. The other requirements remain the same, including tables available for use or being used by customers within any catering premises must be arranged in a way to ensure there is a distance of at least 1.5 m or some form of partition which could serve as effective buffer between one table and another table at the premises; a person must wear a mask at any time within any catering premises, except when the person is consuming food or drink on the premises; body temperature screening on a person must be conducted before the person is allowed to enter the catering premises; and hand sanitisers must be provided at any catering premises for any person at the premises, etc. For bars, pubs and bar areas, there are other applicable requirements separately. All karaoke activities at any catering premises must be suspended. Please refer to the Appendix for details.
In addition, this department also appeals to food business proprietors and food handlers to observe that apart from paying attention to the social distancing for staff or customers within the premises, you should also pay particular attention on personal, food and environmental hygiene. This department further advises you to adopt the following measures:
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You must ensure that equipment for serving food or drink must be kept clean and disinfected regularly. Such equipment should not be used for collecting used eating utensils and food residues from a table. In addition, equipment for collecting used eating utensils and food residues must also be kept clean and disinfected regularly. For easy identification by staff and assure customers that the food premises had taken measures to uphold food hygiene, equipment in different colours or attached with labels should be considered for the purpose of signifying the different purposes involved;
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Utensils and equipment should be sanitised, either mechanically or manually, after cleaning, so as to minimise the risk of cross contamination and the risk of spreading diseases;
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Areas that people may frequently come into contact, such as door knobs, tabletops and seats, should be cleaned and disinfected regularly;
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Food trays, in particular the rims of trays, must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every time after use by customers. If tray lining is used, it shall also be replaced every time after use;
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In addition to providing each customer with his/her own tableware, food handlers should proactively provide each customer with additional " chopstick(s)" or " spoon(s)" for communal use;
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All food handlers must keep their hands clean at all times. They should wash hands with liquid soap and water before handling food, after handling raw food, after using the toilet, and after engaging in any activities that may contaminate hands. If disposable gloves are used, use it properly. Please note that the use of gloves is not a substitute for hand-washing. The gloves should be disposed of, if they are damaged, become dirty or have been taken off by food handlers for suspending their work. Please change the gloves frequently and wash hands when changing the gloves and after taking off the gloves. In addition, the working gloves used by cleansing and scullery staff should be easily distinguishable, so that they could be easily identified by the staff working for different tasks.
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Please wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub hands for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. Please avoid touching the water tap directly again after the hands have been washed (for example: using a paper towel to wrap the faucet before turning it off). If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, cleaning hands with 70% to 80% alcohol-based hand sanitisers is an effective alternative;
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Food handlers should cease engaging in any food handling work when suffering or suspected to be suffering from an infectious disease or symptoms of illness such as flu, diarrhoea, vomiting, jaundice, fever, sore throat and abdominal pain. When having respiratory symptoms, they should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly; and
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Please ensure that toilet facilities are at all times maintained in good working order and adequate supply of liquid soap, paper towels and electric hand-dryer be provided in toilets.
For continuous upkeep of environmental hygiene, food business operators and food handlers must make concerted and persistent efforts to ensure cleanliness and hygiene of the premises and food safety. This department will take stringent enforcement actions against offenders in defiance of legislation on environmental hygiene and food safety issues.