CE Warns Of Stern Steps To Enforce Social Distancing

Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday warned that the government will be taking stricter measures from now on to enforce social distancing regulations in order to stem the spread of Covid-19.

Her comments came after police said overnight that they had slapped HK$2,000 fines on some people who breached the four-person limit.

Lam said that when her administration first introduced the measures, offenders were given a verbal warning.

"Of course every piece of legislation must be enforced properly, and that’s why starting from yesterday the law enforcement authorities issued penalty tickets with the powers given under the regulation," said Lam as she met the media before this week's Executive Council meeting.

She also urged the public to "exercise self-discipline", but added that the authorities would not hesitate to take stronger measures if necessary.

"If we find that advice doesn’t work and we can’t achieve the intended purpose, then we will step up our enforcement efforts. That’s why from now on, we will take stronger enforcement measures.”

Overnight the police said notices were issued to a group of six men playing chess in Kwai Chung on Sunday, and a group of 13 people outside a community centre in Sha Tin on Monday.

Officers issued the HK$2,000 notices under the emergency regulations introduced to help prevent local outbreaks of the coronavirus.

The first batch of social distancing measures was announced in late-March, and included limiting the number of people who can gather in public to just four, with offenders liable to a fine of up to HK$25,000 and six months in prison.

When asked by a reporter if the authorities would consider introducing more measures, such as making it mandatory for the public to wear face masks, Lam said that she has been in touch with members of an expert advisory panel, adding: "We have to consider the data and the development of the epidemic."