Govt May Further Slash Crowds At Flower Markets

The government said on Wednesday that it is prepared to further reduce the number of people to be allowed in the Lunar New Year flower markets if the coronavirus situation worsens, but insisted it doesn't plan to scrap the events altogether.

The director of food and environmental hygiene, Vivian Lau, made the remark a day after officials announced that the traditional new year fairs next month will go ahead with stringent crowd-control measures, just a little over a week after saying they would be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Lau said on an RTHK programme that the administration will keep a close eye on the pandemic situation.

"We will try our best to reduce the number of people in each zone. If, after risk assessments, we think it is still achievable and acceptable, we will try our best to carry out the current arrangement," she said.

The government has said each of the 15 fairs across the city would be split up into smaller areas, with a cap on the number of people allowed in at one time.

Lau said if there's a resurgence of cases, the number of visitors allowed in each zone could be further reduced.

When asked whether she's worried too many people would turn up and the arrangements go against anti-epidemic measures, Lau said people should not stay at the markets for too long, and should "buy quickly and sell quickly".

A local flower farmer surnamed Poon said on the same programme that the way the government disseminated information was chaotic, but at least now he could sell his flowers and reduce his losses.

But another caller, Mrs Tsui, said it's a bad idea to hold new year fairs this year.

"You think it's like buying vegetables? Those who buy flowers will compare the flowers... of course that will take time. So there must be chaos and crowds at the markets. I don't think the decision is right," she said.

Infectious disease expert and government adviser David Hui said it's "a little contradictory" to push ahead with the flower markets while other social-distancing measures are in place, but believes it's a compromise to cater for the needs of flower vendors.

Hui called on people who visit the fairs to wear masks properly and clean their hands often.