The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (May 3) that, in view of the relaxation of some social distancing measures announced by the Government, more LCSD venues will reopen gradually by phases from May 5 (Thursday).
From May 5
The LCSD announced that the gazetted beaches will reopen on May 5, while the lifeguard services will be provided at 15 gazetted beaches. All water sports centres will also reopen from May 5. Please refer to annex 1 for details of the beaches concerned. Lifeguard services will be provided daily at the 15 gazetted beaches from 9am to 6pm. Apart from the 15 gazetted beaches mentioned above, lifeguard services at other beaches will remain suspended. The public should not swim at the beaches without lifeguard services to prevent accidents.
Moreover, starting from May 5, public are not required to wear mask when doing exercise at the LCSD's outdoor sports premises.
From May 12
To ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of the water quality of its swimming pools and swimmers' safety, the LCSD is conducting the process of filtration and sterilisation and collecting water samples for testing. Thirty-eight public swimming pools will reopen gradually from May 12 to 16. Please refer to annex 2 for details of the reopening arrangement.
From May 19
In view of the second phase of relaxation of social distancing to be taken effect on May 19, the public is not required to wear mask when doing exercise within any indoor sports premises.
The limit on the number of audiences/users in each facility of LCSD performance venues (except for major facilities of Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Tai Po Civic Centre and Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre) will be relaxed starting from May 19, with capacity to be increased from 50 to 85 per cent of the original. Consecutive seats will be limited to eight. For details, please refer to the notifications of individual venues. The limit on the number of users in other cultural facilities such as museums and public libraries will also be suitably relaxed on the same day.
For public programmes to be held at museums, including the screening programmes of the Hong Kong Film Archive, the limit on the number of audiences/users and other arrangements will be the same as the above-mentioned performance venues, with capacity increased to 85 per cent.
The public should pay attention to the following measures while using the reopened facilities :
Gazetted beaches:
- Members of the public must comply with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap 599G); and
- Members of the public must wear masks at all times (except while swimming and engaging in physical activity) when being present on beaches in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap 599I).
Water Sports Centres:
- In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, the LCSD will ensure necessary measures to be adopted at reopened water sports centres. Users of water sports centres are required to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code before being allowed to enter for necessary contact tracing if a confirmed case is found;
- In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, all persons entering or remaining at water sports centres under the management of the LCSD must comply with the requirement of the Vaccine Pass;
- Arranging body temperature screening for all people before entering water sports centres. Those with symptoms such as fever or respiratory illness will not be allowed to enter into the water sports centres; and
- Ensuring members of the public to wear masks at all times within water sports centres except when they are doing water sports at sea, having a shower or doing warm-up exercises with a distance of at least 1.5m from others.
Arrangement of Craft Hiring
Members of the public who meet the prerequisite qualifications can make use of the following channels to apply for 7-day advance booking or on-the-spot booking of unreserved crafts from May 4 (Wednesday), on a first-come-first-served basis:
i. Leisure Link e-Services System;
ii. Bring along the identification documents, proof of qualifications, craft hiring application form with fee in person at any water sports centres, District Leisure Services Offices and the specified recreational and sport venues with Leisure Link System; and
iii. Self-service Kiosk.
Public Swimming Pools
- In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, the LCSD will ensure necessary measures to be adopted at reopened swimming pools. Users of swimming pools are required to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code before being allowed to enter for necessary contact tracing if a confirmed case is found;
- In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, all persons entering or remaining at swimming pools under the management of the LCSD must comply with the requirement of the Vaccine Pass;
- Temporarily limiting the number of users in swimming pools to 50 per cent of the original capacity to maintain distance among swimmers, and opening some pool facilities only;
- Distributing numbered tickets to people lining up when the numbers of users in swimming pools have reached the temporary maximum pool capacity, and reminding them to take note of the numbers shown on the queuing board in order to avoid people gathering;
- Arranging body temperature screening for all people before entering swimming pools. Those with symptoms such as fever or respiratory illness will not be allowed to enter the swimming pools;
- Ensuring appropriate distance between users of shower facilities, with shower heads which are not within individual cubicles will open but maintaining 1.5m apart;
- No more than four persons per training group/class including the coach should be arranged for team training. There must be a distance of at least 1.5m between each training group/class. For a training group/class of more than four persons, it must be conducted in a way to ensure that persons are arranged in sub-groups of no more than four persons and there is a distance of at least 1.5m between each sub-group;
- Ensuring members of the public to wear masks at all times within swimming pools except when they are swimming, having a shower, walking from a changing room to a pool or vice versa, walking from a pool to another pool, or doing warm-up exercises with a distance of at least 1.5m from others. Coaches must wear masks at all time during coaching (irrespective of whether the coach is in the water or not); and
- Limiting the number of spectator in the stands at swimming pools to 50 per cent of the original capacity. No more than four consecutive seats can be occupied in the same row.
The LCSD will pay close attention to the latest developments of the pandemic, as well as the requirements for scheduled premises as stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), and review or revise the above reopening arrangements in due course.
Ends/Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Issued at HKT 21:49
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
