On the 23rd, the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Chen Maobo, said that fighting the epidemic is the overriding priority at present, and the SAR government will use all available strength and resources to fight the epidemic.
The SAR Government will significantly increase resources to fight the epidemic in the new financial year, including:
First, allocate about HK$22 billion to the Food and Health Bureau to increase testing efforts, procure rapid test kits and related ancillary services, and provide additional support to the Hospital Authority.
Second, allocate an additional HK$6 billion to the Department of Health to purchase additional vaccines and inject booster shots for the public.
Third, a total of nearly 7 billion Hong Kong dollars was allocated to relevant departments for the purchase of anti-epidemic materials and services, and the implementation of anti-epidemic measures.
Fourth, allocate a total of HK$500 million to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department over 2 years to strengthen environmental hygiene services, especially to increase street cleaning and refuse collection services in response to the epidemic, increase efforts to prevent rodent infestation, and improve public markets sanitation.
At the same time, the department will strengthen inspections and law enforcement to raise community awareness of hygiene.
Fifth, inject HK$12 billion into the "Anti-epidemic Fund" to build various anti-epidemic-related facilities.
In addition, the SAR government will set aside HK$20 billion for various other anti-epidemic needs.
If there is a need for additional resources, the SAR government will fully cooperate to fight the epidemic.
(Headquarters reporter Ye Lili and Zhou Weiqi)