網址 : http://www.edb.gov.hk 電子郵件 : edbinfo@edb.gov.hk Web site : http://www.edb.gov.hk E-mail : edbinfo@edb.gov.hk
中 華 人 民 共 和 國 香 港 特 別 行 政 區 政 府 總 部 教 育 局
Education BureauGovernment Secretariat, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region The People's Republic of China
本局檔號 Our Ref : EDB(SDCT)3/PRO/10/1/1 電話 Telephone :
來函檔號 Your Ref. : 傳真 Fax Line :
28 December 2021
To: Supervisors / Principals of all Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Special Schools, Schools offering Non-Local Curriculum, Kindergartens and Kindergarten- cum-Child Care Centres and Private Schools offering Non-Formal Curriculum
Dear Supervisor / Principal,
Regular COVID-19 Testing Arrangements
The Government announced on 21 December 2021 that the current vaccination in lieu of regular testing arrangement for government employees would be further tightened starting from 28 December 2021. Government employees who have not received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be required to undertake the tests from once a week to once every three days. The Education Bureau (EDB) follows the above-mentioned announcements and updates the related arrangements applicable to schools1 accordingly. Details are as follows:
Under the tightened arrangements, for teachers, school staff or persons2 who have not received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, results of the tests conducted
1 Government schools should observe the requirements set out by the Civil Service Bureau. Schools other than Government schools should observe the stipulations in this letter.
2 Teaching staff include principals, teachers and teaching assistants. Non-teaching staff include school executive officers, assistant clerical officers/ clerical assistants, janitors, cooks, school bus drivers, school light bus drivers and escorts (commonly known as nannies), laboratory technicians, brailling staff, teacher assistants, workshop attendants, artisans, social workers, educational psychologists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, nurses, wardens, the related grades of boarding section staff such as social work officers, social work assistants, welfare workers. Persons providing on-campus services include, for example, group instructors.
Persons who frequently visit school campuses include, for example, volunteers.
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on or after 4 January 2022 will be valid for three days only. In other words, results of those tests conducted on or before 3 January 2022 are still valid for one week.
Starting from 10 January 2022, all the above-mentioned persons who have not received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine are required to conduct COVID-19 tests once every three days (including individual teachers/school staff or persons who are unfit for vaccination because of medical conditions and have to undertake regular tests).
The specimens must be obtained from combined nasal and throat swabs, and not collected through self-testing kits. Results from deep throat saliva tests or rapid antigen tests are not accepted. Unless an individual can produce a medical certificate3 certifying that his/her health conditions do not allow him/her to receive vaccination, all regular COVID-19 tests must be arranged outside working hours and at his/her own expense. For individual teachers, school staff or persons with medical certificates certifying that their health conditions are unfit for vaccination and would like to take the virus testing at the Community Testing Centres (CTCs), the fees of the testing services will be waived1. A teacher, school staff or person concerned should present to CTCs the original copy of the relevant medical certificate and the duly completed
“Community Testing Centres – Test Registration Form” at Annex with school chop stamped. Teachers, school staff or persons shall retain and present the relevant Short Message Service (SMS) messages, laboratory testing reports or related proofs containing the test results to the schools for record. Schools should keep the records of the negative test results of teachers, school staff or persons concerned.
Regarding the Government’s announcement of a “vaccine bubble”
arrangement at all indoor government premises starting from mid-February 2022, we shall keep in view of the development and make timely announcement to schools about the related arrangements as appropriate. Vaccination is a vital step in the fight against the virus and the epidemic. We encourage teachers and school staff, students and parents to continue to get vaccinated proactively.
For enquiries, please contact your respective Senior School Development Officers or Senior Service Officers.
Yours sincerely,
(Dr Verena LAU) for Secretary for Education
3 Schools should remind teachers/school staff and person to have their medical certificates ready. Schools can refer to https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/cap599FG_forms.html for the template of a medical certificate
Annex Education Bureau
Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Special Schools, Schools offering Non-Local Curriculum, Kindergartens and Kindergarten-cum-Child Care Centres in Hong Kong
Community Testing Centres1 – Test Registration Form
Notes:
(1)
This Test Registration Form (Form) can only be used by teaching and non-teaching staff who are directly employed by the aforementioned schools, persons who provide on-campus services, and persons who frequently visit school campuses. They should possess original copy of medical certificates2 issued by registered medical practitioners in Hong Kong certifying that the teachers, school staff or persons concerned are not suitable to receive all types of COVID-19 vaccines.(2)
This Form cannot be used by teachers, school staff or persons of schools offering non- formal curriculum (commonly known as 'tutorial schools').(3)
Teachers, school staff and persons must make advance booking for the free testing servicevia the Community Testing Centre - Booking System
(www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/). Those who do not make an appointment have to pay for the testing service ($240).
(4)
This Form should be kept by teachers, school staff and persons. They should present this Form on the day they take the test at the Community Testing Centre for identity verification.(5)
Community Testing Centres reserve the right of final decision to accept or decline the original copy of medical certificates submitted by the teachers, school staff or persons concerned.Personal Information of the Test Taker (to be completed by schools)
School Name:
School Telephone Number : School Registration Number : Test Taker Name:
(must be identical to the name on Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID Card)/Passport) HKID Card No./Passport No.:
Date of Testing: 31 August 2021 until further notice by the EDB
1 List of Community Testing Centres - www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/
2 Schools should only accept medical certificates namely “Medically Not Suitable for COVID-19 Vaccination” issued by registered medical practitioners registered in Hong Kong to verify that the teachers or school staff concerned cannot receive all types of COVID-19 vaccines available. Schools can refer to
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/cap599FG_forms.html for the template of a medical certificate.
School Chop
