COVID-19 procedures in immigration detention

H. Y. Fung根據公開資料要求入境事務處披露資料

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Dear Immigration Department,

I am writing to make an information request regarding COVID-19 procedures in place at immigration detention facilities. May I know,

I) What procedures are in place to prevent COVID-19 transmission, particularly for the following:

A) Wherein an immigration detainee tests positive for COVID-19 upon admission

B) Wherein an immigration detainee tests positive for COVID-19 while in detention

C) For preventing transmission between existing detainees and newly admitted persons into the detention facility, such as guidelines regarding shared facilities

D) Whether there is any quarantine of newly admitted persons into the detention facility

E) Access to COVID-19 vaccinations and relevant information for immigration detainees

F) Other relevant procedures for the purpose of preventing COVID-19 transmission between detention staff and detainees

G) How these procedures may have evolved over the course of the past two years of the pandemic

II) Whether you could provide these procedures and guidelines or relevant press releases / other materials as relevant

Thank you very much for your help in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

H. Y. Fung

Dear H. Y. Fung,

Thank you for your email.

Your application is now under processing. According to paragraph 1.16 of
the Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the
latest progress of the case separately on or before 28 March 2022.

Regards

(Mr S T Lam)
for Director of Immigration

From: "H. Y. Fung" <[FOI #1017 email]>
To: FOI requests at Immigration Department <[Immigration Department request email]>
Date: 08/03/2022 10:29
Subject: Freedom of Information request - COVID-19 procedures in
immigration detention

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Dear Immigration Department,

I am writing to make an information request regarding COVID-19 procedures
in place at immigration detention facilities. May I know,

I) What procedures are in place to prevent COVID-19 transmission,
particularly for the following:

A) Wherein an immigration detainee tests positive for COVID-19 upon
admission

B) Wherein an immigration detainee tests positive for COVID-19 while in
detention

C) For preventing transmission between existing detainees and newly
admitted persons into the detention facility, such as guidelines regarding
shared facilities

D) Whether there is any quarantine of newly admitted persons into the
detention facility

E) Access to COVID-19 vaccinations and relevant information for
immigration detainees

F) Other relevant procedures for the purpose of preventing COVID-19
transmission between detention staff and detainees

G) How these procedures may have evolved over the course of the past two
years of the pandemic

II) Whether you could provide these procedures and guidelines or relevant
press releases / other materials as relevant

Thank you very much for your help in this matter.

Yours faithfully,

H. Y. Fung

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This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #1017 email]

Is [Immigration Department request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to
Immigration Department? If so, please contact us using this form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

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-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

Dear H. Y. Fung,
I refer to your request for access to information on 8 March 2022.
Further to our interim reply of 16 March 2022, our reply is provided as
below.

In view of the latest development of COVID-19, preventive measures
published by the HKSAR Government have been observed and implemented at
the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre ("CIC") and Ma Tau Kok Detention
Centre (“MTKDC”). The CIC and MTKDC have enhanced the infection prevention
and control measures as well as the cleaning and disinfection services in
the detention centres. All detention facilities at the detention centres
are cleaned with disinfectant thoroughly, regularly and when necessary.
Staff of the detention centres when discharging duties must wear masks and
other appropriate personal protective equipment as and when required.
Liquid soap and hand sanitisers are also provided for detainees to ensure
their personal hygiene. Body temperature scanners have been installed at
the detention centres for temperature screening of all persons entering
the detention centres (including staff and visitors of the CIC and MTKDC).
All visitors must wear surgical masks at all times after entering the
detention centres and those who have a fever or other symptoms will be
denied entry.

In addition, the Centre for Health Protection ("CHP") of the Department of
Health ("DH") and the medical services provider of the CIC have been
closely liaised to timely implement various preventive measures. To
identify the asymptomatic carriers among the detainees transferred to the
detention centres for detention, all new admissions are required to
undergo rapid antigen testing, and a negative test result is a
prerequisite for admission, thereby avoiding outbreaks in the detention
centres as far as practicable. All newly admitted detainees will also be
required to undergo COVID-19 deep throat saliva testing. All detainees on
admission to the detention centres are required to undergo medical
examinations conducted by the duty Medical Officer ("MO") to ensure that
their health condition is normal and to prevent the transmission of
infectious diseases to other detainees. On the advice of the CHP, they
will be put under isolation and observation as and when required.

For closely monitoring the health condition of detainees, the detention
centres have stepped up the measures of checking the body temperature of
all detainees daily. Surgical masks are also provided to every detainee at
the detention centres every day. If any detainees have a fever or other
symptoms, medical staff of the detention centres will conduct a medical
examination for them promptly. When necessary, the duty MO will refer the
detainees concerned to a public hospital for further medical treatment.

In case a detainee at the detention centres is tested positive for
COVID-19, it will be reported to the CHP immediately for follow-up
actions. The detainee concerned may, on the advice of the CHP, be
transferred to public hospitals or community isolation facilities for
quarantine and medical surveillance. Detainees at the CIC may make an
application for COVID-19 vaccination at the CIC subject to their intention
for receiving vaccination.

The CIC and MTKDC will continue to review and update the infection control
measures in place regularly to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 with a
view to providing a safe environment for all detainees, staff members and
visitors of the detention centres.

Regarding immigration control points, the main function of the detention
facilities at control points is to detain persons refused permission to
land of whom removal from Hong Kong will be arranged as soon as
practicable. To minimise the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19
at control points and the detention facilities therein, precautionary
measures as advised by CHP have been observed and followed as appropriate.

Prior to the immigration clearance and detention at control points, all
inbound travellers are subject to health inspection by DH upon arrival.
Those with high temperature or found with symptoms will be referred to DH
for further handling. When an immigration detainee is tested positive for
COVID-19 while in detention, the case will be referred to Port Health of
DH for urgent hospitalisation arrangement and other follow up actions
deemed necessary. The detention facilities and related office area will be
arranged for cleaning and disinfection as soon as practicable. Meanwhile,
detainees and staff in the detention facilities would be arranged to
conduct COVID-19 test as necessary for identification of any potential
infection case.

Guidelines from CHP are provided below for your reference:-

[1]https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbou...
[2]https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/nid_gui...
[3]https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/persona...

Access to Information Officer
Immigration Department

From: RM/IMMD/HKSARG
To: "H. Y. Fung" <[FOI #1017 email]>
Date: 16/03/2022 10:03
Subject: Re: Request for information under Code on Access to
Information( Application no. ImmD/RM/6-5/10/2022/124(R))