HK to offer new Covid-19 vaccine starting Nov 19

Two brands of the JN.1 Covid-19 vaccine will be made available to HK residents

The Centre for Health Protection announced today, Tuesday, that the first shipment of 110,000 doses of the Comirnaty JN.1 Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Hong Kong and will be administered to eligible persons aged 12 years and above from November 19.

The JN.1 vaccine which is manufactured by BioNTech, replaces the existing XBB Covid-19 vaccine, and is among 2024-2025 vaccines recommended worldwide to closely target the JN.1 lineage of the Omicron variant.

Later, around 110,000 doses of Spikevax JN.1 vaccine by Moderna will arrive in Hong Kong in batches, in due course. The government said it will procure COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner depending on future demand.

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In its statement, the government said that the use of the JN.1 vaccine is in line with recommendations by the World Health Organization and CHP’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases.

The vaccine will be made available to eligible persons aged 12 years and above under the Hong Kong government’s Covid-19 vaccination program. 

Booster doses are also available for free to the following high-risk priority groups, at least six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later), regardless of the number of doses received previously:

·       older adults aged 50 or above, including those living in residential care homes;

·       persons aged 18 to 49 years with underlying comorbidities;

·       persons with immunocompromising conditions aged 6 months and above;

·       pregnant women; and

·       healthcare workers. 

In addition to these groups, the US Centers for Disease Control says getting the 2024-2025 Covid-19 vaccine is equally important to those who never received a Covid-19 vaccine, are at high risk for severe Covid-19, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or might become pregnant in future, and want to lower their risk of getting long Covid-19

Those aged 12 years or older may continue to book a Covid-19 vaccine appointment via the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme booking system:  booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp).

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If they make the appointment on or after November 19 they will receive either brand of JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine for initial dose(s) or additional booster, subject to vaccine availability.

Young kids aged 6 months up to 11 years old will continue to receive the XBB  vaccine at at Hong Kong Children's Hospital, designated Maternal and Child Health Centres or Student Health Service Centres under the DH and designated PCVS.

Eligible citizens may choose to receive vaccine from private clinics registered as COVID-19 Community Vaccination Stations (PCVSs), designated general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) under the Hospital Authority (HA), or designated Elderly Health Centres of the DH.

Details of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme can be found on the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html).

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9 months for theft of jewelry worth $45K

 

Kowloon City Court 

A domestic helper was jailed for nine months today after she pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Court to two counts of theft.

Gracelyn Simbre, 41, was actually meted nine months’ jail for each offence -- a violation of section 9 of the Theft Ordinance -- but Deputy Magistrate Arthur Hong ordered that the two sentences run at the same time.

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The first charge against Simere arose from the theft of one gold necklace worth $22,749 from her employer at One Homantin in Hung Hom, Kowloon, last March 23.

The second charge arose from the theft of a pair of gold earrings and two gold bracelets worth a total of $23,000 from the same place last April 28.

Meanwhile, at the Shatin Court, a rape case against Alden John Apayat was transferred to Eastern Magistracy for committal proceedings to the High Court.

Apayat was told to appear on Dec. 19 at the new venue as he was released on bail of $50,000 with conditions, plus $15,000 surety.

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He is accused of raping “X” last April 10 in a house on Mui Wo Rural Committee Road in Mui Wo, Lantau.

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7 years’ jail for Swede who raped Nepalese domestic helper

The sentence was handed down at the High Court

A Swedish businessman diagnosed with a bipolar disorder was sentenced to seven years in jail at the High Court yesterday, after being found guilty of raping his Nepalese domestic helper.

Patrik Tobias Ekstrom, 36 was earlier taken into custody after being convicted unanimously by a seven-member jury of a count of rape and another of buggery without consent, against his helper, identified in court only as “X” on Oct. 27, 2022.

Recorder Derek Chan noted before sentencing various reports indicating Ekstrom was deemed unstable in mid-2022, after undergoing severe stress, including his deteriorating relationship with his wife.

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“Having sex with (the victim) was a way to cope with his negative feeling,” Chan said, citing the reports.

Under Hong Kong law, the maximum penalty for rape or non-consensual buggery is life imprisonment.

In mitigation his lawyer, Simon So, said the defendant suffered from bipolar disorder at the time of the offence, which happened on the day Ekstrom learned that his wife had left him, and had taken their three children with her to Japan.

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But in sentencing, Chan said the defendant had grossly breached the trust of the victim, a first-time migrant worker who was in a vulnerable position as she was dependent on him for her job.

The court also noted that the helper had suffered post-traumatic stress, including having frequent flashbacks of the assault, having nightmares and suffering from mood swings.

Ekstrom returned to his Shek O home late that night drunk, and forced the helper to his bedroom while saying, “I love you, I want you”. He threatened to kill her if she did not give in to his demand for sex.

The victim said her employer pressed her down onto the bed before sexually assaulting her, and only stopped when he cried out in pain.

Early the next morning,  X left the house and went straight to the police station to file a report. Ekstrom was arrested that night.

Earlier on the same day, the defendant transferred $15,000 to the victim’s bank account.

In his defense, Ekstrom that it was the helper who initiated sex with him as she wanted to give him “comfort’’ after being abandoned by his family.

He also claimed they had consensual sex previously, when he gave her money each time, and after which the helper had asked for help in repaying another debt. 

So said that up until the offence, the defendant had been a “successful businessman”, and incurred only a drink-driving conviction about 10 years before the rape.

But after the rape, Ekstrom was found guilty of criminally damaging property in a hospital and in a police vehicle, with both incidents occurring after he was found walking naked in public.

The defendant had also gotten involved in a car crash, and had and made a false report of burglary to police.

The court was told yesterday that Ekstrom graduated from City University and ran a successful business selling and distributing electronic products in Hong Kong.

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12 months for DH who lent ATM card on promise of $1k reward

 

District Court

A Filipina was jailed for 12 months today, a day after she pleaded guilty at the District Court to letting her bank account be used for money laundering.

Judge Lily Wong declined to give domestic helper Rachel Galvadores, 48 years old, any more discount on her original sentence of 18 months than the one-third cut granted to those who plead guilty.

Galvadores was convicted of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offense”, in violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, after $444,700 was deposited and withdrawn from her Hang Seng Bank account between January 2020 and Nov. 18, 2020.

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One of the sources of the money was a woman, identified only as Prosecution Witness 1, who testified that she was a victim of a love scam that tricked her into transferring $10,000 to Galvadores’ Hang Seng account.

In mitigation, the defense lawyer cited several facts that sought to paint Galvadores in favorable light, such as contributing to Hong Kong society by working for one employer for 18 years, and being the sole breadwinner for her two children and mother in the Philippines.

The lawyer also described her as remorseful, having learned her lesson, and that she had no idea that her ATM card would be used in scams.\

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Judge Wong shrugged these off, saying, “She does not deserve it.”

She noted that Galvadores lent her ATM card to a woman only identified as Victoria, after being promised $1,000 in reward, although she never got paid.

She also cited High Court decisions that consider money laundering a serious crime, which undermines the integrity of the banking system.

The charge against Galvadores was the first to be resolved in the case in which two other persons were charged with dealing with crime money.

Fellow Filipina Richel Gania is accused of letting her Hang Seng bank account be used for laundering $189,110.04  between April 1, 2018 and Nov. 1, 2020.

Wong Chi-tang is accused of dealing with $3.7 million in crime money that flowed in and out of his Bank of China account between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2021.

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Drug rehab for Pinoy who admitted assaulting local man

 

The Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre, where the accused will likely be confined  

A Filipino who was convicted recently of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on a local man, has been sent to the Drug Addition Treatment Center (DATC) indefinitely after he was confirmed to be addicted to dangerous drugs.

A drug treatment officer’s report “rightly pointed out that you are a drug addict,” Magistrate Gary Chu told M. Tibio, a 33-year-old waiter, when he appeared for sentencing today at West Kowloon Court,

“In view of your weak will power to get rid of the habit, the officer recommended that you be confined to the DATC,” he added.

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No definite period was specified for his rehab, but Magistrate Gary Chu told him, “It depends on your progress.”  

The treatment will normally take six to eight months plus another one year of supervision “to make sure you don’t touch drugs again,” he added.

While the sentence would keep him out of jail, it would also leave him with a criminal record.

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Asked by Magistrate Chu if he had any objection to his sentence, Tibio said no.

Tibio pleaded guilty last Oct. 28 to the charge of violating Common Law and the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance when he assaulted a local man last June 23 in front of a bar on South Lantau Road in Pui O, Lantau.

Tibio was scheduled to be sentenced to do community service as a penalty but was instead detained after his urine test showed traces of marijuana.

This prompted Chu to order a report from the DATC. “CSO (community service order) is not recommended due to continued drug abuse,” Magistrate Chu said then, noting the risks faced by his family and people who will be working with him.

Tibio was also convicted of drug possession in 2020 and was fined $2,000.

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UP alumni win top honors at ‘Rambulan 2024’

 

Congen Germie Usudan with alumni from 4 Phl universities gather despite the hoisting of T3

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Hong Kong took the top slot in “Rambulan 2024” (UAAP Barangayan sa Hong Kong), a friendly competition among alumni of four of the country's top universities, held on Saturday at Repulse Bay Beach.

UPAA had initially tied with One La Salle Hong Kong for the top prize, each with 26 points, but prevailed in the tie-breaking contest, “Tono Henyo”,  or a name-that-tune (and singer) contest.

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The other groups that competed were the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association, which took the third prize; and the Ateneo Alumni Association, which due to a lack of participants, came out fourth.

UP alumni proudly display the champion's trophy

Opening the friendly was Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan, a graduate of both UP and UST, who praised the alumni for getting together in a show of camaraderie and sportsmanship, and remarked how she was enjoying the fine weather, despite the hoisting of typhoon signal no 3 that morning.

Congen Usudan also used the occasion to honor her predecessor, the late Assistant Secretary Raly Tejada, who keenly supported the alumni associations’ effort to gather together, and lend support to some of the Consulate’s projects, like the overseas voting for Filipinos.

La Salle alumni with their 2nd prize trophy

Eight fun games were played during the day-long event - “Isang Bucket Ka Lang,” “Tono Henyo,” “Hula Hoop Relay,” “Hugot Buntot”, “Third PAArteh (3-legged race), “Putukin Mo Ang Lobo Ko,” “RamPak (a sustainable dress pageant) and the UAAP Cheer Dance Competition.

La Salle won four of the games, notching the top score of 4 in each, but fell to either 2nd or 3rd position in the rest. UP managed to even out the score by taking the second slot in four of the other games, each worth 3 points.

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Up until the cheering dance contest, UP was leading by one point, but La Salle caught up and drew a tie when it was announced the winner in what should have been that final face-off.

In the ensuing tie-breaking “Tono Henyo” contest, UPAA scored a perfect 5 as against 2 for La Salle, to take the first-prize trophy.

The contested trophies, with the UST alumni in the background

Two non-alumni,  Marichie Biscocho from Mapua University and Albert Yu from Polytechnic University, acted as judges for the RamPak and Cheer Dance Competition.

Ayalaland Hong Kong sponsored all the trophies, as well as two one-night stays at Seda Hotel which were awarded to both UP and La Salle.

UPAA HK is headed by Maritess Turingan, One La Salle by Jaerey Velasco, USTAA by Jan Yumul, and Ateneo AA by Joms Ortega.

Ateneo's Joms Ortega gamely joins the dress-up pageant for his school

This was the fourth 'Rambulan' to be held in Hong Kong since its launch in 2014, with the aim of reviving the spirit of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines' (UAAP) annual sports competition in the city.

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OFWs clean up beach for charity

 

Some of the participants with their garbage collections

Many go to the beach to enjoy the sea and the sun.

But for some 100 OFWs who gathered at Clearwater Bay Second Beach on the morning of Nov. 3, the objective was to clean up.

Before they sat down for lunch, they had gathered enough trash to fill 50 large garbage bags, according to Annifer Jen Ringor, leader of the Freelancer Volunteers and Hikers which organized the beach clean-up.

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And while there, they also managed to collect some $5,995.75 for charity.

That day’s beneficiary was Suzzet M.Tamor, a 58-year old widow with three children and three grandchildren, who received P44,900 the next Friday at her home in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City. 

The beneficary

The OFWs hope the donation will help her buy medicines as she fights cancer.

“We continue doing our environmental initiative in preserving our beaches, coastlines and trails to inspire more joiners in making a difference and together making our planet a better place,” said Ringor in a Facebook call for volunteers.

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In addition to the Freelancers, members of six other groups joined in: Filipino Adventures Hongkong led by Irish Saquil Lapaz, Guardian Republican International Inc. led by Tay Ka Dexter; Team Ligaw HK led by Emily Mondejar, Domestic Workers Corner Hikers Group HK led by AJ and Rizza Mae Zubiaga,  Zhengay's Happy Feet led by Shiela Joy Rumaguera and Kasambuhay led by Gigi Lingao.

When she posted her final report on the project, Ringor listed the names of the donors – both as individuals and as participating groups -- and the amounts they gave.

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“Thank you to everyone who has  supported  us and made this possible with the help of our collaborating  teams," she added.

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14 months’ jail for Filipina overstayer found working illegally

 

Sentencing was made at Shatin court

A Filipina found to have overstayed her visa was ordered jailed for 14 months at Shatin magistrates’ court on Friday, Nov. 8, after pleading guilty to breaching her condition of stay by working illegally.

Another Filipino who also admitted working illegally while on a domestic helper’s visa  was sentenced to six weeks in jail, when he appeared in the same court.

They were among a group of people arrested on November 6 during an anti-illegal work operation conducted by the Immigration Department.

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Another Filipino was arrested during the raids which targeted restaurants and grocery shops on Hong Kong island, but has yet to enter a plea.

Two of the Filipinos were arrested while reportedly working as movers of food ingredients, while the third was found to have worked  as a dishwasher. The three are aged between 45 to 63.

Three employers suspected of employing the three illegal workers were also arrested.

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A statement issued by the Immigration Department said its investigation into the case is continuing, and may make further arrests.

"A helper should only perform domestic duties for the employer specified in the contract. The helper should not take up any other employment, including part-time domestic duties, with any other person. The employer should not require or allow the helper to carry out any work for any other person," the statement said.

 It added a breach of condition of stay by those holding valid but restricted visas, may lead to the offender being sentenced to a maximum of two years in prison and $50,000 fine.

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The penalty goes up to three years in jail if the offender is an overstayer, an illegal immigrant or is subject to a removal or deportation order such as recognizance paper holders.

Employers can be jailed for up to 10 years and meted a maximum fine of $500,000.

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T3 raised, but higher signal unlikely

 

T3 brought a bit of chill to participants of an alumni event at Repulse Bay, but no rain

The Hong Kong Observatory raised the strong wind signal no 3 at 3:40pm today, Saturday, as super typhoon Yinxing moves towards the city.

The T3 signal is expected to remain in force until 10 am tomorrow, Sunday, but a higher signal is not likely to be raised.

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According to the forecast, Yinxing will move around more than 300 kilometers south of Hong Kong from tonight to tomorrow. It is not expected to affect the city unless it veers to the north, closer  to the Pearl Rive Estuary.

Yinxing, which was named Marce in the Philippines, left a trail of destruction in the northern part of the country, particularly Cagayan, where it made a landfall.

The approach of Yinxing brought cooler weather to Hong Kong, along with a bit of strong wind.

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Despite the relatively mild weather condition, an annual cross-harbour swim fest scheduled for tomorrow has been canceled.

Organizers of the "New World Harbour Race 2024" decided to call off the event which would have seen thousands of swimmers cross the harbour from Wanchai to Tsim Sha Tsui, after the Observatory announced it would raise the T3 signal due to Yinxing’s approach.

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All participants will receive a full refund of their registration fees as well as any charitable donations they may have given.

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Lead poisoning traced to garcinia cambogia tablets

 

The slimming herbal capsules found to have caused lead poisoning in a woman

The Centre for Health Protection has warned the public not to buy or consume a certain herbal product manufactured in Nepal and labelled as “Garcinia Cambogia” after a 62-year-old woman who consumed it was found to have suffered lead poisoning.

The carginia cambogia is a tropical fruit which is popular among people trying to lose weight, and can be purchased online, or at drug stores. Unsubstantiated claims say it blocks the body’s ability to make fat, and leads to a loss of appetite.

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According  to the CHP, a report from the Hospital Authority indicated the woman lost her appetite in late September, and was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan from October 12 to 18.

She was diagnosed with lead poisoning after a blood test revealed she had a high blood lead level together with anaemia and liver impairment.

The patient was readmitted to hospital on October 24 but has since been discharged.

An investigation by the CHP revealed the patient had consumed the herbal product labelled as "Garcinia Cambogia" for several months. She bought this product from an overseas online shop.

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Tests carried out by the government laboratory showed that the product contains lead. The government of Nepal, which is where the product was manufactured according to its label, has been asked to conduct a follow-up investigation.

The CHP’s investigation continues.

In a statement, the health body said, "Lead has no essential function in man, but has a number of adverse effects. Acute exposure to high doses of lead may cause abdominal pain and vomiting. Chronic exposure to lead, depending on the lead level inside the body, is associated with a wide range of health effects, including neurodevelopmental effects, anaemia, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal symptoms, impaired renal function and neurological impairment.”

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The CHP called on people who are taking the product to stop consuming it immediately, and to consult healthcare professionals as soon as possible if they feel unwell or are in doubt.

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