StayHomeSafe Scheme

In view of the serious pandemic condition, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19 and avoid bringing down the healthcare system, it is high time for the Government to launch "StayHomeSafe" Scheme. With the concerted co-operation of the public in fighting the epidemic, Hong Kong will surely overcome the current epidemic situation!
Persons undergoing "StayHomeSafe" must: stay in the premises; monitor their health condition; undergo relevant testing as required; and follow other home quarantine guidelines issued by the Department of Health.
"StayHomeSafe" Hotline: 1833 019

What's New

Close Contacts under Home Quarantine

Under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A), the Department of Health will arrange for household close contacts of infected persons to undergo home quarantine (please also refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on this page)

The principles whether one can undergo home quarantine -

Persons who reside in suitable dwelling places would be considered. For example, dwelling places suspected to have transmission, dwelling places without separate washroom/kitchen, subdivided units or very small areas are considered not suitable.
Another overarching principle is that only those who have similar risk level should be confined at the same location at a material time.
Physical conditions of individual contacts, including self-care ability, whether care by others is needed, pregnancy status, co-morbidities, etc.

Criteria for Early Discharge from Home Quarantine (Flowchart / Detailed Version)

Points to Note on Infection Control to Persons Undergoing Home Quarantine

Any other person(s) should not enter the place of quarantine (e.g. friends or relatives not living together)

Stay in place of quarantine and keep the flat door closed, except for disposal of garbage, going to community testing centres for swab taking, or for any other activities as agreed by the Department of Health (DH)

Perform hand hygiene frequently and observe cough manner

Keep the place well ventilated by keeping windows open as far as feasible

Clean and disinfect the home environment daily

Put the toilet lid down before flushing

Wash hands with soap and water after toileting

Pour about half a litre of water in each floor drain outlet once per week

For household member who develops respiratory symptom, he or she should put on a well-fitted surgical mask, and inform the Home Affairs Department (HAD) via a dedicated hotline that operates around the clock as soon as possible

Concise Guide

Health Advice for Home Quarantine

Important Notice for Home Confinees who are the Close Contact of a Confirmed Case

DOs and DON'Ts

Selected Videos

Health Advice for Home Quarantine

Rapid Antigen Test

Frequently Asked Questions

For home confinees

What should be done during the home quarantine period?
- Please measure your body temperature twice daily and monitor your health condition.
- Meanwhile, you are required to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) by yourself on the specified days of the quarantine period. Please take a photo immediately after reading the test to record the test result.
- Please record your health monitoring information and test results in the "Medical Surveillance Form for Home Quarantine". Please retain the photos of the RAT results for inspection when requested by personnel from the Centre for Health Protection. The Department of Health has also launched an online version. Household contacts under quarantine will receive an SMS message. Please follow the instructions to log-in to the website and record the monitoring findings.
Can I leave my place of quarantine if I obtained negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result?
- If your household member were tested positive for COVID-19, you would be the close contact and are required to undergo home quarantine.
- If you have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, you may conduct RATs on Day 6* and Day 7* or any 2 consecutive days after Day 7* of the home quarantine period. If the RATs on these two successive days were negative, you are allowed to leave your place of quarantine and resume work. RAT negative certificate will not be issued.
- If you have not been vaccinated or have only received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, you are required to undergo 14 days quarantine and medical surveillance.
  
  *The day following testing or collection of the positive sample from the infected household is counted as Day 1 of your home quarantine. If there is no such testing or collection record, the day on receiving the positive result of the infected household is counted as Day 1.
What should I do if I feel unwell during the home quarantine period?
- Persons under home quarantine should measure the body temperature twice daily and monitor the health condition.
- If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 (such as fever, cough with or without sputum, shortness of breath, muscle and joint pain, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, etc), please conduct RAT immediately.
- For people who obtained positive results through RAT for the first time can report via the online platform "Declaration System for individuals tested positive for COVID-19 using Rapid Antigen Test" (https://www.chp.gov.hk/ratp). If individuals encounter difficulties in using the online platform, they can call the automated system at 1836 119 to register their identification document and telephone number. The Centre for Health Protection will contact the relevant person later to finish the report procedure.
- If during the period of quarantine, you have medical emergency requiring to attend Accident and Emergency (A&E) facility directly, please call 999 and inform the A&E staff that you are undergoing home quarantine.
How do persons under home quarantine arrange daily necessities?
- Persons under home quarantine are required to make their own arrangements for basic daily necessities and/or food, such as by friends and relatives not under quarantine or ordering online / through telephone. You can call "StayHomeSafe" Scheme Hotline if you are not able to arrange daily necessities.
What are the important precautions for receiving delivery items (e.g. meals and online purchase goods)?
- Persons under home quarantine are advised to use contactless payment methods. Persons delivering these items should leave them at the door (e.g. a chair outside the door) and are not allowed to enter the home to reduce the risk of them being exposed to infection. Having face-to-face contact with persons under home quarantine should also be avoided.
Can persons under home quarantine dispose of garbage as usual? Any points to note for disposing of household garbage?
- You can briefly leave your home to dispose of garbage in the designated refuse collection point on the same floor, but you should wear a well-fitted surgical mask during the whole process.
- Before leaving your home, you should properly wrap the garbage, practise hand hygiene and close the door immediately when leaving your home. You should return to your home as soon as possible and practise hand hygiene immediately.
What are the infection control advice to persons undergoing home quarantine?
- Any other person(s) should not enter the place of quarantine (e.g. friends or relatives not living together) except for caregivers or workers providing urgent and essential services
- Stay in place of quarantine during the whole quarantine period, except for disposal of garbage, attending urgent and essential medical and health services, going to compulsory COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, or accompanying persons in need (such as children, elderly, individuals with long-term disease or disabilities) to receive urgent and essential medical health services or compulsory testing
- Keep the flat door closed during the quarantine period, except for the above-mentioned activities.
- Perform hand hygiene frequently and observe cough manner
- Keep the place well ventilated by keeping windows open as far as feasible
- Clean and disinfect the home environment daily with 1 in 49 diluted household bleach (mixing 10 ml of bleach containing 5.25% sodium hypochlorite with 490 ml of water), leave for 15 to 30 minutes and then rinse with water. For metallic surface, disinfect with 70% alcohol
- If places are contaminated by respiratory secretions, vomitus or excreta, use strongly absorbent disposable towels to clean up the visible matter. Then disinfect the surface and the neighbouring area with disinfectant. For non-metallic surface, disinfect with 1 in 4 diluted household bleach (mixture of 10 ml of household bleach containing 5.25% hypochlorite solution with 40 ml of water), leave for 10 minutes, and then rinse with water. For metallic surface, disinfect with 70% alcohol
- Put the toilet lid down before flushing
- Wash hands with soap and water after toileting
- Pour about half a litre of water in each floor drain outlet once per week
- Wear a well-fitted surgical mask properly whenever open the door to receive deliveries or leave the flat for garbage disposal
What if I have other questions on the arrangements of the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme?
- The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has set up a 24-hour telephone hotline (1833 019) to provide support and assistance to persons undergoing home quarantine under the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme. The hotline staff will provide general enquiry service and mark down requests for assistance made by persons undergoing home quarantine under the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme, and refer the relevant cases to relevant departments for follow-up as appropriate.

For general public

What is the purpose of the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme?
- In view of the serious pandemic condition, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, safeguard public health and avoid bringing down the healthcare system, it is high time for the Government to launch "StayHomeSafe" Scheme. With the concerted co-operation of the public in fighting the epidemic, Hong Kong will surely overcome the current epidemic situation.
What are the criteria of residential venue for home quarantine?
- Not subdivision of a flat (commonly-known as subdivided unit), e.g. Not sharing same flat with other families
- Have own functional toilet that can properly flush
- Adequate hand washing facility
What if I have other questions on the arrangements of the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme?
- The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has set up a 24-hour telephone hotline (1833 019) to provide support and assistance to persons undergoing home quarantine under the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme. The hotline staff will provide general enquiry service and mark down requests for assistance made by persons undergoing home quarantine under the "StayHomeSafe" Scheme, and refer the relevant cases to relevant departments for follow-up as appropriate.

For property management

Is there infection control advice for property management in buildings with persons under home quarantine?
- Please click here (slides) for the relevant guideline