Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC), including Light Rail and East Rail:

Has given away about 1 million protective masks at all KCRC stations since March 25. All 119 light rail vehicle trains are disinfected at least once a day before service starts. Facilities - from ticketing machines, to octopus processors, to benches and railings - are disinfected between two and three times a day.

Health declaration forms are distributed at the ticket offices of all East Rail stations and the customer service centres at Hunghom, Sha Tin, Tai Po Market, Sheung Shui and Lowu stations to help implement the health declaration policy of Shenzhen authorities for inbound travellers.

Air filters in stations are disinfected more frequently, from once every two weeks, to once a week. Air filters in train compartments are changed from every three weeks now to every 10 days. Heavy cleaning of the station has changed from once a month to once every two weeks. Train floors are disinfected every night.

Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) and Airport Express under MTRC:

Apart from the current practice of cleaning the compartments every day with antiseptic detergent, MTRC has also employed an additional 150 cleaners to frequently clean stations and train facilities - such as escalator handrails, ticket gates, ticketing and add-value machines, handrails and seats in train compartments - with antiseptic detergent every day during traffic hours since March 31.

A new operation mode of the ventilation system allows more fresh air to be pumped into MTR stations and Airport Express stations in addition to the cool air generated by air-conditioning. Additional staff have been deployed to inspect and maintain the system.

Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB):

All bus compartments are cleaned with diluted bleach daily, especially the floor, handrails and bells. All air filters are cleaned with diluted bleach at least once a week.

All windows are opened in non-air-conditioned buses. For air-conditioned buses, the window beside the drivers' cabins are opened.

A new and free shuttle bus route, Route H1, has been launched to take medical workers from Tin Shui Wai to Princess Margaret Hospital. Protective gear is given to drivers on this route.

If a bus captain is confirmed to be Sars-infected, the bus he is driving will return to the depot for immediate cleansing and disinfecting.

Citybus:

Diluted bleach is used to clean buses and is sprayed into air-conditioning filters every night.

Guidelines from the Health Department and Transport Department are posted on all buses. Face masks are available to passengers at 11 designated terminals.

New World First Bus:

Cleaners rotate around the 29 terminals throughout the day to clean the terminals and station rooms. When a bus arrives its interiors are cleaned and disinfectant is sprayed into the air filters.

If it is suspected that a person infected with Sars has been on a bus, it will be thoroughly disinfected by cleaners in disposable protective gear. The bus, after being disinfected, is quarantined for six hours.

Star Ferry:

Staff wash the cabin with bleach and water twice a day. Disinfectant is sprayed once a day. Staff must declare their health conditions every day when changing their shift.

New World First Ferry (Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and Lantau) & First Ferry Macau:

All cabins are disinfected at least once a day and pier areas are cleaned daily. Air filters are cleaned daily. The ventilation mode on board has been changed to increase the maximum intake of fresh air.

For high-speed vessels and air-conditioned vessels, their doors and windows are opened when anchored at piers.

Peak Tram:

All staff, except engineers working on tracks in open areas, have to wear masks. Masks are given to passengers upon request.

Daily cleaning of the two peak trams has been increased to twice a day. Special attention is paid to railings and the seats. Monthly cleaning of the air-filters now takes place on a weekly basis. The two ticketing offices are disinfected every hour.

Trams:

Apart from the daily cleaning of the tram compartments and facilities, 163 trams also have heavy cleaning every eight days. The railings in the tram compartments are disinfected whenever trams come to the terminals.

Minibuses & Taxis:

According to chairman Tran Chau, Hong Kong Taxi & Public Light Bus Association has distributed free disinfectant and provided blue buckets to members. It has also distributed some 40,000 to 50,000 free masks to both taxi drivers and minibus drivers.

The Rights of Taxi Owners and Drivers' Association encourages taxi-drivers to use masks and gloves while at work. It has also taught them to clean the air-filters daily compared to once a week in the past. The taxi compartment, especially the seats and head-bolsters, are disinfected with bleach.

It has asked taxi drivers to open a small window even in air-conditioned taxis.

Airlines

Screening procedures have been introduced for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport. The body temperature of all passengers is taken before check-in.

Travellers arriving and transiting are included. Those found to have fever are required to see a doctor at the airport.

Dragonair:

Staff ask all passengers questions regarding Sars before they fly. In flight, fresh air flows into the aircraft cabin continuously, with the entire cabin's air volume exchanged every 2-3 minutes.

All passenger aircraft are equipped with a set of special high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters to remove airborne contaminants and viruses.

Cabin crew wear masks and gloves when preparing and serving meals inflight.

Surgical face masks are available to passengers, upon request, on all flights.

Alcohol swabs and disposable towels are distributed to all passengers before meals.

After every flight, each cabin interior is thoroughly disinfected. Additional sanitation procedures are carried out weekly on each aircraft.

If passengers have Sars symptoms inflight, they are provided with a mask and a seat away from other passengers. The authorities at the destination city will then be informed.

Cathay Pacific Airways:

Travel health alerts are posted at check-in counters across its network. Public health announcements are made at the airline's boarding gates.

All frontline staff are briefed and alerted to look out for Sars signs from passengers. Staff have to regularly wash their hands.

Fresh air continuously flows into the cabin from outside the aircraft during every flight. The entire cabin's air volume is exchanged every 3-5 minutes. A set of special high efficiency particulate arrestor (HEPA) filters are used to remove airborne contaminants, bacteria and larger virus particles. Air supplied to aircraft toilets and galleys is not re-circulated but expelled. Aircraft undergo a more thorough sanitation procedure on a weekly basis plus a regular 'Super Clean' programme.

Surgical face masks are given to all staff and are available to all passengers. All meals are individually covered.

Hotels

Island Shangri-La:

All equipment in the gymnasium is thoroughly cleaned and sanitised whenever someone uses a piece of equipment. The sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi facilities are closed until further notice.

The chlorine levels in the swimming pool have been increased to 3 parts per million (ppm), which is still safe for swimming while killing more germs. Standard level is 1 ppm.

Perspex protective covers have been tailor-made and used for Cafe Too buffet items. Chefs are wearing gloves and masks. Routine cleaning schedules are heightened. A special air filtration servicing cycle has been in place since March 19.

All guest rooms are installed with air-conditioning systems designed to avoid cross contamination of air between rooms. Fresh air is filtered before entering guest rooms and exits through an exhaust system in the bathroom. All guestrooms and public areas are disinfected regularly. Anti-bacterial hand soap, which contains active quaternary germicides against a broad spectrum of micro organisms, is also used throughout all public and staff areas.

All chinaware, glassware and cutlery are sterilised using a high temperature washing machine and sanitiser.

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong:

All rooms are cleaned with antibacterial cleaning agent. Housekeeping staff are wiping lift areas and all handles almost hourly. Restaurants and public areas are sprayed daily with antibacterial cleaning agent in addition to the usual cleaning. The air filters in public areas and guestrooms are changed frequently.

Wireless keyboards in the guestrooms have been removed. Upon request, wireless keyboards are given to guests after being disinfected.

Swimming pools are closed. All buffets are temporarily suspended and a family-style set menu is in place.

The Peninsula Hong Kong:

Air filters, which were being disposed of every three months, are now disposed of each month.

Elevator buttons and shopping arcade handles are cleaned every half an hour.

Loose items such as chips, chocolates and bread are not served idly in containers at the hotel lobby. Rather, packeted peanuts are served and dining utensils are set after the clients arrive to avoid exposing them in the open air for too long.

All towels and slippers are individually wrapped. In public areas and washrooms, disposable paper towels have replaced napkins.

JW Marriott:

The hotel has consulted the Department of Health to ensure proper hygiene procedures are in place. In addition to the regular cleaning of ventilation systems, air filters are changed each month and the fan coil unit will be changed quarterly as opposed to twice a year in the past. The hotel runs a fresh air supply system 24 hours a day, to enhance air quality - in the past this was only run when restaurants were closed. In order to kill possible airborne bacteria, mould and mildew, natural tea tree oil is sprayed into the fresh air ducts every night.

Staff's health is closely monitored: staff feeling unwell, even though they may not exhibit Sars symptoms, will be sent home immediately.

The Royal Garden:

All staff have to take their temperatures daily before work.

All guests at the gymnasium are requested to take their body temperature before using gym facilities. Each piece of gym equipment is cleaned after use by a client. Benches at the sauna are cleaned hourly.

The pool and the pool area, which were cleaned once a day, are now cleaned twice a day.

The Greenery Coffee Shop's buffet breakfast arrangement was changed to a la carte menu. The buffet dinner is still served, but with all food covered. Customers are given masks when taking food in the buffet. Antiseptic hand tissues, containing 70 per cent alcohol, are available to them.

Staff clean air filters every week compared with twice a month in the past. Guest rooms and public areas such as elevators, restaurants and bars are disinfected daily with bleach. Garbage is covered thoroughly and disposed of hourly.

Cleaners are stationed in three elevators all day and disinfect the buttons and walls after every use.

Frontline staff are trained to deal with flu-virus enquiries.

Banks and public offices

Standard Chartered:

Frontline staff are given alcohol sanitising wipes to wipe their hands after handling money. All surfaces, including walls, floors, and ATMs, are wiped with disinfectant at least once a day at all branches.

Visitors have to step on a bleach-soaked doormat before entering the bank.

Dah Sing Bank:

Staff are allowed to dress smart casual so they have more clothes to rotate and can wash clothing more regularly. Department heads give daily reports on the well-being of their staff.

Banks are cleaned with diluted bleach, at least twice a day. In areas where infections have been recorded, such as Tai Po and Kowloon Bay, cleaning is carried out even more frequently and alcohol handwipes are provided for workers.

Staff are discouraged from making business or personal visits to China and other places with SARS outbreaks.

Hang Seng Bank:

ATMs, lifts, phones and all places where customers may have surface contact are cleaned regularly. For example, at its head office in Central, lift buttons and ATMs are wiped hourly.

A professional team was brought in to clean air-conditioning systems earlier this month while the systems' fresh-air intake volumes have been increased to improve ventilation.

HSBC:

Plastic coverings have been put on the keyboards of ATMs, which are wiped with disinfectant at least once a day. Cleaning at all branches has been stepped up - full-time cleaners wipe all surfaces with disinfectants at least once a day.

Post Offices:

All post offices provide staff with gloves and masks, which are optional. Post offices are sterilised twice a day with bleach and ventilation systems are cleaned regularly.

Postmen who are required to deliver mail to infected buildings are strongly advised to wear gloves and masks, which offer sufficient protection according to the guidelines from the Health Department. These postmen are advised to take extra care of their personal hygiene, like washing their hands frequently etc. Their colleagues are also advised to keep an eye on their health conditions.

OFFICE AND RETAIL COMPLEXES

SinoLand:

Common areas in office buildings such as lobbies, lift areas and corridors are cleaned every hour - in high risk areas such as Kwun Tong, they are cleaned every half hour. Chlorine is added to flushing-water tanks to kill germs. Plastic covering has been placed on top of buttons in the lifts, which are cleaned regularly.

Hong Kong Land:

Fresh air intake has been increased at all buildings. Doors at all entrances are open to improve air circulation and so people don't have to touch the handrails of doors, thereby minimising the contact with surfaces. Common areas such as lift areas, handrails, lobbies are cleaned frequently. A taskforce has been set up to answer questions from staff and tenants concerning Sars. If any staff exhibit symptoms of Sars, they will be sent home.

Sun Hung Kai Properties:

More than 50 shopping malls and office buildings are being cleaned hourly with chlorine and leaflets about prevention of Sars have been distributed to residents.

Fresh air intake has been increased and central ventilation systems are cleaned and sterilised.

Swire Properties:

Cleaning has been upgraded to a few times a day and in some places hourly, depending on traffic. Ventilation system filters are being changed more regularly. Toilets are being cleaned on the hour.

Chinachem:

Common areas of buildings are being cleaned regularly and the filters of the ventilation systems are changed monthly.

Supermarkets

Park'n'Shop:

Air-conditioning and ventilation systems in all stores are cleaned thoroughly with a sterilising cleaning agent regularly. All trolley and basket handles are cleaned with bleach.

A Sars crisis management committee has been set up and it holds meetings every morning to look at the latest Sars development and review its contingency plans. The temperature of staff in some of the shops is taken, such as the one at Amoy Gardens.

Wellcome:

Has issued a set of guidelines for staff, such as making sure that staff don't travel to and from different areas to avoid cross-infection.

RESTAURANTS

From May 5 to August 2003, the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association will launch a campaign to standardise restaurants' hygiene measures and has set out a list of 10 criteria which restaurants must meet in order to post a sign showing 'OK' and with a cross on the palm at the entrance for diners' notice. The campaign, which is targeting 1,000 restaurants, has attracted 700 restaurants already.

The criteria:

1. Install an automatic alcohol dispenser for hand disinfection; 2. Provide extra chopsticks and spoons for sharing of food; 3. Provide alcohol-soaked tissues for customers; 4. Provide sanitised tableware or disposable chopsticks; 5. Ensure all staff wear masks; 6. Use disposable dry/wet napkins instead of hot towels; 7. Install hand dryers and provide liquid soap in restrooms; 8. Clean and sterilise the floor with diluted bleach once every two hours or place a sanitised carpet at door entrances; 9. Clean toilets once every hour; 10. Staff to take their temperatures before coming to work.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has also posted guidelines:

1. Step up cleaning, inspection and maintenance for all ventilating systems in the premises, including air outlets, air filters, fresh air inlets and ventilating ducts; 2 Keep the ventilating systems of the premises in operation during business hours; 3. In addition to providing customers with tableware for their own use, licensees of restaurants and factory canteens should also take the initiative to provide customers with additional chopsticks or spoons for the common serving of food; 4. Tableware/towels provided to customers must be thoroughly washed and sterilised before re-use; 5. Step up cleansing and disinfection of the walls, floors, utensils, tables, chairs and equipment on the premises; 6. Any employee found suffering from respiratory tract illness should cease work immediately and consult a registered medical practitioner; 7. All food, beverage and tableware must be stored and covered properly.

Pacific Coffee:

All staff have to wear masks - with smiling face stickers - to promote a relaxed atmosphere. Cleaning is carried out regularly. Most coffee cups and tableware are disposable. Sanitised stay cups (glass cups) will be provided on customers' request.

Starbucks:

Uses virus-and-bacteria-killing hygiene products including Sanicare Lemon, Mint & Pine Quat for cleaning furniture; Leverline Bac (H4) for staff to wash their hands; and R3 - Glass Cleaner/Polish for cleaning and polishing windows, glass display cabinets, mirrors, tiles and other glazed ceramic surfaces. Coffee Concept (Hong Kong) Limited, a joint venture between Maxim's Caterers Limited and Starbucks Coffee International, has also postponed all meetings involving more than 10 attendees. Staff showing any symptoms are encouraged to seek medical advice.

McDonald's:

All crew members wear masks and use anti-microbial handwash on their hands every hour. Every half an hour, staff must thoroughly clean and disinfect their hands with McDonald's Hand Sanitiser. All cleaning cloths must be completely soaked in antiseptic detergent before usage, and this antiseptic detergent must be changed every two hours. Restaurants must disinfect food trays at least four times a day with antiseptic detergent. McDonald's has installed dispensers with hand cleansing gel in the lobby of its 212 outlets for customers.

V-mix Karaoke:

Disposable water proof microphone covers are replaced after use. Each room's ventilation fan coil will be cleaned after each session. Staff must take their temperatures before coming to work.

ARTS AND RECREATION VENUES

Cultural Centres, City Halls and the Coliseum:

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has ordered each performing arts venue to sterilise all screening halls and public areas with diluted household bleach every two hours. The public areas include lift cars, box office counters, main entrances and atriums. Microphone systems are disinfected with alcohol before they are used. Ventilation systems are operating for extended hours to enhance air circulation. All venues must ensure that toilet flushing systems work properly. Soap and paper towels are always available.

All audiences and visitors are strongly advised to wear face masks upon entering the venues. Free surgical and paper masks are available for visitors. Staff members are assigned to monitor the audience during performances - anybody coughing will be given a face mask. Circulars on prevention of respiratory diseases are posted in frequently visited areas.

Libraries:

Most places and facilities are cleaned at least four times a day. Entrances, check-in and check-out counters, door handles, combination code numbers and the children's library in all premises are cleaned four times a day. Computers, audio-equipment, newspaper stands, automatic book lending machines, lift lobbies, corridors and other public amenities are also cleaned at the same frequency.

Museums:

Public areas including washrooms, handles, escalators, taps, public phones, cloak rooms, photocopying machines, microwave buttons, box offices, lift cars are sanitised with diluted bleach water once every two hours.

Each staff member's walkie-talkie should be labelled with names. If walkie-talkies have to be shared, they will be sterilised with alcohol.

A bucket of diluted Dettol is placed in the box office because the staff cannot visit the washrooms too often. The Dettol is replaced every four hours.

Audiences with Sars symptoms will be given masks. If they cough or sneeze during the show, ushers will ask if they need any assistance.

First aid rooms are sanitised with strong bleach (1:49) after each visit by patients. All exhibits are cleaned with water once in the morning and twice in the afternoon.

Cinemas:

Broadway Cinema Circuit (Broadway Cinematheque, Broadway Mongkok, Broadway Kingswood Ginza, Broadway Kwai Chung, Broadway Kowloon Bay, Broadway Olympic City, Broadway Tsuen Wan, Broadway Winsor, Broadway Yuen Long)

Cinema halls and toilets are cleaned with diluted bleach after each screening. Highly frequented areas like lobbies and washrooms are washed with diluted bleach at least once an hour. Filters of ventilation systems are replaced once every two weeks.

Masks and 70 per cent alcoholic prepads are given out to audiences.

Golden Harvest (Grand Ocean, GH Hollywood Multiplex, GH Mongkok Multiplex, GH Tsing Yi Multiplex, Golden Gateway Multiplex, New York Cinema):

Theatres are sterilised with diluted bleach after each screening. All staff wear masks. Ushers are advised to wash their hands after each screening. Free masks are available upon request.

Imperial Cinema:

Halls, doors, seats and handles are cleaned with detergent once to twice a day. All staff are required to wear masks.

Multiplex Cinema (JP, Silvercord, Kornhill, Cinema Metro):

All the air-conditioning systems and public areas are cleaned with diluted bleach. All staff wear masks. Free masks are given out to patrons. Each theatre house is sprayed with sterilisers once a week.

Hong Kong Fringe Club:

Apart from regular cleaning procedures, the club sterilises its hall and facilities with diluted bleach before and after each performance.

Ushers and staff at the food and beverage section are required to wear surgical masks. Audiences are advised to wear masks which can be taken at the entrance.

Ocean Park:

The Park and office are thoroughly cleaned and sterilised at least once a day. Several key high-traffic visitor spots have been targeted for frequent and intensive cleaning, including the park's main entrance, Whiskers Theatre, Middle Kingdom's entrance, cable car compartments, stations and handrails. Those with respiratory tract infections are advised to wear masks which are available at the Park's first aid centres.