title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: She also emphasised that the relaxation of social distancing measures is staged and conditional; if the next wave of epidemic occurs, the government will adopt a more targeted model to tighten social distancing measures, so as to reduce the risk of virus transmission while maintaining a certain level of society. Normal activities.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In addition, Sophia Chan said that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has sent additional staff to inspect food premises to ensure that operators and practitioners comply with the requirements under the relevant regulations. The department will also strengthen law enforcement with other departments and take actions against illegal food premises.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The FEHD inspected 3,493 food and beverage premises from 11 to 13 this month, and prosecuted 53 persons in charge of the premises, mainly involving irregular distance between tables, more than half of the number of customers on the premises, and customers not wearing them during non-dining periods Masks.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Health officials had reported 8 confirmed cases on the new coronavirus cases on the eve of the National holidays, just before midnight and recorded 10 cases on 1 October. The city's tourism board issued a dire prediction for "golden week", warning of very low visitor numbers over the peak holiday period that started on 1 October.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 18 November, the Return2hk scheme - Travel Scheme for Hong Kong Residents returning from Guangdong Province or Macao without being subject to quarantine under the Compulsory Quarantine was opened for application.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 20 November, Secretary for Food & Health Sophia Chan today said the Government has prioritised three groups (those with symptoms, elderly care home staff and taxi drivers) to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 21 November 2020, an "air travel bubble" between Hong Kong and Singapore was postponed less than 24 hours before its planned launch due to a new spike of infections in Hong Kong. On that day the city reported 43 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily spike in over three months.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 24 November, as 80 new cases were reported, bars and nightclubs were to ordered to close from midnight 26 November for at least seven days; the majority of recent cases had been linked to dance clubs. A four-person limit per table at restaurants, which were also required to seat only a maximum of half of their capacity, was reimposed. On 29 November 115 new cases were recorded, the first three-digit rise since August, and which was actually the highest number of new cases recorded in the fourth wave of the pandemic.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Measures agreed to at the end of November came in force on 2 December: along with other measures, face-to-face classes were suspended until at least the new year, and restaurants were ordered to introduce a two-person limit per table and to close at 10:00 p.m. Regarding the establishment of a hotline for the public to report breaches on social distancing regulation, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she hoped that people would not "overreact" with fears of surveillance, describing the measure as "jointly shouldering responsibility".


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung said on 6 December that the fourth wave had been expected in view of imperfect border controls, deficient adherence to hygiene regulations by restaurants and bars, and an only lukewarm adoption of tracing apps by the public.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: A further tightening of restrictions saw, among other measures, restaurants to close by 6:00 p.m. starting from 10 December, and a mandate for authorities to order partial lockdowns in locations with multiple cases of COVID-19 until all residents were tested. Test bottles for testing coronavirus were also given out via vending machines at selected MTR stations and post offices.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The Centre for Health Protection announced, on 23 December, that a new genetic variant of COVID-19 was detected in two students who returned to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom. This prompted the government to implement a 21-day quarantine rule for those coming back from the UK.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 25 December, Hong Kong extended the compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels, for all arrivals having stayed outside China at any time during the past 21 days. This measure, announced by authorities at midnight that day, was taken to prevent the spread of a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that had first been detectected in the United Kingdom and appeared to be more transmissible than the original version of the virus. This made Hong Kong having the longest hotel quarantine in the world.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: As a reaction to a rise of infection numbers in the Yau Ma Tei and Jordan areas, on 23 January the Hong Kong government imposed a lockdown on Jordan for 48hours, affecting 10,000residents, who were required to undergo coronavirus testing. The government deployed roughly 3,000personnel from police and other departments. During the previous day, residents were seen leaving the area after news of the impending lockdown had leaked; the government officially confirmed the lockdown at 4a.m. on 23 January. Among 7,000 residents tested, 13 were found to have been infected. A second lockdown, which was unannounced, was imposed on a residential block in Yau Ma Tei on 26 January; the following day it was announced that it had yielded one positive case in 330tests. A 12-hour lockdown imposed on a building in North Point on 29 January did not yield any new positive cases in around 475tests, but was defended by Chief Executive Lam as having been "necessary". An overnight lockdown from 7:00p.m. on 31 January at a housing estate in Lam Tin saw more than 400 residents being tested, with no positive cases found. Residents who had been tested since 29 January had been exempted from the test but required to stay at home until the overall tests had been completed.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government announced that the Sinovac vaccine would be exempted from having to publish their third phase clinical trial data in medical journals.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The BioNTech-Fosun Pharma vaccine was authorised for use in Hong Kong on 25 January 2021, and the first batch of doses arrived at the end of February 2021.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Four unannounced lockdowns were imposed in Yuen Long, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon City, and Yau Ma Tei in the evening of 1 February, with no positive cases found. A government statement mentioned an unspecified number of residents who had not opened the door. Health authorities said they may break into flats in future lockdowns if necessary. The evening of 2 February saw three further unannounced lockdowns, in Jordan, Sham Shui Po, and Tin Shui Wai; of about 2,170 tests, one in Jordan was positive. On the night of 3 to 4 February, three lockdowns in Chai Wan, Tuen Mun and To Kwa Wan yielded one preliminary positive case, in Tuen Mun, among around 2,548 residents tested.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: By 10 February there had been 25 lockdowns imposed, with four of them yielding positive cases. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that "barring unforeseen circumstances", no lockdowns would take place over the Lunar New Year holiday period starting from 12 February.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 11 February the government announced that gyms, beauty parlors, theme parks and cinemas would be allowed to reopen on 18 February, and eateries would be allowed to extend their dine-in service to 10:00 pm, with diners having to use the "LeaveHomeSafe" government app to check in. Health Secretary Sophia Chan said that these measures were contingent on there being no sudden uptick in infections over Lunar New Year.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 16 February, a panel unanimously recommended the Sinovac vaccines and denied that the decision was rushed.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 18 February, formal approval of China's CoronaVac was announced, allowing it to be used in the rollout of the city's mass vaccination scheme – for all residents.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 26 February, Hong Kong began mass vaccination programme with COVID-19 jabs developed on the Chinese mainland. Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan said that the government will be monitoring any adverse health effects in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was introduced for public use on 10 March. The government said on 11 March that it would distribute pamphlets to assist members of the public to decide whether they wanted to receive the vaccine. Four patients had died within days of receiving the Sinovac vaccine, at least two of which were known to have had chronic illnesses.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 12 March 50 people linked to the Ursus Fitness gym in Sai Ying Pun tested positive or preliminary positive. Also on 12 March, Hong Kong recorded 60 COVID-19 cases. As a result, the government made mask-wearing compulsory in all gyms, while fitness centre staff must get a coronavirus test every 14 days. That same day, an overnight lockdown was enforced on Robinson Road. 1,855 people were tested and no positive cases were reported.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 15 March, the vaccine rollout was expanded to those between 30 and 59 years old, domestic helpers, and students over 16 who are studying overseas. The move will make the vaccine available to 5.5 million people, or 80% of those over 16. By 18 March, around 276,600 people had received a COVID-19 vaccine.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 24 March, the BioNTech vaccine rollout was suspended indefinitely due to packaging defect found in the first batch of doses.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The Hong Kong Government announced on 1 April that arrangements were made for designated flights from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong, in view of the decline of confirmed cases there, and a new quarantine arrangements for arrivals from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: A new batch of 300,000 BioNTech doses arrived in Hong Kong on 2 April and the Hong Kong Government will relaunch the programme on 5 April.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 2 April, beaches and swimming pools reopened after four months, but the number of swimmers was capped at 30% of the pool's capacity.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 16 April, the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province announced that from 23 April, cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers who have received two vaccine doses for 14 days and received a message in the Yuekang Code system issued by Guangdong Province are not required to undergo a nucleic acid test once every day.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 17 April, more than 80 residents of Parkes Building in the Jordan area were quarantined after a 29-year-old Indian man there, was tested positive for a highly transmissible N501Y mutant strain, marking the first local case of the mutated variant.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The Hong Kong government, on 19 April, banned flights from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines for 14 days starting 20 April, these three countries having been classified by the government as "extremely high risk" for the N501Y mutant. Polytechnic University's findings showed the 10 cases with the variant – officially known as B.1.617 – were all imported from India, with most arriving in Hong Kong early this month.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Hong Kong's first local case of mutated strain, the South African variant (B.1.351 lineage), was confirmed on 22 April. The transmission was likely to have taken place at a quarantine hotel via door hooks used by staff to deliver meal boxes to guests.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 26 April, Hong Kong and Singapore announced that the long delayed travel bubble between the two cities will begin on 26 May. All travelling passengers departing from Hong Kong are required to be vaccinated. The Government also announced that starting 29 April, the Return2hk Scheme was extended from Guangdong and Macau to other Mainland provinces and municipalities.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 29 April. Hong Kong reported its first untraceable mutated COVID-19 case. A domestic helper from the Philippines caught the mutated strain of the coronavirus, N501Y, via an unknown local source. The government declared mandatory testing and vaccination for foreign domestic helpers, principally from the Philippines and Indonesia, after cases were discovered, but reversed the decision in May following criiticisms from labour organisations of discrimination.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The travel bubble, which was initially slated to begin in November last year was called off after a rise in cases in Hong Kong. It was called off again in 17 May this year, after a spike in cases in Singapore.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 21 May, Cathay Pacific announced that vaccination will be an essential requirement of the job for any Hong Kong-based aircrew. Currently, the airline has 2,000 fully vaccinated cabin crew and 3,500 have started the vaccination process.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Employees at the Peninsula Hotel will be entitled to a HK$2,000 cash bonus and two days of paid leave if they get vaccination by the end of August.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Professor Lau Yu-lung, who chairs the government's scientific committee on vaccine preventable diseases, suggests that schools in Hong Kong should be allowed to run full-day sessions and even relax mask-wearing requirements if enough of their pupils are vaccinated, as the government officials are studying extending the COVID-19 vaccination scheme to those aged 12 to 15.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 5 June, Hong Kong reported its first local untraceable case after 42 days streak of zero local, untraceable COVID-19 infectionsa 17-year-old female teenager, who had contracted the Alpha variant of the virus. As there were no genetic similarities to other recent cases in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the case raised concerns that the source of the infection may have been undetected imported cases, possibly resulting in a fifth wave of the pandemic.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: on 23 June, a 27-year-old airport worker tested preliminary positive for the L452R strain, the Delta variant of the virus. Officials first classified his case as locally transmitted, but changed this after they found it to be genetically related to an imported case.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 28 June, the government announced that it would close its borders to all passengers flights from the UK with effect from 1 July, due to the spread of the Delta variant there.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 11 July 2021, a 50-year-old baggage handler was diagnosed with a mutant virus strain, ending Hong Kong's 33-day period with no locally transmitted coronavirus cases.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 2 August 2021, Carrie Lam announced compulsory vaccination for some workers with the warning that refusing the application of the vaccine would require them to pay for regular testing to keep working. As of August 2021, only 36% of the city's population had been fully vaccinated.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 19 August 2021, Hong Kong and the Singapore government decided not to further pursue a bilateral air travel bubble due to the differences in the anti-epidemic strategies currently adopted by the two places.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The first case of the Omicron variant, a traveller in hotel quarantine, was found on 15 November. Five days later, a second case was found in the room opposite. A public health investigation found that the first case had likely infected the second case, and that the use of valve-style masks, which do not filter exhaled air, by the first case was likely responsible. On 25 November, the Centre for Health Protection announced that the use of a valve-style masks would be prohibited in quarantine hotels from the following day. It also "strongly advised" the public to refrain from using them.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The first Omicron cluster was confirmed in Hong Kong, bringing an end to its long streak of zero locally transmitted cases.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: From 5 January 2022, to prevent the spread of Omicron variant, Hong Kong has been placed under tightened alert until 30 January 2022 or until the day it became 70% fully inoculated. Dine-in services are banned in Hong Kong from 6 pm to 5 am the next day, diners are capped to two at all outlets. All social gatherings have been capped at two. The same day, the city announced a ban on all incoming flights from eight countries, which included the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Canada, India, Philippines and Pakistan. Carrie Lam announced that the ban would be in place from 8 to 21 January. Also, when Hong Kong reach 80% fully inoculated, cases might go up again.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: A political scandal termed "partygate" occurred in early 2022. On 6 January, Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui was sent to compulsory quarantine in Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre after he disclosed his attendance at a birthday gathering for Witman Hung, an IT professional and the Hong Kong representative to the National People's Congress, on 3 January. Another attendant had tested preliminary positive for the coronavirus. On 7 January, a second guest tested preliminary positive, with the first being confirmed. The emergence of the second possible case prompted Centre for Health Protection chief Chuang Shuk-kwan to order over 200 attendees including ICAC chief Simon Peh, Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu, Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang, and Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui, to enter quarantine for 21 days in Penny's Bay. The officials would be considered unfit for work during the entire period, and were required to use their personal leave allowances. All 13 officials who had been attending the gathering would be investigated. A number of officials including Peh, Siu, Au, and Hui issued apologies over their conduct, as did Hung. Around midnight on 8 January, most of the guests were released from quarantine and eleven officials were ordered to see out the remaining quarantine period at home after the second possible case was determined to be a false positive. Another guest tested preliminary positive. On 10 January, local newspapers reported that the central government in Beijing had stepped up pressure on Chief Executive Lam to punish the involved officials. At least five lawmakers attended a parliamentary session on 19 January, three days before their quarantine was to end; two of them claimed to have obtained medical advice prior to attending the session. Tsui resigned from his post on 31 January.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 18 January, authorities announced that traces of the virus were detected on 11 hamsters out of 178 hamsters, rabbits and chinchillas tested at the Little Boss pet shop and associated warehouse in Causeway Bay while investigating the city's first untraceable Delta variant diagnosis in more than three months, in a 23-year-old store employee. On 8 February 2022, it was reported that pet hamsters can spread COVID-19 to humans and are the likely source of a recent Delta variant outbreak in Hong Kong. The findings back up suspicions that a pet shop was the source for a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the city, which infected at least 50 people and led to the culling of over 2,200 hamsters.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 20 January, authorities announced a three-day lock down at Yat Kwai House of Kwai Chung Estate after 16 people there tested positive of COVID-19 in a "superspreading" event. The outbreak was suspected to be related to the quarantine hotel cluster, where a woman was suspected to be infected at a quarantine hotel. She went home after testing negative. On the night of 21 January, as at least 20 confirmed and preliminary cases had been discovered, the lockdown was extended until 26 January. The previous day, an inspection team including epidemiologist Yuen Kwok-yung had found no responsible structural faults in the building. The same day, genome sequencing analysis revealed the strain to be the same as in the quarantine hotel cluster.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 23 January, authorities confirmed 140 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, the most in a single day in 18 months.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On recording a growing number of cases the city enforced restrictions on public places such as bars, gyms and beauty salons by adopting the "zero Covid" policy of mainland China.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: During February, the fifth wave of the pandemic with its rapidly increasing case numbers forced the city government to give up its previous protocols for testing, quarantine, treatment and discharge from hospitals.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Official urgings to stay at home during the Chinese New Year holiday period from 1 to 3 February went largely unheeded. On 8 February, amid a surge in Omicron cases, authorities further tightened social distancing rules by limiting gatherings to two people, and closed more venues. A two-day meeting of Hong Kong and mainland officials took place in Shenzhen on 11 and 12 February. China pledged to provide testing, treatment and quarantine capacity, as well as providing fresh produce; a shortage of produce had previously resulted from truck drivers not having been able to bring it in after testing positive.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 15 February, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping stressed to the Hong Kong government that it had to take the "main responsibility" in containing the coronavirus pandemic and placing top priority on stability and people's lives.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 26 February, Hong Kong health authorities announced COVID testing methods to allow certain people to test from home, alleviating long lines at designated testing facilities as the city's outbreak has become more difficult to control.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Chief Executive Lam said on 13 March that the government was still "catching up" in supporting those in isolation or quarantine. She gave the number of those isolating at home as 300,000.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In the month of March, at least 75 health professionals from the mainland arrived in Hong Kong to aid its battle against the surging number of cases. Hundreds of caregivers have also arrived to work in related capacities, with a total of a thousand or so planned.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government made a press release, stating that the #1 most important in its COVID policy is "Not to "lie flat" and to continue to contain the number of confirmed cases, better manage risks and enhance our capability to respond to contingencies in order to prevent the healthcare system from overloading."


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 8 September 2022, the United States Consulate General for Hong Kong and Macau issued a warning, stating that transit passengers flying through Hong Kong International Airport were subject to temperature screening and quarantine in Hong Kong. A day later, the Hong Kong government announced that it would no longer temperature screen outbound and transit passengers for those not going to mainland China.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government announced that it would remove rules to curb tourist visits to the island. The government was also going to stop the usage of the Covid Application LeaveHomeSafe, and instead travelers would only need to show their vaccination records


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: During the initial outbreak in early 2020, the availability of a significant number of products including toilet paper, face masks and disinfectant products (such as alcohol and bleach) came under pressure across the city. An ongoing period of panic buying also caused many stores to be cleared of non-medical products such as bottled water, vegetables, and rice. On 4 March 2022, during the fifth wave, the ParknShop supermarket chain and Watsons pharmacy chain rationed certain food and medicine items, respectively, to curb panic buying which had persisted in spite of recent urging by Chief Executive Lam to residents to refrain from doing so.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On the professional level, the Hospital Authority reported at the end of January that stock of surgical masks for public hospitals had fallen below three-months' supply, but said it hoped to secure replenishment lasting until June. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she had written to the State Council hoping to obtain supplies from mainland China. The Government of Hong Kong had its imports of face masks cancelled as global face mask stockpiles declined. As 80 per cent of surgical masks sold in Hong Kong were mainland-sourced, the considerable internal demand for masks rendered Hong Kong a lower priority.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: At the retail level, masks and hand sanitiser were in short supply by the end of January. Desperate citizens took to chasing supplies across town, rushing to any store where they may be available, and many pharmacies had long queues forming outside; some would queue overnight despite advice from stores. Unsuccessful customers took out their frustrations on store staff, and disputes were widely reported; police were called on one occasion by pharmacy staff in Tin Shui Wai. Most stores had limited supplies, and customers would often face rationing. In addition to toilet paper, flour became oversold as citizens took up home baking.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Amidst shortages due to hoarding, the Mong Kok branch of Wellcome supermarket was robbed by armed gangs who made off with 50 packets (600 rolls) of toilet paper. A gang of three pled guilty and was sentenced to over three years in jail each.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In early February, after CSI masks appeared in the local marketplace, the government was called to account for the supplies of masks manufactured by inmates in local prisons under the aegis of the Correctional Services Industries. In 2019, masks were produced at a rate of 4 million in each quarter by the Correctional Services Department, and were distributed among various government departments. Media reported that the stocks within different departments were freely available to staff before the lunar new year. Due to the onset of the epidemic, they suddenly became a precious commodity in Hong Kong, and the abuse was highlighted.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: of PPE, the government announced support for local private mask production by subsidising each production line with grants, help in identifying suitable premises, as well as placing orders to sustain their operations. An increase in mask production by Correctional Services Industries from 1.8 million to 2.5 million units a month is planned.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government announced that its procurement had fallen victim to a scam involving 6 million counterfeit masks bearing the Medicom trademark valued at HK$15 million ($1.9 million).


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Education Bureau closed all kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and special schools starting from the start of the Lunar New Year Holidays (Thursday 23 January) until late May 2020. The disruption raised concerns over the situation of students due to take examinations at the end of the year, especially in light of the protest-related disruption that happened in 2019. The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination was postponed for four weeks from late March to late April, with HKEAA announcing that the oral component of both Chinese Language and English Language would be cancelled. In late May, the Education Bureau allowed half of the school to be in each day for full days, until the end of the academic year (2019-2020), but each year group had one day in school, then the next day with online learning.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In the view of the third wave, the Education Bureau suspended schools again from the start of the new academic year in August (2020-2021), until mid-late September. All students were allowed back in school everyday for half days after 29 September.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In the view of the fourth wave, with 115 new cases reported on 29 November 2020, schools were declared immediate suspension again starting from Wednesday 2 December, until after the Lunar New Year holidays in 2021, but allowing at most one sixth of the school to have half-day face-to-face lessons after Christmas. After the Lunar New Year Holidays, the Education Bureau opened up to one third of the school back on the campuses. On 15 March 2021, the Education Bureau allowed all students back everyday for half days until the Easter Holiday, with teachers having mandatory testing every fortnight. However, the Centre for Health Protection had to immediately close down a few ESF schools for three days, from Wednesday 17 March to Friday 19 March, giving students short notice on Tuesday night. This is because of the outbreak of the URSUS Fitness cluster, and a close contact with a positive case of two teaching staff in one of the ESF schools. CHP declared all staff to be tested on Monday 22 March. Students returned to school everyday for half-day on 22 March.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On the week beginning Monday 24 May, the EDB allowed all students to be back everyday, for full-day school learning.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Schools were open until late January 2022, when the government announced that schools should halt in-person classes once again starting from Monday 24 January, due to a surge of untraceable cases, which were amid a growing fifth wave of the pandemic, and a huge spread of the omicron variant. Also on 24 January, a 13-year-old (Year 8) student in King George V School, tested positive for the omicron variant. On 22 February, for the best to contain the uncontrollable spread of the omicron variant, the government announced summer holidays to be pushed forward from early March, throughout the Easter break until 18 April. With this special arrangement, the 2021–2022 academic year will only finish on 12 August, and 2022–2023 academic year will begin straight afterwards. Many international and Private schools in Hong Kong were allowed to continue their academic school year normally.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Since 2020, many students in secondary schools spent almost half of their high school career due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Those students lamented that during the suspension of classes, the opportunity to meet with classmates and teachers was greatly reduced. In some days they could only attend physical classes for half a day, and the time they spent with their classmates was also reduced. Some students said that their parents were doing business in the Mainland China, and they were preparing for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination in the school year. The epidemic has separated them from two places. They can only gossip through the screen every weekend. They didn't have close relatives or teachers to accompany and supervise them. During the Chinese New Year, the epidemic still isolates them from their relatives. As a result, those students felt very lonely, and faced the HKDSE alone.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 5 February 2020, flag carrier Cathay Pacific requested its 27,000 employees to voluntarily take three weeks of unpaid leave by the end of June. The airline had previously reduced flights to mainland China by 90% and overall flights by 30%.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The lower perceived risk of catching COVID-19 when it was under control, misinformation about the vaccines' side effects and efficacy, as well as political events and distrust of the HKSAR government, have contributed to a significant vaccine hesitancy in Hong Kong. Similar complacency has occurred in Taiwan, Macau, and mainland China. Many Hongkongers felt that the government is actively pushing the SinoVac vaccine despite its lower efficacy compared to BioNTech and AstraZeneca. Some older residents believe the BioNTech vaccine leads to severe side effects. Officials have also said that people with "uncontrolled severe chronic diseases" should not receive SinoVac and urged those who weren't sure to consult their doctors first. Conspiracy theories about the government have spread as well due to a packaging issue experienced with the BioNTech vaccine. Skepticism of Western and preventive medicine further contributed to the hesitancy.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Towards the end of May 2021, the government announced that about 19% of Hongkongers had received their first dose and 13.8% their second. Health officials warned of the risk of expiry of its vaccine stock if the uptake did not rise dramatically. By 1 January 2022, 62% of the population was fully vaccinated, but as of 7 February, only 33% of those aged 80 or older had received one dose. In the latter group, almost 3% who got two SinoVac shots died following infection, compared with 1.5% of those who received two BioNTech doses. For either vaccine, getting just one dose offered even less protection, while 15% of those aged 80 or older who weren't immunised at all died after contracting the disease.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Hotel groups were reportedly granting generous bonuses to staff for getting vaccinated. While the government had been blocking the refugee population from receiving vaccines and rejected the suggestion of any cash or in-kind incentives for vaccination in late May, the government announced within days that any civil servant who got vaccinated would get two additional days' paid leave, and urged the private sector to offer similar inducements. At the behest of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, HSBC led the way by declaring it would grant 2-day's paid leave; other businesses followed suit with inducements. A charitable foundation linked to local developers, Sino Group and Chinese Estates Holdings, offered a brand-new apartment in Kwun Tong valued at $1.4 million in a prize draw for Hong Kong residents who have received two vaccine doses. The incentives by private companies, encouraged by the government, led to a surge in bookings for vaccinations in June.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: During the early days of the pandemic in 2020, there were some protests against the government's policy dealing with the outbreak, as an extension to 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests. Yet protests have died down amid the start of local transmission of the virus, and the government legislation and strict enactment of outdoor gathering limit for extended period of time.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government actions with regards to the epidemic in Hong Kong were inevitably compared with the "calm, organised handling" in neighbouring Macau, notwithstanding the relative sizes of the population. From the outset, Macau demonstrated a faster and better coordinated response, introduced firm measures to limit the flow of people from mainland China, and implemented comprehensive collection and effective usage of big data. In particular, in contrast to long queues of desperate citizens chasing masks often at inflated prices in Hong Kong, Macau was lauded for providing their citizens with a measure of peace of mind by taking control of mask distribution, ensuring affordable masks were available for each Macau resident at the start of the epidemic.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Immediately upon the detection of its first cross-border case, Macau closed its border with neighbouring Zhuhai. Macau's entry bans on Hubei residents, and those who had visited the province 14 days before their arrival in Macau, was similar to Hong Kong's ban on the surface, but the Macau authorities' demanding official medical certification of infection-free status brought down visitor numbers more sharply because such certificates are hard to obtain.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The media reported that Macau police searched 86 hotels and deported about 150 visitors from Hubei and put 4 into voluntary quarantine, whereas immigration officers in Hong Kong checked 110 hotels, and only took down details of the 15 travellers identified as being from Hubei because none showed symptoms of Covid.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: While Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng announced the measure, his Hong Kong counterpart was attending the World Economic Forum summit in Davos.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The Hong Kong Government refused to close all the borders with the mainland to reduce the risk of the virus entering Hong Kong, opting instead for progressive partial closures in response to increasing public pressure. There were calls for tightening up controls and checks for visitors, especially those coming from Wuhan, the point of origin of the epidemic. Medical experts had demanded mandatory health declarations at all borders and ports but they were initially rejected. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam rejected proposals to close borders as "inappropriate and impractical", but said that mandatory declarations would be implemented.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 28 January, Lam announced that the high-speed rail link with mainland China, and all cross-border ferry services, would be suspended starting two days later. Additionally, the number of flights from mainland China and cross-border bus services were reduced. Hong Kong government employees (except those providing essential/emergency services) were asked to work from home. Later on that day, the government closed two border checkpoints. Government clarification that treatment for Coronavirus patients would be free for allcomers further inflamed Hong Kong residents as the policy ignited fears of infected mainland Chinese deliberately travelling to Hong Kong to seek medical care, thus risk spreading the disease as well as further overwhelming medical facilities. Following public uproar, the government re-imposed fees for non-Hong Kong residents.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: As the major border checkpoints such as Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Huanggang remained open, public sector health workers, as represented by Hospital Authority Employees' Alliance – a newly formed union – decried the government measures as "too little, too late". Over 400 public hospital doctors and nurses also wrote to the government, demanding border closure and also threatening strike action. The union warned the government its members may go on strike in early February if the government failed to implement tighter controls on immigration.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Facing continued pressure from strikers and from all parties across the political divide, Lam announced a raft of measures including six further border closures on 30 January. Lam explained her government's insistence on keeping major border crossings open conformed with the WHO's position that draconian travel and trade restrictions were unnecessary, and it was opposed to any "discriminatory move" to close borders with China or restrict access to Chinese travellers. On 3 February, the government closed all but four border crossings – the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, Shenzhen Bay Port, the international airport, and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal – and introduced further quarantine measures, but still refused closing the border with China. After a union vote, a public hospital strikes ensued. The strike involved 6,000 medical workers, lasted five days – from 3 to 7 February – culminating in an occupation of two floors in the Hospital Authority complex in Kowloon City. According to the authority, the industrial action had led to "severe disruption" to operations, particularly at accident and emergency, neonatal intensive care, cancer and cardiac units. A second strike call was not successful. Pundits noted that after the turmoil caused by her bungled handling of the extradition bill enactment, Carrie Lam lacked the political capital to make the demand for full border closure – something the Chinese government was not inclined to accede to.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Neglected categories of arrivals in Hong Kong were said by experts to be responsible for imported COVID-19 infections between 8 and 21 July in 2020 – 34 cases (30 per cent) were sea or aircrew members, and 28 (25 percent) were domestic helpers. In late June, the loophole was highlighted after nine ship workers who arrived with their vessel in Ningbo tested positive. The ship had made a three-day port call in Hong Kong on its way to Ningbo. Official figures show that more than 11,700 sea crew members have been exempted from quarantine since February, while Hong Kong still allows unrestricted sea crew change for vessels since 8 June. Prior to 8 July, sea and aircrew members were exempt from testing and quarantine. Since then, the authorities require sea and aircrew members to produce negative COVID-19 test results before coming to the city. However, a community outbreak was already under way. On 26 July, as the number of daily confirmed cases reached 128 – the second highest level since the start of the pandemic and the fifth consecutive day when cases numbered in excess of 100 and a death toll of 18 – the government announced that ships without any cargo trade sailing via Hong Kong would no longer be allowed to change their crew in the city from 29 July. Disembarking crew members would have to remain on the ship and wait to be transported to the airport to avoid community infections. Medical experts said that the government measures were "too little, too late", and further questioned why the measures were only applicable three days afterwards.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: According to experts, the acceleration of the community outbreak is due to the government's slow reactions and complacency of the public. Many Hongkongers believe the increase in cases is due to people who have entered the city from abroad without having been subjected to quarantine, and have appealed to the government to end the exemptions. The government defended the loopholes for certain workers, such as cross-boundary truck drivers, sea and aircrew, as "essential to maintain the necessary operation of society and the economy". As the daily number of cases has hit three figures, government adviser Professor David Hui urged the government to suspend allowing the sea port for crew change; Dr Ho Pak-leung, microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, said quarantine exemptions for sea crew members could be likened to a "doorless chicken coop".


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The government embarked on a programme of mass testing, citing the need to limit the number of asymptomatic transmissions. Questions were raised about the absence of tendering procedures, and the contractors' credentials which critics deemed suspect. Carrie Lam said that there were only three companies that were capable of carrying out mass testing on the scale required; they were given exemptions under Hong Kong law by virtue of their being qualified in China. Arisina Ma, president of the Public Doctors' Association, decried the lack of transparency in inviting Chinese specialists and appointing Chinese companies to provide testing, saying that even senior health department officials were unable to give clear terms of reference of the interventions. Many local health experts questioned why the government chose a strategy of wasteful universal testing, instead of focusing testing on more people who are deemed to be in higher risk groups; others questioned why local laboratories were not solicited although they have spare capacity. Carrie Lam said that the Chinese government would absorb part of the cost.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Citizens were concerned about the privacy implications if the tests involved the subject's DNA. Since the first week of August, prior to the arrival of the mainland testing team, the city has been rife with rumours that the team was being sent to obtain DNA from residents through the tests and used for surveillance purposes. There is considerable public mistrust in the Hong Kong government which continues to fuel conspiracy theories. China's building of a DNA database and its use and biometric surveillance were of great concern to human rights activists, as was the fact that one of the contractors is on a US government blacklist for taking DNA for surveillance purposes. The government attempted to reassure the public that testing would be optional, and that tests carried out "would meet all legal requirements and that no samples would be sent back to the mainland".


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: According to some press reports, the main business of China Inspection Company (), one of three contractors, was vehicle and electronic inspections, and had no track record whatsoever in medical testing. The board of its local subsidiary consisted of three people, none of whom was a qualified laboratory clinician and was thus not compliant with Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance (Cap 359). A second contractor, BGI Group (), one of the biggest companies conducting coronavirus testing in China, had a subsidiary blacklisted by the US government on allegations of taking DNA from Uyghurs in Xinjiang for surveillance purposes.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The health code scheme is a proposed pandemic preventive measure, featuring a mobile application that allows its users to prove their health statuses by showing a QR code. It was first suggested by Dr. Pak-Leung Ho in May 2020 and was later endorsed by the government on multiple occasions. The users of the health code scheme will be able to travel between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau without going through the quarantine procedure, as they can simply present their health code which contains their nucleic acid test result. Moreover, there are suggestions from the pro-establishment camp that all Hong Kong citizens should be required to install a health code app to enter public areas such as restaurants.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Despite the support from multiple pro-establishment parties, the health code scheme has been criticised by the medical and catering industry for being unscientific and has been criticised by human rights organizations for being virtually a social credit system.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Nicole Kidman's arrival in the city for filming of the Amazon Prime series "Expats," based on the book The Expatriates by Hong Kong-born Korean writer Janice Y. K. Lee was the subject of controversy. Her exemption from the city's mandatory 7-day in-hotel quarantine regime was criticised as she arrived by private jet on 12 August 2021, and was spotted shopping with bodyguards. According to a statement from the Hong Kong authorities, "The case in discussion has been granted permission to travel to Hong Kong with a quarantine exemption for the purpose of performing designated professional work, taking into account that it is conducive to maintaining the necessary operation and development of Hong Kong's economy". Shareholder activist David Webb ironically tweeted "My Mum is changing her name to 'Nicole Kidman' and I've just sent my Gulfstream G650 to pick her up. One SAR, two systems."


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: The row continued within the city's legislature, with pro-establishment lawmakers Michael Tien and Priscilla Leung challenging the government narrative. Tien cited the lack of exemptions even for the Olympic team from a 7-day quarantine, saying that the government had created a precedent; Leung said that the exemption was "not just an issue of political sensitivity, it's a matter of health, safety and unfairness". Elizabeth Quat, who also expressed concern, said that she had "received quite a number of complaints" from citizens. Responding to the controversy, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau denied that the exemption violated existing policies. He said Kidman and four of her film crew's exemption was permitted under current COVID-19 laws "based on individual circumstances and needs", and that the crew would have to be fully vaccinated and comply with quarantine exemption requirements identical to those made available to bankers.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Jamie Dimon was also allowed to skip 21-day quarantine, with Carrie Lam stating the reason as him running a "very huge bank".


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: People entering Hong Kong from Mainland China or Macau, using either the Come2HK or Return2HK programs, are not required to undergo quarantine of any type. For those coming from Mainland China or Macau without the Come2HK or Return2HK schemes, home quarantine is allowed, and no restrictions (such as the amber health code) are required.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Guests to the November 2022 Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit will be exempted from the "amber code" and will also be allowed to leave on private jets and yachts if testing positive for COVID-19 when leaving Hong Kong.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Overseas guests to the Hong Kong FinTech Week, running from 31 October to 4 November 2022, will also be granted exemptions to eat at restaurants during their "0+3" period, when normal residents are issued an "amber code" and not allowed to eat at restaurants.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In July 2021, two children of a consulate employee at the Saudi Arabia Consulate in Hong Kong were exempted from hotel quarantine and were supposed to isolate at home; they were later determined to be COVID-19 positive and had left their home to visit shopping centers before they were allowed to.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Some people from mainland China were allowed to quarantine at home rather than at hotels; numerous people were caught leaving their homes before being allowed to.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: On 1 November 2022, Chief Executive John Lee said that Financial Secretary Paul Chan would have to take a PCR test upon arrival in Hong Kong, and will have to isolate if he tests positive; Lee stressed that Chan would not be allowed any exemptions. On 2 November 2022, "SCMP" reported that Chan tested positive with his PCR test, but did not have to isolate, contradicting Lee's earlier remarks.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Approximately 20 guests to the November 2022 Legal Week will be exempt from the "0+3" rules so that they can attend lunches and dinners.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: In November 2022, the government announced that tour groups would also be exempted from certain restrictions.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Since not all cases of infection are reported, actual no. of infection is higher than no. of reported cases.


title: COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

text: Since not all reported cases are hospitalised & no data on active cases is available, no. of recovery cases are only calculated as Reported cases - Death - Hospitalised


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Sugarcane juice is the liquid extracted from pressed sugarcane. It is consumed as a beverage in many places, especially where sugarcane is commercially grown, such as Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North Africa, and Latin America.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Sugarcane juice is obtained by crushing peeled sugar cane in a mill and is one of the main precursors of rum.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In the United States where processed sugarcane syrup is used as a sweetener in food and beverage manufacturing, "evaporated cane juice" is considered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be a misleading term for "sugar" on product labels because the FDA regards "juice" as a liquid derived from fruits or vegetables; the preferred term is "cane sugar".


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Raw sugar cane juice can be a health risk to drinkers due to the unhygienic conditions under which it is prepared in some countries with lower health standards. There are some diseases that can be transmitted by raw sugar-cane, such as Leptospirosis. In Brazil, sugarcane juice has been linked to cases of Chagas disease, as sugarcane can contain traces of its responsible pathogen, "Trypanosoma cruzi", left by infected bugs if not properly cleaned.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Drinking sugarcane juice in Egypt may pose health risks due to contamination with the mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In Burma (Myanmar), sugarcane juice is called "kyan ye" (ကြံရည်) and is available throughout the country. It is typically brewed during the summertime, and optionally blended with lime, jujube, or orange.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In Egypt, sugarcane juice is known as "asab" and is sold in juice shops around the country. The largest juice shop in Egypt is in Saft El Laban, Giza. Egyptians also mix lemon with "asab" and let it ferment to produce a fermented variant of the drink. The most highly prized "asab" comes from Minya, Egypt.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Sugarcane juice is sold by street vendors throughout India. The vendors put the sugarcane in a machine, which presses and extracts the sugarcane juice out. Sugarcane juice is usually served with a dash of lime and/or ginger juice. It is a very popular drink, especially during summer months as a refreshing form of heat relief.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In Indonesia, sugarcane juice drink is called "minuman sari tebu". The iced sugar cane juice is called "es tebu". In Indonesian, "tebu" is sugarcane and "es" is ice. It is one of the traditional beverages commonly sold street-side in Indonesia. The sugarcane plant has been cultivated in Java since ancient times. The earliest record comes from a 9th-century inscription, dated from the Medang Mataram period, that describes a sweet drink called "Nalaka Rasa", which translates as "sugarcane juice".


title: Sugarcane juice

text: The juice is extracted using a pressing machine to squeeze the sugary sap from sugarcane. The machine might be human-powered, or powered by a gasoline engine or electricity. The juice sold there is always served cold with ice cubes. Traditionally, it is sold throughout the country, especially among street vendors that set their stall on the street side. Today, cleaner vendors work in food courts of malls and shopping centers.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Sugarcane juice, known locally as "caldo de cana", is sold by street vendors in Brazil. In a process similar to that of the street vendors of India, machines are used to press the sugarcane and the juice is extracted. It is sometimes served with lemon or pineapple juice.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In the United States, where the FDA regulates the description of ingredients on food labels, the term "sugarcane juice" cannot be used because it misleads consumers to believe that cane juice is similar to fruit or vegetable juices. Instead, the FDA recommends "cane sugar" or another term determined by manufacturers who should "review the final guidance and consider whether their labeling terminology accurately describes the basic nature and characterizing properties of the sweetener used".


title: Sugarcane juice

text: In the eastern region of Madagascar, sugarcane juice is fermented to make an inexpensive alcoholic beverage called "betsa-betsa". The drink is popular with locals because it is cheaper than beer.


title: Sugarcane juice

text: Sugarcane juice, called "nước mía" or "mía đá", is common in Vietnam as a drink. Other fruit juices may be added to balance the sweetness, such as kumquat or chanh muối. It is sold at street stalls in plastic bags filled with ice or in disposable plastic cups.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States, was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24, 1980. The United States won its second gold medal, including a win over the heavily favored Soviet Union that became known as the held at the Olympic Fieldhouse (8,000) and the Olympic Arena (2,500).


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: The IIHF ceased running a championship in Olympic years. Nations that did not participate in the Lake Placid Olympics were invited to compete in the inaugural Thayer Tutt Trophy in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: Going into the games, the teams were ranked and divided into two groups. Teams were ranked based on performance during the 1979 World Ice Hockey Championships. Included were the eight teams in the 1979 top Championship Division (Pool "A") as well as the top four teams in the 1979, second-tier, "B" Pool tournament. While Poland finished 8th place in Pool A, the Netherlands, winners of Pool B, were ranked 8th while Poland was ranked 9th going into the Olympics. The total ranking was: Soviet Union (1), Czechoslovakia (2), Sweden (3), Canada (4), Finland (5), West Germany (6), United States (7), Netherlands (8), Poland (9), Romania (10), Norway (11), Japan (12). East Germany was originally ranked tenth but declined to participate, with Japan filling their spot.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: The Soviet Union had won the gold medal in five of the six previous Winter Olympic Games, and were the favorites to win once more in Lake Placid. The team consisted primarily of professional players with significant experience in international play. By contrast, the United States' team—led by head coach Herb Brooks—consisted exclusively of amateur players, and was the youngest team in the tournament and in U.S. national team history. In the group stage, both the Soviet and U.S. teams were unbeaten; the U.S. achieved several notable results, including a 2–2 draw against Sweden, and a 7–3 upset victory over second-place favorites Czechoslovakia.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: For the first game in the medal round, the United States played the Soviets. Finishing the first period tied at 2–2, and the Soviets leading 3–2 following the second, the U.S. team scored two more goals to take their first lead during the third and final period, winning the game 4–3. Following the game, the U.S. went on to clinch the gold medal by beating Finland in their last game. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: The victory became one of the most iconic moments of the Games and in U.S. sports. Equally well-known was the television call of the final seconds of the game by Al Michaels for ABC, in which he declared: "Do you believe in miracles?! YES!" In 1999, "Sports Illustrated" named the "Miracle on Ice" the top sports moment of the 20th century. As part of its centennial celebration in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named the "Miracle on Ice" as the best international ice hockey story of the past 100 years.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: The top two teams from each group play the top two teams from the other group once. Points from previous games against their own group carry over, excluding teams who failed to make the medal round. First place team wins gold, second silver and third bronze.


title: Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics

text: Team Japan was the oldest team in the tournament, averaging 30 years. Gold medalists team USA was the youngest team in the tournament, averaging 22 years and 5 months. Silver medalists team USSR averaged 26 years and 5 months. Tournament average was 25 years and 5 months.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Emma Barnett (born 5 February 1985) is a British broadcaster and journalist. She has been the main presenter of "Woman's Hour" on BBC Radio 4 since January 2021.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett worked for BBC Radio 5 Live for six years, beginning in 2014, after three years working for LBC. Between 2016 and 2020 she presented 5 Live's mid-morning weekday programme. Before beginning her broadcasting career she worked for "The Daily Telegraph", first as its Digital Media editor and latterly its Women editor, being credited with bringing a more serious edge to the coverage of women's issues in the paper. Between August 2016 and 2020, she was a columnist for "The Sunday Times" and, from June 2017, a co-presenter of BBC One's "Sunday Morning Live". In autumn 2017, she co-presented the live discussion programme "After the News" on ITV and between 2019 and 2022 she was one of the presenters of the BBC's flagship news and current affairs shows "Newsnight".


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett was born on 5 February 1985 in Manchester to Jewish parents, Ian, a commercial property surveyor, and Michele Barnett. She has no siblings. Her grandmother fled Wiener Neustadt, Austria, to escape the Nazis. During Barnett's teenage years, her father ran brothels in the Greater Manchester area. The family home was used for publicity shoots of some of the women and for the recording of sex films. Previously convicted of "living off immoral earnings" and subjected to a suspended sentence, in 2008 Barnett's father was sentenced to immediate imprisonment for keeping brothels and controlling the prostitution of a trafficked woman; Barnett’s mother received a suspended sentence for money laundering related to income from the brothels.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett attended Manchester High School for Girls, an independent school. In 2006, she graduated with a degree in History and Politics from University of Nottingham. She took a postgraduate course in journalism at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Following the postgraduate course at Cardiff, Barnett began her career in journalism at "Media Week" in 2007 and joined "The Daily Telegraph" in 2009, later becoming the paper's first digital media editor, and then, from 2012, the women's editor. Barnett launched "The Telegraph"s digital section, "Wonder Women", in October 2012 with contributors such as Cathy Newman of "Channel 4 News". She also became chair of the UJIA Jewish media network and of the UJIA Skirt Network, a networking group for Jewish women.


title: Emma Barnett

text: A radio presenter for LBC for almost three years until early 2014, Barnett joined BBC Radio 5 Live that summer. From November 2014, she presented the station's "Hit List" programme, a countdown of the 40 highest profile online news stories of the week. After leaving "The Telegraph", Barnett started presenting the morning slot on BBC Radio 5 Live in September 2016, being the first woman to have a solo daily slot since the departure of Shelagh Fogarty and Victoria Derbyshire two years earlier in a new-look schedule.


title: Emma Barnett

text: In April 2014, Barnett was a judge for "Woman's Hour" (on BBC Radio 4) power list, a programme on which she had already been an occasional presenter, the youngest in the programme's history. A decade before Barnett began her role on "Woman's Hour", at 17, she did work experience with its presenter, Jenni Murray. Additionally, she has made documentaries for Radio 4.


title: Emma Barnett

text: In August 2016, Barnett's 'Tough Love' agony column began in "The Sunday Times Magazine". To encourage her readers to write in about difficult issues, she referred to "the most painful chapter of my life" when her father was "imprisoned for living off immoral earnings" "after pleading guilty to keeping brothels with a turnover of more than £2.5m". At her mother's related trial for money laundering, police found emails between Barnett and her father talking about his "whores".


title: Emma Barnett

text: In March 2018, Barnett began a series of podcasts for Historic England entitled "Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places". The podcast, presented by Barnett and Dr. Suzannah Lipscomb, was nominated for the British Podcast Awards in the 'Best Branded Content' category in April 2018.


title: Emma Barnett

text: In March 2019 she became one of the regular presenters on BBC Two's "Newsnight". In 2019 her book "Period. It's About Bloody Time" was released, which covered her experience of endometriosis.


title: Emma Barnett

text: During December 2019, Barnett was widely criticized for her line of questioning towards Angela Rayner in an episode of the BBC's "Question Time", where she referred to Labour as the "party of the big state" and asked if they would "nationalise sausages".


title: Emma Barnett

text: In September 2020 Barnett was announced as the new main presenter of "Woman's Hour" on BBC Radio 4. She started presenting the programme on Monday to Thursday in January 2021.


title: Emma Barnett

text: On 6 January 2021, it was widely reported that, in her third "Woman's Hour" programme, Barnett was involved in an incident when she was overheard by guests after inadvertently leaving her microphone on. The conversation overheard was a discussion with her producers, concerning alleged anti-Semitic comments made by Kelechi Okafor, one of the show guests, who had been booked to talk about the legacy of the #MeToo movement and had defended similar comments made by Reggie Yates in 2017 about record company managers. Upon realising Okafor had heard the exchange, Okafor was offered the opportunity to comment on air but declined to be interviewed. Sharing the incident on Twitter moments later, Okafor said that "I'm coming off "Woman's Hour" because what I’ve just had to witness is absolutely degrading and vile". Another guest booked to appear, Sarah Green, said "Woman's Hour" should apologise to Okafor. Barnett defended herself, saying she would have been happy to have Okafor on the show, “but equally it is my duty to ask people what qualifies them as a leading voice in a space. And about any previous issues which may influence their views”.


title: Emma Barnett

text: In February 2021, one hundred public figures signed an open letter to the BBC, organised by Yassmin Abdel-Magied and Mariam Khan, criticising what they called Barnett's "strikingly hostile" interview of Zara Mohammed, the first woman and youngest person to be elected Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, and saying that her line of questioning perpetuated “damaging and prejudicial tropes” about Islam and Muslim women. Signatories included Sayeeda Warsi, Diane Abbott, Naz Shah, Deborah Frances-White, Zarah Sultana, Apsana Begum, Faiza Shaheen, Nikesh Shukla, Jordan Stephens and Amina Wadud. "Woman's Hour" responded to the letter, stating that they would 'reflect' on the interview, but also noted that they believed it 'legitimate... to seek to explore some of the issues facing Muslims in the UK.' The columnist and writer Kenan Malik defended Barnett's approach, stating that it was typical of Barnett's 'abrasive' style and that 'her interruptions of Mohammed revealed a willingness to subject all her interviewees to the same treatment.'


title: Emma Barnett

text: Also in 2021, Barnett interviewed Sinéad O'Connor on "Woman's Hour". The interview prompted O'Connor to announce she was quitting music, though she later retracted this, stating that Barnett had been to blame: "I was already so badly triggered by the time the BBC fucked me up the ass, with no warning, lube or permission, I lost my shit after women's hour: I felt like I did thirty years ago and for thirty years. That I'd be better off (safer) if I ran away and gave up being in music at all. Because I keep getting used as a coat hanger for people to clothe with whatever they like. My legal vulnerabilities or past agonies dragged up for salacious entertainment and the paying of the mortgages of mostly men, who, thanks be to God, have never and will never know what it's like to be a female trauma survivor in this world. A world falsely claiming every day to be less poisoned by stigma or misogyny that [sic] it is in reality... Of all the shite they could have asked about they grill me on having four kids with four fathers. About being 'a horn dog'. Then Barnett dares to suggest that 'oh aren't we much better now about discussing mental health'. No, Bitch. Because if we were you wouldn’t have dragged up the madwoman in the attic scenario".


title: Emma Barnett

text: In January 2022, Barnett started a new role at Bloomberg, hosting the weekly show "Emma Barnett Meets". In this role, she has interviewed prominent figures including Al Sharpton, Anthony Fauci and Tim Berners Lee.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett was named in two consecutive annual lists of the Radio Academy’s "30 under 30" list. She also made the "20 under 30 Hot List" feature in "Red" magazine in 2011. While at "The Telegraph", Barnett was named "Digital Journalist of the Year" by the Association of Online Publishers and "Digital Writer of the Year" at the 2011 Online Media Awards. She was named best newcomer at the Arqiva commercial radio awards in 2012. She was named and "Broadcaster of the Year" in 2017 by the Political Studies Association and "Radio Broadcaster of the Year" in 2018 by the Broadcasting Press Guild.


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett won the Gold award for Best Speech Presenter at the 2022 Audio and Radio Industry Awards for her work on "Woman's Hour".


title: Emma Barnett

text: Barnett met her husband at university and married in 2012. In 2018, she had a son. She lives in London. She is not highly religiously observant, and is ambivalent about both Orthodox and Reform Judaism. In a 2014 BBC Radio segment, she expressed discomfort at women being rabbis. She carries out charity work for Norwood, one of the largest welfare organisations within the British Jewish community. Barnett is a member of the Women's Equality Party.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Uncombable hair syndrome (UHS) is a rare structural anomaly of the hair with a variable degree of effect. It is characterized by hair that is silvery, dry, frizzy, wiry, and impossible to comb. It was first reported in the early 20th century. It typically becomes apparent between the ages of 3 months and 12 years. UHS has several names, including "pili trianguli et canaliculi," "cheveux incoiffables," and "spun-glass hair." This disorder is believed to be autosomal recessive in most instances, but there are a few documented cases where multiple family members display the trait in an autosomal dominant fashion. Based on the current scientific studies related to the disorder, the three genes that have been causally linked to UHS are PADI3, TGM3, and TCHH. These genes encode proteins important for hair shaft formation. Clinical symptoms of the disorder arise between 3 months and 12 years of age. The quantity of hair on the head does not change, but hair starts to grow more slowly and becomes increasingly "uncombable." To be clinically apparent, 50% of all scalp hair shafts must be affected by UHS. This syndrome only affects the hair shaft of the scalp and does not influence hair growth in terms of quantity, textural feel, or appearance on the rest of the body.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: The hair is normal in quantity and is usually silvery-blond or straw-colored. It is disorderly, stands out from the scalp, and cannot be combed flat, but it can be controlled by braiding methods. This is caused by mutations in one of three possible genes; "PADI3", "TGM", or "TCHH". These genes code for proteins involved in hair shaft formation and improvement often occurs in later childhood. Uncombable hair syndrome is mainly autosomal recessive, but it can also be autosomal dominant because there are other involved genes that have yet to be identified.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: By early adulthood, phenotypic symptoms of UHS spontaneously improve or disappear. The hair of people with UHS may eventually lie flat and appear near normal in texture by adolescence or early adulthood for unknown reasons. Basmanav et al. have suggested that either different, non-mutated isoforms of the hair-forming enzymes are produced as we age, or that aging-related mechanistic changes in hair such as greater diameter and length help resolve UHS.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: As one would expect from the name, individuals affected by this disorder have difficulty managing and grooming their hair. Affected individuals usually possess blonde or silver hair that may be present at birth or develop over time. The hair is wiry, frizzy, and stands straight out from the scalp. It is often dry but not fragile or brittle. This is due to several structural abnormalities in the hair shaft. A cross-section of the hair shaft from affected individuals reveals a kidney bean, triangular, or oval diameter, unlike the circular shaft shape displayed in straight hair. This irregularity in the diameter of the hair shaft prevents the hair from lying neatly against adjacent hair fibers. Trichohyalin (TCHH) is a structural protein responsible for the proper cylindrical fiber topology of the hair shaft. TCHH binds other TCHH and keratin-intermediate filaments creating the proper cross-links and cylindrical shape of the hair shaft. PADI3 and TGM3 are two enzymes responsible for post-translational modification of TCHH important for cross-linking of TCHH within the hair. In Uncombable Hair Syndrome mutations in TCHH, PADI3, or TGM3 result in improper cross-linking and the resulting irregular shape of the hair shaft.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: The particular defect in TCHH as a structural component of hair may be a defect of deimination. Deimination converts the amino acid arginine to the amino acid citrulline. This conversion is done by calcium-dependent enzymes known as peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs). PADI3 is a member of this enzyme class. One study reported PAD involvement in skin and skin-related diseases, particularly at the hair follicle. Alterations to PAD activity resulted in the development of Uncombable Hair Syndrome. Another study examined the transglutaminase (TG) family of enzymes and their involvement in UHS. This family of enzymes includes TGM3, which is expressed in epidermal cells. Mutations in TGM3 may therefore reduce or alter the intermolecular cross-linking important for hair shaft formation, leading to Uncombable Hair Syndrome.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Another molecular mechanism of UHS was proposed by Ralph Trueb in 2003. He suggested that premature keratinization of the inner hair root forms a rigid sheath that alters the shape of a hair strand as it grows out of the root.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Uncombable Hair Syndrome 1 is caused by a defect in the Trichohyalin gene (TCHH) found in hair follicles and some parts of hair strands. It serves as a scaffold protein, with involucrin, in cell envelope organization. The trichohyalin gene is produced and changed by other proteins and to molecules such as keratin intermediate filaments to form organized cross-links. These networks provide the hair shaft with its cylindrical form. This, in turn, leads to frizzy hair, resulting in uncombable hair. The chromosomal location for this TCHH gene is located on chromosome 1. The condition usually improves over time, and will have better hair structure once it reaches adolescence.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: It is still being decided whether TCHH is autosomal dominant, or autosomal recessive. In an experiment, they identified the causative mutations of UHS in 3 genes; PADI3, TGM3, and TCHH in 11 children. These children carried homozygous/heterozygous mutations in those 3 genes, which resulted in autosomal recessive inheritance. Because it was identified as autosomal recessive inheritance, scanning electron microscopy was performed in order to rule out autosomal dominance since this type of gene can also be autosomal dominant to a certain extent.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Uncombable Hair Syndrome 2 is caused by a defect in Transglutaminase 3 (TGM3) gene. This gene helps provide instructions for creating an enzyme known as Transglutaminase 3. This gene is found in skin cells known as keratinocytes and corneocytes. This helps frame the scalp, root, and strands of hair. It helps the molecules bind to other proteins. The cross-links help provide strength and structure to the cells' skin and hair cells. Chromosomal location of Transglutaminase 3 is located on chromosome 20.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: An experiment was done where Transglutaminase 3 reduced in esophageal cancer. They used western blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction. With the 58 pairs of tissues that were sampled, it was confirmed that Transglutaminase 3 is closely related to growth proliferation and migration. However, the over-expression of this gene induces cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promotes programmed cell death. This came to show that Transglutaminse 3 will be a candidate growth and could function as a helpful biomarker and a therapeutic target to esophageal cancer treatment.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Uncombable Hair Syndrome 3 is caused by a defect in the PADI3 gene (peptidylarginine-deiminase 3) and is located on chromosome 1. This defect apparently is the most common cause of UHS. The PADI3 gene provides instructions for creating an enzyme called peptidylargine deiminase 3. PADI3 is found within the skin's extreme external surface, inside cells called karinocytes. The protein also contributes to hair follicles that are specialized structures within the skin where development happens. In these hair follicles, the PADI3 gene adjusts proteins that are giving structure to the hair strand. The PADI3 gene also involves a process called deimination. This process modifies the protein's intuitive with other proteins.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: An experiment was performed in where the PADI3 is found in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia which is mostly found in African women that suggests an autosomal dominant trait to occur. With this experiment, they performed a process called immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. With immunoblotting, it appeared that the transfected cells had a marginally lower expression of the mutant compared to the wild-type. With immunofluorescence it resulted in an irregular intracellular location of the protein. Therefore, it helped conclude that there was a reduction in enzymatic action that encodes a protein to hair shaft arrangement, which relates to central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia(CCCA).


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Other syndromes with hair abnormalities may also show features of uncombable hair syndrome such as Rapp–Hodgkin ectodermal dysplasia syndrome, loose anagen syndrome, EEC syndrome (ectodermal dysplasia, ectrodactyly and cleft lip/palate) and familial tricho-odonto-onychial ectodermal dysplasia with syndactyly. However, unlike these conditions, uncombable hair syndrome alone is not associated with physical, neurologic, or mental abnormalities.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: According to the U.S. National Institute of Health, the condition tends to develop in childhood (age 3-12) and resolve by adolescence.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Another observation that can be made when detecting uncombable hair syndrome in individuals is by observing the hair shaft under a special microscope. When individual hair strands are being viewed, the hair is triangular or kidney-shaped and has a longitudinal groove on one or two faces.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Clinical diagnosis of UHS can be confirmed molecularly by performing high-resolution microscopy on hair shafts using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM allows for the visualization of hair shaft cross-sections, which can appear triangular, heart-shaped, kidney-shaped, flat, or longitudinally grooved. Interestingly, multiple different cross sections can appear on a single shaft of hair. An alternative method for confirming a UHS diagnosis molecularly is by embedding UHS hairs into paraffin. Due to the atypical shape of the hair shafts in UHS, UHS hair will refract light differently than typical hair, causing a glistening effect.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Although it tends to regress naturally later in childhood, there is no definitive treatment for Uncombable Hair Syndrome. The only recommended treatment is using soft brushes and gentle conditioners. It is also recommended to avoid hair treatments that can be harsh on hair (excessive brushing, blow drying, perms, or coloring hair). Biotin supplements have also been used as a treatment, due to their historical utility in controlling nail fragility and improving hair growth after 4 months of supplementation.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: While UHS is thought to be extremely rare, its precise frequency and prevalence is unknown. As of 2016, there were ~100 case studies of UHS in the scientific literature, and as of 2020, there are a few more documented case studies.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: UHS has been found in patients who also have diseases such as ectodermal dysplasia and loose anagen hair syndrome. While sometimes observed with other disorders, it is believed that Uncombable Hair Syndrome is an isolated disease.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: The syndrome's name comes directly from its abnormal, frizzy appearance that “totally resists any effort to control it with brush or comb.” A possible case of uncombable hair syndrome was reported in 1912 by A.F. Le Double and F. Houssay. The syndrome was described in 1973 by A. Dupré, P. Rochiccioli, and J.L. Bonafé, who named it "cheveux incoiffables". Later that year it was independently described as "spun-glass hair" by J.D. Stroud and A.H. Mehregan. The currently used term was coined in the early 1980s. However, the UHS phenotype was recorded well before the first literature report in 1973. A children’s story published in Germany in 1845 detailed a character named “Struwwelpeter” or “Shockheaded Peter,” presumably to describe the frizzy nature of a patient’s hair with UHS. This children’s story was later translated by Mark Twain and the character was instead called “Slovenly Peter.”


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: Evidence of familial transmission of UHS prior to 1973 also comes from case studies. In 1983, Garty et al. described the case of a 2-year-old boy whose father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all said to have the same condition at a young age—difficulty combing their hair. In 1993, Zanca and Zanca found a book from 1912 that details the observations, made by Le Double and Houssay (in their book “Les Velus”), of people with “mop hair” that does not tolerate combing.


title: Uncombable hair syndrome

text: The American Hair Research Society studies hair growth disorders and possible treatments for them. In addition to UHS, these disorders include alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, cicatricial alopecia, female and male pattern hair loss, trichotillomania, and hair shaft defects. The society was founded in 1989 by a group of dermatologists and has grown to include general physicians, scientific researchers, and other collaborative partners to advance research on human hair. It is one of the only non-profit research centers on hair disorders in the Americas. Current clinical trials and research opportunities can be found on their website.


title: The Chef Show

text: The Chef Show is an American television cooking show presented by Jon Favreau and Roy Choi that premiered on Netflix on June 7, 2019. Its creation was inspired by Favreau's training under the tutelage of Choi in preparation for the 2014 film "Chef". Volume 2 premiered on September 13, 2019 and volume 3 premiered on February 19, 2020. A second season premiered on September 24, 2020.


title: The Chef Show

text: "The Chef Show" features director actor Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi with guests, cooking and interviewing.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecard (as a brand stylized in lowercase) is a prepaid online payment method based on vouchers with a 16-digit PIN code, independent of bank account, credit card, or other personal information. Customers can purchase vouchers at local sales outlets and pay online by entering the code at the checkout of the respective website (e. g. an online game). Paysafecard codes are "not" designated to be passed by mail or telephone.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecard is issued and distributed country-wise; cross-border and cross-currency usage is possible within some limits. The scope of services and partner webshops varies by country. In most countries, a personal account called "my paysafecard" for uploading PINs is available. Starting in Austria in 2000, as of 2018 paysafecard is available in over 40 countries. Two former competitors, Dutch "Wallie" and British Ukash, have been absorbed into paysafecard.


title: Paysafecard

text: In 2013, paysafecard was acquired by British digital wallet provider Skrill, and in 2015 as part of the Skrill Group by the "Optimal Payments Group", a global online payment processing provider regulated in the United Kingdom. Optimal Payments subsequently rebranded as Paysafe Group.


title: Paysafecard

text: While the brand name of the payment method has always been "paysafecard", in practice it is often shortened to "Paysafe",


title: Paysafecard

text: In 2015, paysafecard became a part of the multinational "Optimal Payments" online payment corporation, which subsequently rebranded as Paysafe Group. The group now directly offers certain products and services under the "Paysafe" brand. Paysafecard, however, continues to be a subsidiary brand of the Paysafe Group in its own right, alongside some others, like the digital wallets Skrill and Neteller.


title: Paysafecard

text: Some sources erroneously interpret "Paysafe" to be the name of the company originally issuing the "paysafecard" product, and sometimes suggest this to be the core company of the Paysafe Group.


title: Paysafecard

text: As of 2018 paysafecard is issued in over 40 countries—covering most of Europe and North America, Australia and New Zealand, and some countries in Western Asia and South America.


title: Paysafecard

text: Countries with paysafecard available include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay.


title: Paysafecard

text: Web offers payable with paysafecard include online games, social media, telecommunication, music, and others. The scope of websites accepting paysafecard varies per country for several reasons. The most widespread use are online games; for example, League of Legends accepts paysafecard in 41 countries as of 2018. Examples of other partners accepting paysafecard in 20 or more countries include


title: Paysafecard

text: The company behind paysafecard is based in Vienna, Austria. It was founded in 2000 by four Austrians, including the first CEO Armin Sageder, as "paysafecard.com Wertkarten AG" ("paysafecard.com prepaid card Inc."), later transferred into a GmbH, a private limited company. Technical partner providing expertise and the original hardware was IBM Austria. The following year, paysafecard also launched in Germany. In 2004, co-founder Michael Müller assumed the role of CEO.


title: Paysafecard

text: In 2005, paysafecard received an EU funding under the "eTEN" program supporting electronic services with a trans-European dimension. Subsequently, paysafecard launched in Slovenia, Greece, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom.


title: Paysafecard

text: In 2008, British subsidiary "Prepaid Services Company Ltd." received an EU-wide e-money licence by the British Financial Services Authority (FSA), later the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, expanding a "small e-money issuers certificate" valid for the United Kingdom in 2006.


title: Paysafecard

text: In August 2011, paysafecard absorbed Dutch competitor Wallie. In February 2013, Skrill, one of the largest payment services providers in Europe completed the acquisition of paysafecard.com Wertkarten AG. A year later, CEO Michael Müller left paysafecard and handed over to his brother Udo Müller. In November 2014, Skrill acquired British paysafecard competitor Ukash and merged it into paysafecard. In August 2015, Skrill group competitor "Optimal Payments" group completed the acquisition of Skrill group, including paysafecard, and subsequently rebranded as "Paysafe Group". On the 1st of November 2021, Paysafe completed the acquisition of viafintech, the company that developed viacash (originally Barzahlen).


title: Paysafecard

text: Core of paysafecard is a 16-digit PIN, sold (most usually) on a printout, a pre-printed prepaid card, or as a digital information online. In the respective countries, paysafecard is available in demoninations ranging from 10 to 100 euros, United States dollars, pounds sterling, and Australian dollars, and approximately equivalent sums in other currencies, e. g. 100-1000 Norwegian kroner.


title: Paysafecard

text: When paying in an online shop, the user enters the 16 digit PIN, and the amount tendered is deducted from the paysafecard balance. Hence, the same PIN code can be used multiple times until the full balance has been consumed. For larger sums it is possible to combine up to ten paysafecard PINs.


title: Paysafecard

text: The current balance of each paysafecard as well as its transaction history and production date can be viewed at the official site by entering the respective 16 PIN code.


title: Paysafecard

text: The paysafecard company earns varying proportions of merchants' transaction volumes, shared with the distribution partners. They do not charge any fees to the customer for purchasing and using paysafecard, as well as checking the balance of a PIN or its payment history online, but at the following situations fees have to be paid / will be deducted:


title: Paysafecard

text: In contrast to in-house vouchers and prepaid products, paysafecard is sold and accepted at distinct companies ("Third Party Billing"). For this reason, dealing with them is a banking transaction and requires either a banking partner or a banking licence. In the beginning, paysafecard was issued by the BAWAG P.S.K. in Austria and the Commerzbank in Germany.


title: Paysafecard

text: Since 2008, paysafecard's subsidiary company "Prepaid Services Company Limited" holds a licence of the Financial Conduct Authority (resp. its predecessor Financial Services Authority) "to issue electronic money (e-money) and provide payment services", valid for all countries in the European Economic Area. Therefore in those countries, paysafecard is issued by "Prepaid Services" without external banking partner. Further, Swiss paysafecard subsidiary "paysafecard.com Schweiz GmbH" is a licensed financial intermediary in Switzerland and issuer of the product also in other countries, e.g. in Australia.


title: Paysafecard

text: In the United States, payment regulations require an external banking partner issuing paysafecard, a role assumed by "The Bancorp Bank".


title: Paysafecard

text: In the beginning, paysafecard was sold as pre-printed scratchcard. Starting in 2002, paysafecard is usually sold as a printout called "eVoucher" by the company, a uniquely numbered receipt from an in-store sales terminal. Paysafecard is distributed country-wise by varying external partners, which is why also shop types offering paysafecard vary by country. Typical examples include newsagents, petrol stations, post offices, pharmacies, supermarkets, electrical retailers and vending machines. The world-wide number of points of sales sums up to 600,000.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecard has limitations manifesting especially when used for online gambling. Payments (thus also deposits in gambling accounts) with paysafecard are inherently limited to the amount of €1000; for classic paysafecard (not "my paysafecard") this amount has been lowered to €250 in 2016 due to compliance regulations. Many other online payment methods allow a multiple of those amounts. Also, in contrast to other payment methods, accountless paysafecard does not enable a customer to withdraw money. However, a withdrawal to "my paysafecard" is possible and supported by several online casinos.


title: Paysafecard

text: Unlike credit cards, paysafecard does not give the opportunity to overdraw your fundings, which may be appreciated as a means of spending control.


title: Paysafecard

text: The company offers supplementary services to classic paysafecard, especially in most countries an online account called "my paysafecard" to upload PINs and to do repeated payments more comfortably. At the payment checkout of a webshop, customers may choose between entering a PIN and signing in to their "my paysafecard" account. The account also includes a loyalty program called "my PLUS" - doing payments will earn you points that can be exchanged for different benefits.


title: Paysafecard

text: Barcode (e-Cash) payment solution Paysafecash was launched in 2018 by paysafecard. It is based on a barcode generated in the online checkout of an app, account, wallet or webshop when Paysafecash has been chosen as the post payment or deposit option. The generated barcode can be sent to a mobile phone via a text message or an e-mail, uploaded to a mobile wallet, or printed out. The customer shows the barcode at the nearest Paysafecash payment store, where it is scanned and the amount due can be paid with cash. Payment stores are to be found via a location finder within the Paysafecash app or on the Paysafecash webpage.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecash was created for cash-reliant consumers who do not possess a credit or debit card, or do not want to disclose their financial data when making online purchases or paying bills. It allows the use of traditional cash for digital payments in multiple industries such as financial services, rent payments, government and utility bills, e-commerce, and others. Retail and neobanks can offer new services to their customers, as Paysafecash integration in their banking app provides an option for cash deposits to digital bank accounts at a brick-and-mortar store.


title: Paysafecard

text: Users select Paysafecash in the online checkout page as their desired payment or deposit method, load the generated barcode into their wallet, send it to their mobile phone or print it out.


title: Paysafecard

text: They can then find the nearest Paysafecash payment store using the online search function. Once the barcode is scanned by the cashier at the payment store, the open amount can be paid.


title: Paysafecard

text: In March 2021, Paysafe expanded its partnership with North American online rent payment platform RentMoola to allow tenants to use Paysafecash as a payment form.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafe announced in May 2021 a deal with Repay Holdings Corporation to enable Repay merchants and lenders to accept cash payments at Paysafe's about 70,000 partner locations in the US through Paysafecash.


title: Paysafecard

text: In June 2021, the company announced two partnerships to expand Paysafecash's global presence: one with cloud-based payment platform IntelliPay in the US, and one with financial intermediary company SweePay to allow Swiss residents to use Paysafecash as a payment option.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafe announced in September 2021 a partnership to enable customers of app-based Dutch bank bunq to add cash to their accounts through Paysafecash in 21 European countries


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecard is a payment method that enables the customer to stay anonymous not only to the merchants, but also with respect to the payment provider. The amount of money exposed to loss by accident or fraud is limited to the denomination of the voucher purchased; no bank account or credit card data are put at risk.


title: Paysafecard

text: Paysafecard sets clear that PINs are only to be entered at authorised online shops, and never to be passed in any other way. The payment method is never used for governmental fines or reminder fees.


title: Paysafecard

text: From 2009 onwards, paysafecard has won several "Paybefore Awards" (since 2021 "Pay Awards"), issued by the US "Paybefore" media group, a daughter of Informa, with a focus on prepaid electronic payment solutions.


title: Paysafecard

text: The first of those awards was 2009 "Best Non-U.S. Prepaid Program". Other examples include 2012 "Most Innovative Prepaid Solution Europe" and 2016 "Best Online or Mobile Commerce Solution".


title: Paysafecard

text: In the annual contest "Austria’s Leading Companies", awarding top businesses in all states of Austria and the entire republic, paysafecard has won 1st places in Vienna in 2015 and 2017, respectively ranking 3rd and 2nd in Austria overall.