Covid-19 Test Scheme Extended By Three More Days

The government on Wednesday made a fresh appeal to the people of Hong Kong to take part in its universal coronavirus testing programme which will run for three more days until September 14.

So far, 1.3 million people have taken part in the scheme which was due to end on Friday.

This is the second time the scheme has been extended. The programme, which began as a week-long exercise, will now last two full weeks upon completion.

Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip, who is coordinating the scheme, said 57 of the 122 testing centres currently in use across the city will continue operating until Monday.

Nip reiterated that although the scheme is voluntary, from a public health point-of-view people have the duty to get tested.

"From the operational experience, it’s effective to find out and identify those infected in the community, including those asymptomatic cases, and it’s helpful in containing the epidemic," he said.

"If you look at it from the public health and also from the controlling the epidemic angle, it’s not just about yourself, it is also about the community; we all want the community to overcome the current wave of epidemic and so that we can all return to our normal business and activities including work, travel, or others, studies etc."

Health Secretary Sophia Chan, who appeared along with Nip before reporters, insisted the scheme gives the government valuable experience in many areas as it prepares for a possible fourth wave of outbreak.

“For example, our border-control measures that we’re going to also review, our contact tracing, quarantine and also isolation facilities, and also policies we are also going to review, and ramp up that we are going to have more manpower for contact tracing and also increase the facilities for quarantine as well as isolation."

Chan said the 500 or so mainland personnel who came to help test specimens will leave the city when the scheme is over.

She also said in future, the Hospital Authority will look into ways to increase its testing capacity, such as handing out more test kits at its clinics.

Critics of the universal voluntary testing scheme, however, have questioned its effectiveness. They said the scheme would only be effective if it comes with a stay-at-home order.