Free Covid Testing For Foreign Domestic Helpers

The government announced on Wednesday free coronavirus tests will be offered to more than 350,000 foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

The scheme begins on Friday and will last till the end of January.

Foreign domestic helpers can make an appointment with any of the community testing centres in the city from Thursday.

A Covid outbreak at a dormitory for foreign domestic helpers in Tai Po has infected eight helpers and a family of four so far.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said the free tests aim to identify asymptomatic helpers.

“If any of the foreign domestic helpers have any symptoms, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible. This scheme is for the asymptomatic ones or those who foresee they have risks or they went out during weekends and had some gatherings, they are especially called for testing,” she said.

Authorities reported 82 coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Seventy-nine infections are locally acquired, 35 via unknown sources.

More infections were reported at public housing blocks.

Some of the residents living on the 32nd floor of Ming Yan House in Sha Tin will be sent to quarantine centres after infections were reported at four units close to one another. Other residents at the building will have to undergo mandatory coronavirus tests.

Meanwhile, officials will inspect Ming Lai House in Choi Wan Estate in Ngau Chi Wan after infections were reported from six of the units there.

Five of them face the same direction and are located on different floors.

More than 80 people have tested preliminary positive for the virus.

Chuang called on people not to drop their guard as the number of new cases remains high.

“We have not seen the numbers going down. Whether it’s the peak or not... whether it will further increase depends on the coming situation, whether there are any abnormal events, abnormal gatherings or abnormal spread in the community. Any one event may result in large number of cases as happened previously,” she said.