'Govt Looking Into Setting Up Airport Testing Lab'

Health secretary Sophia Chan said on Saturday that the government is looking into setting up a Covid-19 testing laboratory at the airport, in light of the travel bubble arrangement with Singapore.

She told a radio programme that it will be important to facilitate travel once the pandemic eases globally, and an airport lab can shorten the testing time for tourists.

When asked if the authorities will relax restrictions on local tours, Chan said the government is discussing how to minimise infection risks with tourism representatives. She said this could include ordering tests for tour guides and participants.

Meanwhile, the health chief said 11,000 samples collected from four temporary coronavirus testing centres in Wan Chai, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong have returned negative, with 3,000 more samples to be processed.

She said more short-term testing centres may be set up if there were further Covid-19 outbreaks.

Chan added the authorities are studying the legal framework to conduct mandatory testing, because many patients who went to see private doctors were not tested for the coronavirus.