Govt Resumes Issuing Testing Orders Via LeaveHomeSafe

The government said on Tuesday that it has resumed issuing compulsory testing notices via the LeaveHomeSafe app to people who've been to high-risk places, but those recently infected with Covid-19 will be exempted from taking a test.

Health authorities stopped notifying individuals about confirmed Covid cases via the app since late February and began handing out rapid antigen test kits, after a surge in coronavirus infections overwhelmed the city's testing capacity.

In a statement, the government said it decided to resume the notification function after Hong Kong's testing capability had been enhanced.

From Tuesday, people will be alerted if they had been to locations with higher transmission risk, which will be determined by the Centre for Health Protection based on analysis of recent data, such as the number of confirmed cases and positive sewage samples.

The government said people subject to mandatory testing are required to have their specimens taken at community testing centres, mobile stations, or government-recognised private testing institutions.

But those with positive PCR test results, or who have reported their positive rapid antigen test results to health authorities in the past three months, will be exempted from the order.