Govt To Ramp Up Lockdowns And Mass Testing

The government on Monday announced that it will further boost coronavirus testing in the city, with all residents required to get tested if a single untraceable infection is found in their buildings.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said that workplaces will also be subject to the mandatory testing order, if two Covid cases emerge.

He added that authorities will impose surprise lockdowns more frequently in the coming 10 days, with "at least one a day" in various districts.

The lockdowns come with mandatory tests for residents, and Cheung said the move is aimed at stopping any silent transmission of the coronavirus as quickly as possible.

"We are determined to make an all-out effect over the next 10 days just before the eve of the Lunar New Year to mount operations… We expect, depending on the development of the pandemic situation, to mount at least one operation per day in different districts,” he said.

Cheung dismissed claims that some of the lockdown exercises so far had been useless, being as no Covid cases were found.

“That’s a good use. That means that area is zero infection….so the people living there, going to shop there, they feel comfortable, they feel safe and assured,” he said.

Cheung also said that in addition to the current practice of sending all close contacts of Covid patients into quarantine, people who live with close contacts will be ordered to take a test for the virus.

The chief secretary noted that a lot of businesses are facing big challenges and the jobless rate is growing.

But he cited medical experts as saying Hong Kong needs more time to see improvements in its coronavirus situation, and said therefore the current social distancing rules will be extended until February 17.

The Education Secretary, Kevin Yeung, meanwhile, said officials will meet school representatives and decide this week how schools can resume face-to-face classes in a gradual and flexible manner after the Chinese New Year holiday.

Yeung said teachers would be encouraged to get tested for Covid regularly.

"As he or she has to face a number of students each day in a school setting, it would be very much better if all the teaching staff as well as all the other colleagues in a school have done certain type of tests on a regular basis. That would be the ideal situation. I will discuss this proposal with the principals as well," he said.