Minibus Drivers Offered Free Covid-19 Tests

The Transport Department has announced that Hong Kong's minibus drivers can arrange to have a free Covid-19 test from Monday.

The service is already up and running for taxi drivers and officials say they are now urging the drivers of red and green minibuses to sign up for a test, to help minimise the risk of coronavirus spreading in the community.

Four specimen collection centres will be open until August 1 in Sheung Wan, Yau Ma Tei, Kwai Fong and Tsuen Wan, with samples also to be collected at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge port in the morning of July 29 and the afternoon of July 30.

Drivers are required to make an appointment by calling 1836 168.

The department said that as of July 25, around 10,600 taxi drivers had registered for a Covid-19 test and more than 8,200 had provided samples via a nasopharyngeal swab.

Any positive test results will be sent to the Centre For Health Protection for follow-up action, officials said.

The Hong Kong Taxi Council had earlier urged the government to make Covid-19 tests cheaper and more widely available after a number of drivers were recently confirmed to have coronavirus.