More Than 5,000 Health Workers To Help: Patrick Nip

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip said on Wednesday more than 5,000 medical personnel have joined to help out with the universal coronavirus tests which will start from September 1.

Speaking on an RTHK programme, Nip said measures will be taken to reduce the chances of cross-infections at sample collection centres, with measures like gloves being disposed of after samples are collected from each person.

Some health professionals have raised concerns about cross-infections as a large number of people are expected to arrive at the collection centres that will be set up across the city.

Experts have also raised doubts about the effectiveness of the exercise, saying testing vulnerable sections would be more productive.

Nip said the government has increased testing for high-risk groups such as restaurant employees, and the number of tests for care home workers, staff of property management companies, public transport drivers and foreign domestic helpers have reached nearly 400,000.

He said that universal testing is the way to go to help find asymptomatic carriers of the virus.

The secretary said the number of daily cases was still in double-digits, with 16 local cases recorded on Tuesday, and half of the new cases had no known source.