'Officers To Be Mobilized To Conduct Covid Testing'

Infectious disease expert Professor David Hui said on Saturday that the SAR government is planning to train officers such as the immigration and customs staff to collect specimens for Covid-19 testing as the SAR battles the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Hui, who advises the SAR government on the pandemic, said he believes the current social distancing rules need to stay as cases could rise after the holidays.

He noted that although the number of confirmed cases - as well as untraceable cases - has edged down recently, the impact from long holidays may not have fully emerged.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Hui admitted that the current manpower available to help collect specimens for Covid-19 testing was reaching its limit.

To boost testing capacity and manpower, he hinted that the authorities may deploy immigration and customs officers to take samples for coronavirus testing after being trained by Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Tony Ko, said the authority is considering testing all of its medical staff regularly for coronavirus.

And to begin with, he said the authority may first test around several hundred front-line medical workers who provide out-reach services for the elderly.

He said he hoped this could start in the coming week, but stressed that implementation still depends on the pandemic situation in Hong Kong.

He also added that a new temporary hospital near the Asia World Expo in Lantau is expected to start operating next month.

It would be used to treat coronavirus patients who have been transferred from the community treatment facility at Asia World Expo and need drugs and oxygen therapy.