Universal Tests Like Wasting Bullets: Ho Pak-leung

University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung on Friday cast doubt on the effectiveness of the universal coronavirus tests, saying the government would be "wasting bullets" if the plan is not targeted at people with higher risk of infection.

Ho said when authorities previously offered free tests to some 40,000 public housing residents in Tsz Wan Shan, very few tested positive. Only around 29,000 samples were collected in that exercise.

The expert, who heads the university's Centre for Infection, said he believes that the same will happen even if some three million citizens took part in the voluntary universal tests the government is expected to roll out on September 1.

Ho said it is better just to test all patients in public hospitals, and carry out repeated tests for elderly care home staff and frontline medics.

He noted that mainland cities did not get the epidemic under control with universal testing, but with early diagnosis and isolation.

The government is hoping to obtain samples from millions of the city's residents in its universal test plan, to be carried out with help from teams of mainland experts.

No official announcement has been made on the details or the dates of the mass tests, but RTHK has learned that the authorities is likely to announce this on Friday.

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, is set to brief the media at 3pm.

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