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HONG KONG, Aug. 29 (China Daily / ANN): Hong Kong on Saturday opened online registration for free coronavirus tests, an effort that aims to reach a high percentage of the city’s 7 million residents to find asymptomatic patients with Covid-19 in the community.
More than 117,000 people have signed up for voluntary tests before noon, according to the Hong Kong government.
The plan opened for booking starting at 7am on Saturday. You need to register for the test, which starts on Tuesday for seven days. The plan can be extended for no more than seven days depending on progress, Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said Friday.
Except for children under the age of six and people who had previously undergone throat or nasal surgery, all valid HKID cardholders or birth certificates who are asymptomatic can participate in the program, a government spokesperson said. in a press release issued Friday.
The entire online registration process took no more than five minutes, according to the experience of a China Daily reporter. The government has established 141 temporary testing centers in 18 districts. Registrars can select different time slots for their convenience.
Within minutes of completing the online form, a message with detailed information, including the test location and time, will be sent to the registrant’s phone number.
The elderly or people who need special assistance can visit any post office during business hours to seek help making appointments online, the spokesperson said. People can also seek help from the probate administration offices in the public housing estates in which they reside.
Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said on Saturday morning that mass testing of the virus can help identify asymptomatic patients, cut invisible chains of transmission in the city and contain the spread of the virus as soon as possible. possible.
The universal community plan would also help the government prepare for a possible new outbreak of the pandemic, Nip said.
He added that the government at the time would not have to rely solely on strict cross-border travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and business closures to slow the spread of the virus.
Nip said he understands that residents are concerned about the security and privacy concerns of the tests. The government will continue to explain the program to the public and hopes that residents can make their own judgment based on the facts. – China Daily / Asian News Network
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