The Transport Department (TD) announced today (August 3) that, starting from tomorrow (August 4), the COVID-19 testing service for taxi and public light bus (PLB) drivers will be extended. In this phase of COVID-19 testing service, the oropharyngeal swab self-sampling will be adopted. Taxi and PLB drivers may visit to the designated distribution points on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and New Territories for collection of the swab self-sampling kit, without prior telephone booking. The contractor of the testing service will collect the specimen bottle of the kit at the designated collection points at designated time. The addresses, opening dates and hours of the swab self-sampling kit distribution points and specimen bottle collection points are at Annex.
The test is voluntary and free of charge. Driver holding a valid Hong Kong identity card and taxi/PLB driver identity card may visit the designated collection points for on-site registration and collection of the swab self-sampling kit. Drivers must follow the instruction of the swab self-sampling kit for self-sampling, and return the specimens to the designated collection points as soon as possible. The contractor will send the specimens to laboratories for testing.
The contractor will not retain the personal data of drivers. In case of a driver's positive testing result, the contractor will notify the TD on the specimen serial number and the TD will relay the details of the concerned taxi or PLB driver to the Centre for Health Protection for their follow-up.
This testing service offers each taxi or PLB driver a test once. Drivers who had participated in the testing service in the last phase (for the period from July 17 to August 1) do not need to join the swab self-sampling in this round. The TD will review the arrangement in a timely manner and adjust the number of distribution and collection points or extend the testing service according to needs.
Parking space will not be provided at the distribution and collection points. Drivers should avoid driving to these points.
The TD appeals to the taxi and PLB trades to actively participate in the test to ensure public health and minimise risks of the spread of virus in the community. For details of the testing service, please refer to the website of TD (www.td.gov.hk).
Follow this news feed: East Asia