The Transport Department (TD) announced today (October 26) that starting from tomorrow (October 27), a new round of COVID-19 testing service will be provided to taxi and public light bus (PLB) drivers for a period of two weeks, and encouraged them to participate.
Testing is an integral part of the strategy in preventing and fighting the virus. After the testing services provided in mid-July and early October, the TD will continue to arrange a new round of free testing service for taxi and PLB drivers from tomorrow to November 9. The addresses, opening dates and hours of the 14 temporary testing kit distribution/specimen collection centres are at Annex 1.
Taxi and PLB drivers can visit the specific temporary distribution centre to collect the testing kit upon presenting their valid taxi or PLB driver identity plate. Drivers are required to register their personal information at the government website (www.tgptest.gov.hk), and should self-collect their deep throat saliva specimen and return it to the temporary collection centre on the same day. The testing agency will deliver the specimens collected to the laboratory for testing. As no personal information will be indicated on the specimen bottles, the testing agency will only have records of the barcode number of the specimen bottles and will not collect personal information. Drivers will be notified by the Government of the negative test result by SMS through mobile phone, while cases with positive test results will be relayed to the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health for follow-up.
Taxi drivers can collect the "Anti-epidemic Tag for Taxi Drivers" from the relevant taxi trade organisations with the SMS indicating the negative test result and display the tag at a prominent position inside the taxi compartment to enable passengers' checking. The list of taxi trade organisations distributing the "Anti-epidemic Tag for Taxi Drivers" is at Annex 2.
The TD strongly appeals to taxi and PLB drivers to participate in the testing to minimise the spread of the virus in the community. For details of the testing service and the collection of the "Anti-epidemic Tag for Taxi Drivers", please visit the website of the TD (www.td.gov.hk).
Follow this news feed: East Asia