With the prolonged local COVID-19 epidemic situation, the confirmed cases are distributed all over the territory. Some of the confirmed cases are asymptomatic and this indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains in the community. The Government is very concerned about a number of COVID-19 confirmed cases reported recently at Lam Shek House of Ping Shek Estate, and has arranged for a testing agency to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the following location and dates to provide free testing service for residents and workers of Ping Shek Estate.
| New mobile specimen collection station | Operating hours |
| Ping Shek Plaza (near Yuk Shek House), Ping Shek Estate (only for residents and workers of Ping Shek Estate) (Kingmed Diagnostics (Hong Kong) Limited) |
2pm to 8pm (first day on December 30) 10am to 8pm (from December 31 onwards) |
The above-mentioned mobile specimen collection station at Ping Shek Estate will tentatively operate until January 3, 2021 (Sunday). The Government has also decided to extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection stations at Heung Sze Wui Street in Tai Po, Sha Tsui Road in Tsuen Wan, Wong Tai Sin Square, Tung Chung North Park and Wong Chuk Hang Recreation Ground to January 8, 2021 (Friday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to further extend the operation period of the stations after reviewing their usage and public's demand for the testing service. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are at Annex.
On the other hand, the mobile specimen collection station set up at Lei Sang House of Lei Yue Mun Estate has ceased operation on December 29 and the station at Hung Cheuk Lau of Kwun Tong Garden Estate will cease operation after December 30. The Community Testing Centre in Yau Tong Community Hall will continue to provide free testing service to residents and workers of Lei Yue Mun Estate up to December 31 (Thursday) tentatively, and the Community Testing Centre in Lek Yuen Community Hall, Sha Tin will also provide free testing service to residents and workers of Lek Yuen Estate up to January 1, 2021 (Friday) tentatively. Their operating hours are from 8am to 1.30pm and from 2.30pm to 8pm daily. The centres provide booking as well as on-site registration services. Members of the public are only required to input simple personal information, and select the testing centre and time slot in the 24-hour appointment booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk). The centres accord priority to those who make bookings in advance.
A Government spokesman said, "The testing agencies will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations for testing free of charge. Persons who are subject to compulsory testing and undergo testing at the mobile specimen collection stations will be deemed to have undergone a test at a Community Testing Centre. The mobile specimen collection stations will accord priority to provide testing service for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing."
People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS through their mobile phones. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.
The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.
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