The ​Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has arranged COVID-19 testing for the frontline staff and relevant personnel of works contractors today (December 15) and tomorrow (December 16) and will once again arrange testing for the frontline staff of the operator of WEEE•PARK, responsible for collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment from the public.
A spokesman for the EPD said, "Testing is an integral part of the strategy in preventing and fighting the virus. To step up virus testing to achieve the objective of 'early identification, early isolation and early treatment', the Government has continued to implement the Target Group Testing Scheme. We have arranged COVID-19 testing for EPD frontline staff earlier. In line with the Government's epidemic prevention and infection control measures, the EPD has arranged testing for the frontline staff and relevant personnel of the contractors of various works projects in these two days. We also plan to arrange further testing for them around two weeks later. The testing is voluntary."
The works projects include Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1 (IWMF 1), Organic Resources Recovery Centre Phase 2 (O•PARK2) and the South East New Territories Landfill Extension, covering about 1,000 staff. The EPD has awarded the contract for the testing service to DNA WeCheck Limited through established procurement procedures.
In addition, about 80 frontline staff of the operator of WEEE•PARK may come into contact with members of the public while collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment from them. They have undergone testing arranged by the EPD and the operator earlier. All specimens tested negative. The EPD will arrange a further two rounds of testing for the staff concerned starting from December 21 and January 11 respectively. The EPD has awarded the contract for this testing service to Diagnostix Medical Centre Limited through established procurement procedures.
For the above two testing services, the testing agencies will inform the EPD and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health of the serial number of any specimen with positive results for follow-up action. Throughout the testing process, no personal particulars will be indicated on the sampling bottles. The testing agencies will only have access to the serial numbers of specimens and will not acquire or retain any personal information of the staff. Specimens will also be destroyed after completion of the testing.
Appropriate infection control measures will be put in place at the testing sites. All people are required to have their body temperature checked and their hands sanitised with alcohol-based handrub before entering the sites. Partitions will be installed at the specimen collection areas, and proper instructions will be set out for the staff participating in the testing to maintain social distancing while waiting and during testing.
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