The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (January 21) that to achieve the target of making testing services available as far as possible for those who should be tested, it will continue to arrange free COVID-19 testing services for targeted groups, including high-exposure groups such as front-line staff of catering businesses, staff and personnel working in markets, licensed hawkers and practitioners of cold stores, to safeguard public health. The deadline for online registration for the scheme has been extended to February 21. People in high-exposure groups who have already registered and undergone testing may register again.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "To broaden surveillance at the community level, and incorporate disease prevention and infection control into the new normal of the daily operation of society, the Government has integrated and regularised the Targeted Group Testing Scheme (TGTS) as part of its sentinel surveillance. The TGTS has become part of the surveillance and early warning system. By facilitating contact tracing and epidemiological investigation, it is conducive to early identification, early isolation and early treatment, and can provide reference data for the overall assessment of the epidemic situation."
Under the scheme, the testing agency (Prenetics Limited) will be responsible for the provision of one-stop services covering specimen taking and testing. The testing agency will deliver specimen bottles to the premises for collecting deep throat saliva samples, and then collect the samples in the subsequent one to two days for testing. The person-in-charge of the premises should return all unused specimen bottles to the testing agency on the day of the sample collection. Cases with preliminary positive results will be relayed to the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health for follow-up.
The FEHD strongly appeals to the groups concerned to actively participate in the testing scheme, and continue to comply with the directions made under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), and to maintain personal and environmental hygiene continuously with a view to ensuring cleanliness of the premises and food safety. Details of the scheme are available at the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/events/covid19_test/info_20200926.html).
​For details of the testing programme, please call the hotline of the testing agency at 3008 8319 or visit the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk).
Follow this news feed: East Asia