Transport Department to continue to arrange free COVID-19 testing for taxi drivers

     In order to identify cases in the community as early as possible to help cut the transmission chains, and in light of a few taxi drivers being preliminary tested positive for COVID-19, the Transport Department (TD) announced today (November 11) that starting from tomorrow (November 12) until November 18, another round of testing service will be provided for taxi drivers.
 
     Making reference to the previous rounds of testing service, the TD will set up four temporary testing kit distribution/collection centres. The location, opening dates and hours of the temporary testing kit distribution/collection centres are at Annex 1. The testing is free of charge. Taxi drivers can visit any one of the specific temporary distribution centres to collect the testing kit upon presenting their valid taxi 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 any one of 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 referred 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 drivers to undergo the testing for the protection of themselves and others and to fight the epidemic together. 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).