The Government will require residential care home staff to undergo compulsory COVID-19 testing soon and the aim is for them to be tested once a week.

Secretary for Labour & Welfare Dr Law Chi-kwong made the statement after attending a radio programme this morning.

He said those who do not comply with the compulsory testing should not be working.

“That is the instruction we will be giving to the residential service operators. We will see how it goes. Anyway, this is the first time. The aim is in the long run it will be once every week and also only those who have a valid negative test will be able to go back to work.”

Dr Law noted there will be a penalty for those who do not take the test.

“Under the current regulations, if they are required to do the COVID-19 test but they do not, they are violating the regulations and will have a penalty of a $2,000 fine.

“They will also be given an order to do it within a given number of days and if they do not, the penalty will be even more severe. It will be like a maximum penalty of $25,000 and also imprisonment.”