COVID-19 testing areas expanded

January 26, 2021

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

 

The Food & Health Bureau today announced that the specified areas for compulsory COVID-19 testing have been expanded from today.

 

The Government has expanded the specified area in Jordan and added the new Yau Ma Tei/Mong Kok and Hung Hom specified areas. The specified area in Sham Shui Po remains.

 

At a press briefing this afternoon, Under Secretary for Food & Health Dr Chui Tak-yi said the Government imposed a more stringent testing protocol due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases and poor condition and management of the buildings in those areas.

 

“I think there is a basket of factors that the Government would consider in expanding or modifying the (specified) areas (for compulsory COVID-19 testing).

 

“Because the number of cases had markedly increased in (the specified area in Jordan), the conditions of buildings there were rather poor with substandard management, and also the speed of (growth) in the number of cases or the persistence of the outbreak would lead to the conclusion that the area should be subjected to a more stringent testing protocol.

 

“When we decide to have more similar designated regions, we will consider those factors that I have mentioned. And also, we might initiate the action before the outbreak becomes very significant. That is the reason why we added those new (specified) areas in the regions that I have mentioned earlier.

 

“(For) the new (Yau Ma Tei/Mong Kok specified) area, for example, because we have considered all the factors before, like the buildings are rather old with not so satisfactory management and the number of buildings affected and the location of those buildings is rather concentrated, we would like to act early and impose a more stringent testing protocol.”

 

Dr Chui added that the social distancing measures currently in place will be maintained until February 3.

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