The Government today announced that deep throat saliva specimens will be replaced by combined nasal and throat swab samples collected by professionals as the recognised compulsory testing method, except for certain circumstances.

It said the new measure aims to enhance the effectiveness of COVID-19 testing arrangements, adding that there are 18 community testing centres (CTCs) providing convenient and reliable professional swab sampling services for people now.

From tomorrow, people subject to compulsory testing are required to undergo professional swab sampling at a mobile specimen collection station, CTC or recognised local medical testing institution to fulfil the compulsory testing requirements.

These include people who need to get tested in accordance with a compulsory testing notice related to a confirmed COVID-19 case, and those linked to an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection or influenza-like illness in a school. Young children however, may continue to undergo the test using a stool specimen.

People arriving in Hong Kong from tomorrow must also undergo testing with professional swab sampling at a CTC or recognised local medical testing institution so as to comply with the compulsory testing requirement.

Such a requirement is applicable to Hong Kong arrivals who have completed compulsory quarantine or isolation in a designated quarantine hotel or at home but still need to undergo compulsory testing, and those arriving in Hong Kong under the Return2hk and Come2hk schemes.

For people subject to compulsory testing in accordance with specific social distancing measures as well as specific trades, the Government will no longer accept their deep throat saliva specimens for compulsory testing. Details will be announced in due course.

Compulsory testing using deep throat saliva specimens will continue to be conducted under certain circumstances, which include testing provided by medical practitioners for suspected symptomatic patients, testing for inbound travellers during home quarantine or isolation, confirmatory tests for inbound travellers staying at quarantine hotels or facilities, and testing for people who are incapable of receiving professional swab sampling due to health or age reasons.

The Government will follow the existing mechanism and distribute sufficient deep throat saliva specimen collection packs at boundary control points to inbound travellers who are required to undergo home quarantine or isolation. Other inbound travellers will not get the packs.

As some people still undergo testing on a voluntary basis, the Government will continue to provide free deep throat saliva specimen collection packs through various channels, but the supply of such packs will be adjusted at an appropriate juncture.