Airport Converts to Temporary Specimen Collection Centre

Hong Kong International Airport’s midfield concourse has been converted to a temporary specimen collection centre, Airport Authority announced.

The temporary specimen collection centre is originally located at the AsiaWorld-Expo. It has now relocated to Midfield Concourse of the airport at which flight operation is currently suspended.

The station is set up by the Department of Health to facilitate the Government’s quarantine procedures, Airport Authority said.

The Airport Authority said the modification was done in less than two weeks by more than 250 people.

The Department of Health (DH) said that starting from last Tuesday at 4am, those arriving in Hong Kong via the airport are required to proceed to the temporary specimen collection centre to collect their deep throat saliva samples immediately upon arrival. 

“They will need to stay at the temporary specimen collection centre to wait for test results, which will usually be available on the same day before they can proceed with immigration procedures,” DH spokesman said.

Passengers whose test results will not be available on the same day can proceed with immigration procedures right after their samples are collected at the temporary specimen collection centre. 

They will subsequently be taken to the DH’s Holding Centre for Test Results in a hotel by coaches to wait for their test results, DH added.