Party proposes testing by district to flush out carriers

Hong Kong should conduct Covid tests district by district for 10 days from Monday to flush out all silent carriers, a centrist political party has proposed to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

Third Side chairman and lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen, his vice chairmen Caspar Wong Chun-long and Timothy Chui Ting-pong, as well as several district councillors, said their suggestion would see 700,000 people tested a day, with the whole of Hong Kong tested in 10 days.

They said the government should arrange the order of testing based on the outbreaks and population in each of the 18 districts, and urge district officers to organize the testing work for their own district.

The government should also locate large-scale venues in each district, so people do not need to queue for a long time in the cold.

The party said as many people have lost their jobs in sectors like service industries and tourism, the government should hire these people as temporary staffers to maintain the order of testing centers.

They suggested that the government arrange coaches to pick up residents in housing estates far away from the testing centers. Meanwhile, 10 lawmakers yesterday proposed to Lam to ask the central government for help in expanding the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, as family members have been infected when some Covid patients could not be sent to hospital immediately.

They said a total of about 1,800 hospital beds are provided in the two facilities but these can be expanded to 10,000 beds, which would help with testing and vaccination work.

"The anti-pandemic battle is not a lonely battle and it's not a matter for the SAR only. We hope that the SAR government can seek help in both manpower and resources from the central government as soon as possible," the lawmakers said in an open statement.

They said the government should use vacant school premises and campsites, or borrow campsites from nongovernmental organizations and religious groups, for short-term anti-pandemic measures.

Civil servants, including those who are working from home, should support the frontline staffers, they said.

sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com