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One member from each household could be allowed to go out for errands during a "soft lockdown" that will accompany the mandatory citywide testing, which is now being floated to start between March 26 and April 3.
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Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan said public transport will not be halted during the compulsory universal testing - or CUT.
Chan said many people, including medics and financial industry staff, will still have to go to work and that public transport is vital for the transport of supplies to elderly people who live alone.
The government has already said stock market operations will continue even if a lockdown is imposed.
"We may also have to deploy public transport to send citizens testing positive to quarantine centers as well as logistics for supplies," Chan said, adding that service capacities for public transport could be lowered.
Authorities are mulling to allow residents to leave home to purchase necessities such as food, Chan said.
"There have been similar overseas experiences - some errands are necessary," he said. "What can we do to make sure citizens have a normal supply of necessities while limiting movement of people to a certain extent? Maybe we can allow one member from each household to go out to buy food at a regular time? All of these are being considered."
However, former secretary for food and health Ko Wing-man said Hong Kong must come to a standstill amid a strict lockdown to completely contain the outbreak in two months.
Speaking on radio, Ko said Hong Kong is experiencing what Wuhan suffered two years ago, but authorities have only launched social distancing measures instead of extensive and powerful measures that Wuhan did in 2020, including a strict lockdown.
"If we delay the territory-wide test, we will end with an astronomical number of infections and our isolation facilities and medical system will be insufficient to handle that," said Ko, who is attending the two sessions meeting in Beijing as a Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference member.
Ko said authorities should focus their resources in planning a strict lockdown from nine days to three weeks to suppress transmissions.
"We have to come to a standstill where nobody moves around as the virus is carried in humans and, when people move, the virus can spread from one person to another."
Exemptions should be given to anti-epidemic workers, but they must take frequent Covid tests.
Ko said he has submitted his proposal to the National Committee of the CPPCC.
Chan, meanwhile, stressed the SAR has sufficient supply of food and necessities, adding there is abundant supply of vegetables from the mainland, while that of frozen food is a double of the normal level.
Supplies and supermarket operators told Chan that the stock of frozen meat can last three months. And four million eggs are supplied to Hong Kong every week.
Sheung Shui slaughterhouse also resumed operation yesterday and the supply of fresh pork, beef and lamb will resume today, though prices may fluctuate for the first couple of days.
jane.cheung@singtaonewscorp.com
