Public designated Covid clinics and online consultations have been fully booked amid a rebound of outbreaks, with some patients having to wait for over a day before they can make appointments.

The Hospital Authority said it has pumped up service capacity and is offering consultations to nearly 4,000 Covid patients every day.

Both face-to-face and online consultations yesterday and today have been fully booked, according to its booking app.

A Covid patient, Lam, said she and her mother, who is in her 60s, tested positive on Sunday, suffer from symptoms such as sore throats and runny noses and have lost their sense of taste and smell.

"I helped my mom book a consultation but she had to wait for four days to see the doctor. But I can't book one for myself despite many attempts as I'm not elderly," Lam said.

Lam, who is triple vaccinated, said she is not too worried even if she fails to see a doctor as she has bought some cold medicine.

"Fortunately, I do not have severe symptoms. If there is no medicine at home, I may have to call an ambulance," she said.

Another patient also said she waited for many days to see a doctor at a clinic.

"My mother went to a private hospital because she is already in her 90s and cannot wait for a few days to see a doctor," she said.

An infected family of three with a young child also had difficulties seeing a doctor, with the couple failing to book an online consultation session while their six-month-old daughter had to wait for more than a day to see a doctor.

Respiratory expert Leung Chi-chiu said the government should increase quotas for clinics or give priority to high-risk patients.

If patients with serious illnesses cannot get anti-Covid oral drugs when they first fall sick, their situation may deteriorate and public hospitals will be overwhelmed, he said.

The authority said yesterday it is providing consultations for nearly 4,000 patients per day and is continuing to up its capacity.

It added that designated clinics are reserving more than half of their quotas for high-risk groups, including the elderly.

Hong Kong yesterday saw 18,626 infections - 17,636 local and 990 imported - and 53 deaths.

The caseload had also surged to more than 20,000 three days in a row from Friday to Sunday over the Christmas holiday.

That came amid a public reminder for people to pay attention to the packaging of painkillers and fever drugs and not be taken in by counterfeits as some pharmacies have run out of stock.

The vice-chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Pharmacy, Cheung Tak-wing, said yesterday it has urged members not to raise the price for drugs.

Cheung also said Christmas has affected the supply of medicines.

"We usually get supplies three days a week, but it has been reduced to only two days or even one day [due to the holiday]. We don't know when a large amount of drugs can be shipped in, but we hope the supply chain can get to normal after Christmas," Cheung said.

Pharmacies are running out of painkillers and drugs for fevers, prompting a warning for people to beware of counterfeit medicines.

Agonizing wait to consult docs at designated clinics