Public urged to take 3-day RAT

April 6, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:

In fact, one of the reasons why we proceed with this rapid antigen test (RAT) for every member of the community at this point in time, is our confidence in capacity.

Over the last two months or so, with the support of the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has significantly enhanced the capacity almost at every stage of our anti-epidemic work. And, of course, the cases have come down quite significantly. With the combined situation of (fewer) cases and more capacity, we are very confident that even if this three-day daily RAT (exercise) is to give rise to a large number of positive (COVID-19) cases, we will be able to handle it.

I can give you some illustrations of our capacity.

One is, we have a very sufficient stock of rapid antigen test kits. We have already distributed through the 3.5 million service bags, a total of 70 million (rapid antigen test) kits. We have more to supply at the various service stations.

Second is, we have a very well-tested online self-declaration system that the Controller for the Centre for Health Protection (Dr Edwin Tsui) has just updated you. It could handle every hour 60,000 self-declaration (cases).

Thirdly, for those who have been tested positive and (are) allowed to stay at home, we have a very well-tested and effective delivery system to deliver to them this anti-epidemic resource bag. At the peak, the teams could distribute or deliver 60,000 bags to (needy) families every day.

In terms of your specific enquiry about whether we have enough (capacity in) the community isolation facilities, I would tell you that we have a lot. We have 20,000 beds in the six sites built with the support of the central government.

And then, if people are allowed to stay at home for isolation, we have a very strong home support scheme, including 23 designated clinics, and again designated taxis to take people to the clinics and the delivery of various supplies including food items.

For those who are critically sick and need hospital admission, even in the very strained Hospital Authority hospitals, we now have more beds.

We have beds waiting to treat COVID-19 patients. You need not worry about our capacity. We have the capacity and that is why we are proceeding with this very meaningful and useful exercise.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today called on the whole community to do a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) for three days in a row from April 8 to 10.

Mrs Lam told a press conference this morning that the Government was fully prepared for the citywide testing exercise.

“In fact, one of the reasons why we proceed with this rapid antigen test for every member of the community at this point in time, is our confidence in capacity.

“Over the last two months or so, with the support of the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has significantly enhanced the capacity - almost at every stage of our anti-epidemic work. And, of course, the cases have come down quite significantly.

“With the combined situation of (fewer) cases and more capacity, we are very confident that even if this three-day daily RAT (exercise) is to give rise to a large number of positive (COVID-19) cases, we will be able to handle it.”

She also noted that all the necessary backups were in place to carry out the exercise.

“One is, we have a very sufficient stock of rapid antigen test kits. We have already distributed through the 3.5 million service bags, a total of 70 million (rapid antigen test) kits. We have more to supply at the various service stations.

“Second is, we have a very well-tested online self-declaration system that the Controller for the Centre for Health Protection (Dr Edwin Tsui) has just updated you. It could handle every hour 60,000 self-declaration (cases).

“Thirdly, for those who have been tested positive and (are) allowed to stay at home, we have a very well-tested and effective delivery system to deliver to them this anti-epidemic resource bag. At the peak, the teams could distribute or deliver 60,000 bags to (needy) families every day.”

The Chief Executive emphasised that Hong Kong has adequate treatment and isolation facilities for COVID-19 patients who are identified via the self-testing exercise.

“In terms of your specific enquiry about whether we have enough (capacity in) the community isolation facilities, I would tell you that we have a lot. We have 20,000 beds in the six sites built with the support of the central government.

“And then, if people are allowed to stay at home for isolation, we have a very strong home support scheme, including 23 designated clinics, and again designated taxis to take people to the clinics and the delivery of various supplies including food items.

“And for those who are critically sick and need hospital admission, even in the very strained Hospital Authority hospitals, we now have more beds.

“We have beds waiting to treat COVID-19 patients. You need not worry about our capacity. We have the capacity and that is why we are proceeding with this very meaningful and useful exercise.”