Daily testing for teachers, pupils

April 11, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam：

In order to reduce infection risks in schools, once students are going to go back to school learning, initially - we have not said that this will be forever - but initially for a period we would require all the staff, the teachers and the students to take daily rapid antigen tests (RATs) and they could only go into the school if the test (result) is a negative one. If it is a positive one, then they have to notify the school and declare (such findings) to the Centre for Health Protection for any follow-up actions.

Whether similar daily rapid antigen tests or frequent rapid antigen tests or ad hoc rapid antigen tests will be applied in a particular scenario is something that we would need to consider further.

I gave you another example yesterday (and it) is when social distancing measures are to be relaxed from April 21, people will ask about local group tours because (as) you (may) remember (at) a certain point in time - although we did not have a lot of inbound tourists - we did encourage more local tours so that there would be jobs for the tourism industry (and it would) also enable Hong Kong people to enjoy themselves.

If there is a group tour and it is safer if all the participants in a group tour will be able to do a RAT before they board a cruise ship or a coach, then that may be one of the scenarios that we will consider, but we will tell you after we have ironed out all the details.

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

Upon the resumption of face-to-face classes, all school staff, teachers and students are required to conduct COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs) daily and only those who have obtained a negative result will be allowed to enter the schools, the Government announced today.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said schools will resume face-to-face classes in phases after the Easter holidays and that an additional testing requirement will be imposed.

“In order to reduce infection risks in schools, once students are going to go back to school learning, initially - we have not said that this will be forever - but initially for a period we would require all the staff, the teachers and the students to take daily RATs and they could only go into the school if the test result is a negative one.

“If it is a positive one, then they have to notify the school and declare such findings to the Centre for Health Protection for any follow-up actions.”

The Government will provide 10 million sets of free RAT kits for schools to distribute to an estimated 300,000 students in need, she added.

Mrs Lam also noted that consideration will be given to whether such a rapid testing requirement will be extended to cover other venues or activities.

“Whether similar daily RATs or frequent RATs or ad hoc RATs will be applied in a particular scenario is something that we would need to consider further.

“I gave you another example yesterday and it is when social distancing measures are to be relaxed from April 21, people will ask about local group tours because as you may remember at a certain point in time - although we did not have a lot of inbound tourists - we did encourage more local tours so that there would be jobs for the tourism industry and it would also enable Hong Kong people to enjoy themselves.

“If there is a group tour and it is safer if all the participants in a group tour will be able to do a RAT before they board a cruise ship or a coach, then that may be one of the scenarios that we will consider, but we will tell you after we have ironed out all the details.”