The Hong Kong authorities will begin on September 1 a large-scale operation to test all its inhabitants, in the first time that such an initiative has occurred outside mainland China, as announced this Friday by the head of the territorial Executive, Carrie Lam.
The campaign will last two weeks, will be voluntary – unlike the other two previous initiatives in the Chinese cities of Wuhan, the origin of the pandemic, and Dalian – punctual and free, in addition to having the help of Chinese specialists, reports the Hong Kong chain RTHK.
“Hong Kong will be much better equipped from then on to deal with a new wave of coronavirus,” said Lam, on a day that the territory has registered another 27 new daily cases that confirm the downward trend of the so-called “third wave of contagions “as it is the 19th consecutive day that Hong Kong falls below one hundred cases a day.
In terms of total figures, the territory has registered 4,631 infections, with 75 deaths related to COVID-19, including three more this past Thursday: two women, aged 72 and 92, and a man, 71.
The protocol will be as follows: authorities will establish COVID-19 testing centers in all districts of Hong Kong from 08:00 to 20:00. People who decide to show up will have to make an appointment and provide their mobile phone. Those who test negative will receive a message on their phones and those who register positive will be notified by the Health Department staff for follow-up treatment and isolation.
“Regardless of whether they are in a vulnerable group or not, everyone should take this opportunity to get tested for the virus,” said Lam, who intends to be tested on the first day of the campaign to encourage the rest of the community. population to follow suit.
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