Everyone must do a rapid antigen test before going to testing stations; 500 mainland Chinese healthcare professionals will be assigned to help with citywide testing.

Three more rounds of mass testing are to take place this week as Covid-19 cases hit 784, Secretary for Social Affairs of Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong has announced.

“Next week is a crucial time.

I understand that people are tired of this situation but we need these [Covid-19 prevention] measures to put an end to the pandemic,” she said.

The city-wide nucleic acid tests (NAT) will take place on Monday-Tuesday, Wednesday-Thursday and Friday-Saturday.

Each round will last for 33 hours from 9 am to 6 pm of the following day, though ‘caring stations’ will be open for three extra hours in each round (open from 6 am).

All persons except children under 3 years old must partake in these mass testing rounds.

650 mainland Chinese health professionals have been called to help the city during this Covid-19 outbreak of which 500 will be assisting with the citywide NATs.

For yellow-coded individuals (including those aged 3 or below), their NATs will be counted as part of the number of mass tests required by the health authorities, so it will not be necessary to repeat their NATs.

There will be three more testing stations available taking the grand total to 64: 44 general stations, 13 self-paid and 7 stations for people with special needs.

During next week’s mass testing rounds, all individuals will be given five rapid antigen tests (RAT) in the first round;

ten KN95 masks in the second round

and finally five more RATs in the last round.

Parents of children under 3 years old may present their child’s health codes to receive RATs and masks from the government.