CE visits temporary air-inflated laboratories (with photos/video)
9.9.2020

Accompanied by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; and the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited the temporary air-inflated laboratories at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre in the Central and Western District this evening (September 9) to learn more about their operation and to give encouragement to staff members. Mrs Lam visited the temporary air-inflated laboratories last month when they were ready. Today she visited again to see their actual operation. She was briefed by Professor Anthony Wu, Chairman of Sunrise Diagnostic Centre, which is responsible for the operation of the laboratories, on the manpower allocation and workflow. She also listened to the briefing by Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Chief Executive Officer, Mr Simon Wong, on the application of technology to help with the rationalisation of logistics and ensure that specimens collected from the community testing centres every day can be delivered to the laboratories in a safe and timely manner. Noting that the centre also took part in the research, development and production of electronic wristbands for the Government's home quarantine measures, Mrs Lam praised the team for its active participation in and contributions to the anti-epidemic work. Mrs Lam then met with members of the Mainland nucleic acid test support team working in the laboratories and encouraged them. In addition to the chief leader of the support team and Deputy Director of the Medical Administration Bureau of the National Health Commission, Mr Li Dachuan, the leader of the support team (Guangdong), Mr Yu Dewen and some 200 members who arrived in Hong Kong in August, the leader of the support team (Guangxi) Mr Pang Jun, the leader of the support team (Fujian), Mr Zhang Yongyu and some 300 members have also arrived in Hong Kong recently to support the testing work. With the efforts made by the support team, in general, all samples delivered to the laboratories every day can be tested on the same day. "Members of the public who took part in the Universal Community Testing Programme (UCTP) were very satisfied with the programme arrangements. Besides the healthcare personnel and staff members of the community testing centres, testing personnel of the laboratories, in particular members of the Mainland nucleic acid test support team, and personnel responsible for logistics are heroes behind the scenes. Their dedicated work day and night are essential to enable members of the public to obtain their testing results as soon as possible after their specimens have been taken. On behalf of Hong Kong citizens, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to them," Mrs Lam said. The Government has decided to extend the UCTP for three days to September 14 after reviewing the data and experiences from the operation of the community testing centres as well as the public's demand for the testing service. The whole UCTP will run for 14 days. "Although the third wave of the epidemic has slightly eased in recent days, some asymptomatic carriers in the community can still be identified by the UCTP and therefore the public should stay vigilant. I appeal to members of the public, especially employers and employees who will resume work soon, as well as teachers and students who are going back to school, to seize the opportunity to take part in the programme to protect the health of themselves and others." Details of the UCTP are available on the dedicated website www.communitytest.gov.hk .