Coronavirus: Discovery Bay residents complain of infection risk, unclear information at Hong Kong Covid-19 testing stations
- Discovery Bay residents complain of large crowds waiting to be tested after health authorities uncover coronavirus in sewage samples
- Islanders call testing strategy ‘flawed’, accuse visitors of spreading virus
Residents of Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay complained about unclear instructions and the risk of Covid-19 infection at specimen collection stations on Wednesday, as more than 20,000 people faced a compulsory testing order.
The government had ordered the screening after sewage samples taken in the Lantau Island neighbourhood had tested positive for the coronavirus, similar to cases in Sha Tin and Tin Shui Wai. But only residents at one estate in each of the other two districts were required to go for testing.
Long queues formed outside the two testing sites at Discovery Bay Fire Station and S.K.H. Wei Lun Primary School in the morning before the designated 1pm opening time, with operations only becoming smoother later in the afternoon.
Anyone who had been to the residential area for more than two hours between January 26 and Tuesday was ordered to undergo testing by Sunday.
Discovery Bay resident Vicky Grey* said a 500-metre (1,600-foot) queue had formed next to the fire station when she lined up at 11.45am, noting there was a lack of information from staff who were giving out what appeared to be quota tags.