Coronavirus Hong Kong: long queues for testing a moneymaking opportunity for some; city logs 986 new cases
- Lines have grown as more people are hit with mandatory testing orders, with some Hongkongers selling reservations and offering their services as paid placeholders
- Meanwhile, a medical source has warned that the number of expected infections may not present an accurate accounting, as labs confirming test results have been overwhelmed
Long waits for Covid-19 screening have become a moneymaking opportunity for some, as more Hongkongers find themselves consigned to hours-long queues by compulsory testing orders amid an exponential surge in cases.
The city recorded 986 new infections on Thursday, though that figure may not reflect the actual pandemic situation, as the labs confirming test results have been overwhelmed, according to a medical source.
Residents in areas such as Sha Tin, Ma On Shan, Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long have spent hours queuing for tests over the past few days because of mandatory screening orders issued after sewage samples in their communities tested positive.
Some in other areas such as Discovery Bay have also complained about unclear instructions and the risk of Covid-19 infection at specimen collection stations while waiting in line. Rapid antigen kits around the city were also largely sold out.
The surge in testing has spurred some to sell queuing services online for anywhere from HK$90 to HK$200 (US$11.50 to US$26), as seen in some listings on online classifieds platform Carousell. One online entrepreneur, for instance, was offering to queue for others at To Kwa Wan Sports Centre for HK$100.
