Coronavirus Hong Kong: 7 clinics open as 12,000 patients stuck at home waiting for hospital, quarantine admission
- Authorities urge residents to use direct transport when commuting to centres equipped to assist up to 1,000 patients a day
- Some 400 taxi drivers recruited to take patients to the clinics expected to begin service on Friday
As of Tuesday, about 12,000 patients were still waiting at home for admission to hospitals or other facilities.
Health authorities on Wednesday urged residents to use direct transport when commuting to the clinics, adding that up to 400 taxi drivers dedicated to ferrying patients to and from the medical centres would be made available by Friday.
Those seeking consultations are required to make an appointment by phone.
“Before Friday, we strongly suggest patients to come by point-to-point transport, using the most direct way to arrive at the clinics,” said Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun, the Hospital Authority’s director of strategy and planning.
“During transit, they should take anti-epidemic measures such as maintaining hand hygiene, wearing a mask, keeping social distance, and avoiding talking and eating.”