Explainer | Coronavirus: as Hong Kong fights fifth wave of infections, what are the latest rules on testing, quarantine and vaccination?
- Changes such as registering positive results using rapid antigen tests on a government portal can help speed up confirmation of Covid-19 infections
- Close contacts who are at least double vaccinated can leave quarantine earlier if they test negative using rapid antigen kits on sixth and seventh days
What are the latest testing criteria?
Authorities on Friday said they would soon recognise residents who returned positive results using rapid antigen tests (RAT) as confirmed cases immediately once they registered the information with the government online.
The new website will be operational “in a few days”, according to Albert Au Ka-wing, principal medical and health officer for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). Those who tested positive can send in their personal particulars, including their names, birth dates, ID numbers and close contact details.
Health authorities would then treat them as confirmed cases and instruct them to remain isolated. They would also send them relevant materials, such as a home quarantine notice for their family members, and deliver test kits to their residences.
While most people subject to compulsory testing can use RAT kits at home instead of lining up at community testing centres or using a specimen bottle for saliva samples, those deemed to have high exposure risk, such as workers at quarantine centres or the airport, will still be required to take a nucleic acid test.