By The SUN
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The free test on wheels will now be given at four locations on Apr 4,5,11,18 and 25 |
Mobile stations offering free coronavirus tests will return
to popular gathering places of foreign domestic helpers on all Sundays of
April, plus the statutory holiday on Apr 5, to give workers free Covid-19
testing, the Labour Department said.
A statement issued on the government website said the deployment of the mobile stations,
which are similar to those set up in March at popular FDH gathering places, is
meant to encourage workers to get tested to safeguard their health.
The announcement said the mobile specimen collection stations
will open from 10am to 5pm on April 4, 5 (day after the Ching Ming Festival), 11,
18 and 25.
From the previous three, four mobile stations will now be
set up at the following locations: the Chater Road precinct in Central, near
the bus stop; Hing Fat street entrance of Victoria Park in Causeway Bay; Lai
Chi Kok Park entrance near exit D of Mei Foo MTR station; and the Tsuen Wan
Park entrance near Exit D of MTR Tsuen Wan West Station.
The government statement appealed to employment agencies and
employers to encourage FDHs to receive the free testing service at the mobile
stations, where no prior appointment is required.
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FDHs need only to bring their HKIDs or passports; no appointment needed |
To avail themselves of the free testing, the FDHs just need to bring along their
Hong Kong identity cards or passports and register their personal information
on the spot at the government website www.tgptest.gov.hk, choosing the the category “Non-Government
Staff - Foreign domestic helpers,” to receive an SMS notification of the test
result.
The FDHs will be given the barcode number of the specimen
bottle they collect after registration for reference. If necessary, duty
officers can assist FDHs in registration.
The specimen collection is done through a combined nasal and throat swabs, and
the samples collected are delivered straight to a specimens to the laboratory
for testing.
Everyone who tests negative for Covid-19 will get their test
result via SMS while positive cases will be referred to the Centre for Health
Protection for follow-up. The individual concerned will be contacted for
treatment arrangements.
Enquiries can be made through the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537
(manned by 1823) or by email fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk.