Education chief pledges to safeguard volunteers against infections during meal breaks

DSEDJ Director Kong Chi Meng

The citywide SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test (NAT) stations have differing amounts of space, but the government will try to provide facilities for volunteers to rest and have meals, an education official said yesterday.

The Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) is in charge of the citywide NAT stations once again. The bureau director, Kong Chi Meng, met the press at the Sacred Heart Canossian College (English Section) test station yesterday afternoon.

In response to a question from the Times about volunteers complaining they do not have enough space to rest and have meals at the test stations, the education chief said more work would be done.

Some volunteers complained that it was suggested they take their meals in a room of about 200 square feet. Since they could not eat while wearing masks, they feared that to do so would be violating Health Bureau (SSM) restrictions as well as exposing themselves to the risk of infection.

Kong said that the DSEDJ would keep reminding test station leaders to pay attention to the problem and try to look for larger rooms for volunteers to rest and take their meals in.

He admitted that test stations have different sizes and layouts, hence not all test stations will have as many rooms as their counterparts.

The education chief reiterated that test takers should undertake their SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test (RAT) prior to leaving home and not arrive too early at the station so as to avoid the buildup of crowds.

Yesterday, some people were observed taking RATs at NAT stations. The education chief maintained that a NAT station is not a suitable place to conduct RATs. He commented that some elderly people were unfamiliar with the declaration system but he emphasized that pictures of the RAT results would also allow access to NAT stations.

Many people have already used up their RAT kits for various reasons. Kong said that such individuals may approach any NAT stations explain their situation to the staff. The staff will offer them a free kit so that they can take the citywide NAT.

Concerning how test takers’ names and test dates should be written while declaring RAT results, Kong said that the best way is to write the details on the test kit. However, if that is not possible, writing them on the insert of the kit and photographing the insert next to the kit will also be accepted.

The DSEDJ director was confident that this round of tests would be concluded on time, despite the sample collection period being shorter. He applauded test takers for using the booking process more smoothly.

At 3 p.m. yesterday, 400,000 had booked a test and 130,000 had had their samples collected.

With a shorter test period, Kong was not worried about crowds gathering and thus, according to the government, posing higher risks of an extensive outbreak. He justified his view by pointing out that more test stations and more sample collection points have been added compared to previous rounds. He also said that the larger number of test stations has also shortened queue times.

In response to a question, Kong admitted that some NAT stations had fully distributed their RAT kits. However, he emphasized that stations have frequently been restocked. In fact, stocks were refilled constantly during the hour when the press event took place.

Kong also released some data related to this round of citywide NATs. As there are nine additional test stations this round, he assured the public that, as of 3 p.m. yesterday, they were operating in a smooth manner.

In the morning, the waiting times at most stations were shorter than 30 minutes. Only at about midday did queues begin to lengthen and the waiting times exceeded 30 minutes.

With more stations, the need for workers has also risen. Therefore, with the exception of teams from the social affairs and culture, administration and justice, as well as the security sectors, this round will also attract support from the economy and finance as well as transport and public works sectors. “Even colleagues from the Commission Against Corruption, the Commission of Audit and the Public Prosecutions Office are also helping at stations,” Kong revealed. “Therefore, we can make more frequent rotations to avoid workers from being [in one] position, for example under the sun, for too long.”

The sample collection coach is also taking samples in Hac-Sa and Ka-Ho. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, it has taken samples from nearly 500 people.