General outpatient clinics enhance distribution hours of specimen collection packs
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To tie in with the Government's epidemic control strategy, the Hospital Authority (HA) today (October 8) announced that starting from tomorrow (October 9) the specimen collection packs' distribution time will be enhanced at general outpatient clinics (GOPCs), thereby assisting individuals, who feel they have a higher risk of exposure and are experiencing mild discomfort, to obtain a specimen collection pack for a COVID-19 test.
The HA spokesperson said, "To facilitate more members of the public to receive COVID-19 tests, specimen collection packs can now be obtained at the 46 GOPCs (see attached list) during the daytime service hours (9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm) starting from tomorrow.
"Since July 27, HA GOPCs have distributed nearly 60,000 specimen collection packs. Over 36,000 specimens were tested by the laboratory, and over 60 were positive for COVID-19.
"The specimens collected by this programme are handled by an accredited local private laboratory. For specimens testing positive for COVID-19, the cases will be reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) for confirmation in accordance with the prevailing mechanism. The participants concerned will be notified by the CHP for admission to public hospitals for isolation as soon as possible. Participants should assume a negative test result if they do not receive a notification in three working days after the specimen submission."
Distribution points of specimen collection packs will be set up near the entrance of the 46 GOPCs to appropriately segregate the persons obtaining the specimen collection packs from the patients attending medical consultations. Members of the public can obtain the specimen collection packs (with contents including a specimen collection bottle, packaging plastic bags, guidelines for collection of deep throat saliva samples, etc) between 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays) at the distribution points of specimen collection packs of the aforementioned clinics. Only one pack should be taken by each person while stocks last.
The HA spokesperson reminded participants that they are required to submit the deep throat saliva specimen within three working days, together with the necessary information, for laboratory tests. The collection points near the entrance of the 46 clinics will be open between 10am and 11am from Monday to Saturday (except public holidays).
The HA spokesperson also reminded the public to wear their own masks and maintain social distancing while collecting packs or submitting the specimens.
Ends/Thursday, October 8, 2020
Issued at HKT 19:15
Issued at HKT 19:15
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