Individuals without booking need to wait longer at testing centres/stations
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A Government spokesman said that there are still about 50 000, 80 000 and 95 000 testing places for booking at CTC/CTSs across the city for today, tomorrow (January 20) and on January 21 respectively. The testing capacity is ample and sufficient to meet the demand of cross-boundary passenger flow before the Lunar New Year. However, some testees chose to visit certain CTC/CTSs for testing during peak hours. On top of that, large number of testees without bookings were seen to wait at CTC/CTSs with more users during the evening peak hours, resulting in long queues and long waiting time at individual CTC/CTSs. In fact, there were over 60 000 unused testing places on average at CTC/CTSs across the city for yesterday (January 18) and on January 17. Most of these unused testing places were available at CTC/CTSs with fewer users in various district during daytime.
To cater for citizens' testing need, manpower had been ramped up and more registration/swabbing booths had been set up at certain busier CTC/CTSs. Nonetheless, around 30 per cent to 50 per cent of testees, amounting to some 30 000 people per day, indeed went for testing without any booking in the past few days. As a result, the total number of persons served at individual testing centres and stations exceeded their normal service capacities by 40 per cent. The Government reminded citizens that testing centres and stations will accord priority for testing to individuals who have made a booking, and individual testing centres and stations will be busier in the evening. As such, testees without reservation or those who undergo testing in the evening will inevitably need to wait for a longer time. If the service capacities at certain testing centres and stations have reached their limits for that day, testees without a booking will not be served and they will need to undergo testing at other testing centres and stations.
The spokesman said, "Advance booking at testing centres and stations with more testing places will allow testees to have a better estimation of the time required for testing and reduce the on-site registration time. It can also avoid the situation in which the CTC/CTSs are crowded with testees who go there around the same time, leading to prolonged waiting by the testees."
To enable members of the public to keep abreast of the service status of CTC/CTSs, the Government has published online the latest booking status of all testing centres and stations.
As at 10.30am this morning, there are still abundant testing places for today at the following CTCs/CTSs that have fewer users. Citizens who need to undergo testing may turn to these testing centres and stations.
CTCs/CTSs with abundant testing places today
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Hong Kong Island
- Yee Shing Street (Basketball Court Nos. 1 and 2), Chai Wan
- Siu Sai Wan Community Hall
Kowloon
- To Kwa Wan Sports Centre (near Exit A of To Kwa Wan Station)
- Arthur Street Temporary Playground (near Exit C of Yau Ma Tei Station)
- Argyle Street Playground, Kowloon City (near Exit B1 of Sung Wong Toi Station)
New Territories East
- Wo Hing Community Hall, Fanling
New Territories West
- Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
- Kwai Chung San Kui Park (near Exit D of Kwai Hing Station)
- Cheung Fat Estate Community Centre, Tsing Yi
- Lai King Community Hall (near Exit A of Lai King Station)
Separately, as at 10.30am today, the testing places of the following CTC/CTSs have reached their limits. Persons without booking will not be served. As such, persons without booking should not go to these CTC/CTSs.
CTCs/CTSs with testing places reached their limits today
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- Leighton Hill Community Hall in Wan Chai
- Kennedy Town Community Complex
- Edinburgh Place, Central
- Southorn Playground
- North Point Vehicular Ferry Pier Playground
- Sai Woo Lane Playground
- Bandstand, Victoria Park
- Yau Tong Community Hall
- Pak Tin Community Hall in Sham Shui Po (G/F Pak Tin Community Complex at Pak Wan Street)
- Ngau Tau Kok Road Sports Centre in Kwun Tong
- Basketball court of MacPherson Playground
- Maple Street Playground
- Ho Man Tin Park
- Sau Ming Road Park, Kwun Tong
- Ping Shek Basketball Court at Ping Shek Estate
- Lam Tin Service Reservoir Playground
- Kwun Tong Recreation Ground at 6 Tsui Ping Road
- Kowloon Park football pitch
- Beech Street, Tai Kok Tsui
- Lek Yuen Community Hall in Sha Tin
- Tai Wo Sports Centre in Tai Po
- Hard-surfaced Soccer Pitch, Ma On Shan Recreation Ground
- Plaza, Sha Tin Town Hall
- Tai Po Central Town Square
- Fo Tan Wo Liu Hang Road
- Che Kung Temple Sports Centre open space
- Tai Po Community Centre Basketball Court
- Luen Wo Hui Playground
- Po Wing Road Playground
The Government will update from time to time the list of centres and stations with fewer users on the day on the CTC website. Citizens may check the list before making booking and going for testing at centres or stations with fewer users.
The spokesman strongly advised testees again to book a testing time slot that suits their own itinerary and to arrive at the CTC/CTSs on time according to the time slot they booked.
Moreover, persons travelling to the Mainland do not need to return to CTC/CTSs specifically for collecting paper form reports. For the purpose of cross-boundary travel, the electronic reports issued by testing institutions and the self-paid nucleic acid testing electronic record available for download from the COVID-19 Electronic Testing Record System (www.evt.gov.hk/portal/en/) are also accepted for presentation and checking by relevant staff at boundary control points.
Ends/Thursday, January 19, 2023
Issued at HKT 13:26
Issued at HKT 13:26
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