Having reviewed the usage and public demand for the COVID-19 testing service, the Government will extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection stations at Hankow Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin Park to April 11 (Sunday).
 
     The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are stated in Annex. Persons of certain targeted groups (including employees of designated scheduled premises and catering businesses, construction site personnel, school staff), persons subject to compulsory testing, as well as persons with "LeaveHomeSafe" COVID-19 exposure notification or SMS notification from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reminding them to undergo testing as soon as possible may receive free testing at community testing centres or mobile specimen collection stations (if service scope is applicable).

     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS message through their mobile phones. Persons subject to compulsory testing must properly keep the relevant records. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive COVID-19 result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the DH for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the CHP.

     The Government reminds the public that they can undergo COVID-19 testing through various means. For details, please refer to the following webpage: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html. If a person has symptoms, he or she should seek medical attention immediately and should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or community testing centres.

     The Government spokesman urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.

     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for the 40th day since February 26, 2021.
 
     So far, about 615 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered for members of the public (please see Annex 1). Among them, about 502 500 persons have received their first dose, with about 333 100 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 169 400 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine. About 113 000 persons have received their second dose, with about 89 300 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 23 700 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 8pm today (April 6), the following vaccination and booking figures were recorded:
 
(i) About 2 700 persons received their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 2 300 persons vaccinated at eight Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and about 400 persons at private doctors and clinics participating in the programme;
 
(ii) about 6 200 persons received their second dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 4 900 persons vaccinated at the CVCs and about 1 300 persons at private doctors and clinics;
 
(iii) about 12 800 persons received their first dose of the BioNTech vaccine at 21 CVCs, and about 16 500 persons received their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine;
 
(iv) the overall percentage of people who have received the Sinovac vaccine at the eight CVCs is about 96 per cent; while the overall percentage of people who have received the BioNTech vaccine at the 21 CVCs is about 96 per cent; and
 
(v) about 2 500 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, while about 11 600 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were five cases of ambulance transfers to hospitals. Among them, three persons were discharged and two persons were admitted for observation (please see Annex 2).
 
     As background information, in the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were 36 cases of stroke or myocardial infarction that required admission to the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Stroke Unit and Cardiac Care Unit of public hospitals. The state of new cases admitted to the wards concerned is provided as a cross reference to enhance fuller public understanding of cases of the kind recorded on vaccine recipients.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (April 6) visited the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Queen Elizabeth Stadium to inspect its operation and offer encouragement to staff members.
      
     Owing to the packaging defects found in a small number of vial caps of the BioNTech vaccine last month, the Government, for the sake of prudence, suspended the administration of the relevant vaccine to members of the public. Following confirmation by the drug manufacturer's subsequent investigation results that both the safety and efficacy of the vaccine are not affected, and the arrival of a new batch of the vaccine in Hong Kong on April 2, the Government has resumed the vaccination service of the newly arrived BioNTech vaccine to the public since April 5. The CVC at Queen Elizabeth Stadium, one of the new CVCs, started operation yesterday to provide BioNTech vaccination service to members of the public who had made appointments.
      
     Accompanied by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, who are responsible for co-ordinating the Government Vaccination Programme, Mrs Lam received a briefing from the personnel of the medical organisation running the CVC on the operation. Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to the relevant organisation for its participation in the Government Vaccination Programme to contribute to the fight against the virus. She also chatted with members of the public who received vaccines at the centre, and noted that they considered that the CVC operated smoothly and were satisfied with the vaccination arrangement.
      
     Along with the opening of the CVCs at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Ho Man Tin Sports Centre, the number of CVCs providing BioNTech vaccination services has increased to 21, while another eight CVCs will provide the Sinovac vaccine to the public. Since members of the public can receive the Sinovac vaccine at 18 General Out-patient Clinics of the Hospital Authority, or from over 2 000 private doctors or clinics, the Government originally planned to open five CVCs to provide Sinovac vaccination services to the public. Nevertheless, to meet the needs of the public, the Government has opened three more CVCs and changed them to provide Sinovac vaccination services in early March for about two months. The three CVCs will provide BioNTech vaccination services to members of the public next month as planned.
      
     There are 14 priority groups under the vaccination programme, covering people aged 30 and above, students aged 16 or above studying outside Hong Kong, domestic helpers and others. Since the launch of the vaccination programme, the Government has provided the first vaccine dose to about 490 000 members of the public, with about 90 000 of them having completed receiving two vaccine doses.
      
     "At present, there is an adequate supply of both the Sinovac vaccine and the BioNTech vaccine, and the vaccination arrangement is very convenient. In addition, people have to wait for 14 days after receiving the two doses of vaccine for the vaccine to fully develop the due protection. To this end, the earlier people get vaccinated, the earlier they can enjoy the status of 'having completed the vaccination', thereby enabling them to meet the requirements for the convenience of travel or carrying out certain activities in the future.
      
     "Getting vaccinated can protect yourself and others, help Hong Kong overcome the epidemic and bring convenience to living, working and travelling. I appeal to members of the public to grasp the opportunity to make appointments for getting vaccinated as soon as possible," Mrs Lam said.

          

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), in collaboration with relevant departments, has stepped up patrols at leisure venues and gazetted beaches during the Easter holiday (April 2 to 6), calling on members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people. The public should also strictly observe regulations on the prohibition of group gathering and must wear masks at all times when being present in any public place.

     As at 4pm today (April 6), more than 14 000 verbal advice and 21 fixed penalty notices were given out during patrols of venues by LCSD staff. The spokesman appealed to members of the public to exercise self-discipline in order to reduce the chances of spreading the virus in the community.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (April 6), 10 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 11 155 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 651 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 197 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 133 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 20 public hospitals and the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, among which nine patients are in critical condition, three are in serious condition and the remaining 121 patients are in stable condition.
 
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.
 
     Details of the above-mentioned patients are as follows: