DB Plaza one of 53 sites hit with testing order

A community organiser from the group DB Watchdog says a new compulsory testing order, covering the main plaza in Discovery Bay, will further compound problems there.

The order follows a separate one, issued late on Tuesday, after sewage samples were found to contain Covid-19, and a number of people who work in the area tested positive.

Jonathan Chow said that on Wednesday, there had been two testing stations, which wasn’t enough for some 18,000 residents.

“Things didn’t go well because it started at 1.00 [pm] but it end up starting at 2.40 – and the quota is basically very less [sic]. What we were told is that we have 600 tokens that will be distributed at one of the centres and the other will be 300 – and so in total it will be 900,” Chow said.

Chow expressed concern about the latest compulsory testing order covering DB Plaza, saying it involved many residents, and required them to take two tests by Monday.

He told RTHK it was a big mess.

Chow called for the government to set up more testing stations in residential areas.

“I think the best way is to set up more collection stations at different residential areas,” he said.

“However, I doubt they can do it because I have just received information last night that one of the stations will be closed by today, which is at the primary school.”

Chow also called for clarity on whether the DB Plaza notice meant residents would have to get a total of three tests.

DB Plaza was one of 53 places, named by the Centre for Health Protection, in its latest round of testing orders. The CHP has named buildings and locations from across the SAR – including sites in Mid-levels, Yuen Long, Sham Shui Po and Eastern, among others.