Large queues as people rush to buy rapid test kits

Long queues formed in Sham Shui Po on Sunday outside shops selling rapid antigen test kits for the coronavirus as the Covid-19 outbreak expanded in Hong Kong.

But many people who bought tests kits as cheap as HK$20 said they were not sure whether the test kits were recognised by authorities.

One man said he had spent HK$400 to buy 20 test kits.

“I don’t know if they are recognised by the government. I will give them a try anyway,” he said.

A lady said she bought the test kits as a precaution.

“The government’s PCR tests are more precise but it takes longer to get the results. I’ve bought test kits of different brands so I can do self-tests when necessary,” she said.

A woman surnamed To said she had bought five test kits for HK$100.

“I’m worried they might not be accurate. I really don’t know… I didn’t check the government’s list,” she said.

The government has said it accepted rapid antigen test kits recognised by authorities of major markets including the mainland, Europe and the United States.

It has also published a list of rapid test kits that it had procured recently, saying the public could refer to it.

It includes test kits manufactured by Beijing Hotgen, PHASE Scientific International Limited and Guangdong Hecin.