Penny’s Bay given manpower boost as numbers rise

The Chief Secretary John Lee on Wednesday said manpower at the Penny’s Bay quarantine centre had been boosted by two-thirds to a thousand and that a 24-hour hotline had been put in place, in a move to improve arrangements.

Lee said, since the fifth Covid wave began, the number of people sent into quarantine had jumped over a short period of time, leading to delayed Covid tests at the camp and phone lines being jammed. He said legislators had also mentioned problems at the camp.

Writing on his blog after visiting the centre, Lee said experienced staff would now only be responsible for entering information into the computer about those in quarantine, and that entry and departure records would be checked every night.

Lee also said the Department of Health would lead a new coordination group to improve communication between front line officers.