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Community testing centres and stations to operate as usual during Lunar New Year
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     The Government reminded members of the public today (January 18) that the 80-plus community testing centres and stations (CTCs and CTSs) in various districts across the city will operate as usual during the Lunar New Year to enable citizens in need of testing (including persons who plan to travel to the Mainland) to undergo testing. Opening hours will remain the same. The Government strongly advised individuals who need to undergo self-paid nucleic acid testing to book a testing time slot online in advance, such that their waiting time at CTCs and CTSs can be substantially reduced.
 
     At present, abundant booking places are still available for reservation at all CTC/CTSs in the city. As at noon today, the number of booking places available for the coming three days is over 90 000 daily on average, and more than 80 per cent of the CTC/CTSs (i.e. around 70 in actual number) still offer booking places for today and tomorrow.

     A Government spokesman said, "The time slots open for online booking cover as far as the next four weeks. We strongly advise individuals planning to travel northbound to the Mainland to get prepared as early as possible and book a testing time slot in advance according to their own itinerary. CTCs and CTSs will accord priority for testing to individuals who have made a booking, so persons without a booking may need to wait for a relatively longer time. Furthermore, if the slots for self-paid service at certain CTC/CTSs are fully booked on certain days, persons without a booking can choose to undergo self-paid testing at other CTC/CTSs.
  
     "To cope with the testing needs of persons going northbound in recent days, the Government has already requested testing contractors to ramp up manpower and set up more registration/swabbing booths at certain busier CTCs and CTSs to cater for the increasing demand."

     Members of the public may check the latest booking status of various CTC/CTSs online and the list of CTC/CTSs with less flow of people, before booking testing time slots online in advance. Members of the public who have made a booking or use the Testing Registration Code can save the time for registration on site and complete the testing more smoothly.

     The spokesman also reminded persons who have made a booking to arrive at the CTC/CTS on time according to the time slot they booked. In addition, electronic reports issued by testing institutions or the self-paid nucleic acid testing electronic record that can be downloaded from the COVID-19 Electronic Testing Record System can be used for cross-boundary travel and presentation to relevant staff at boundary control points for checking. There is no need for persons travelling to the Mainland to collect paper form reports at CTC/CTSs.
 
Ends/Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:55
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