The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (February 3) that in order to provide appropriate treatment for COVID-19 patients, the HA General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) will strengthen their service this weekend and continue to reserve about 2 000 quotas daily for COVID-19 patient consultation service.

     In the past few days, there were about 1 400 COVID-19 patients attending the GOPCs consultation daily. The HA believes that the quotas reserved for patients in the weekend are sufficient to meet the demand. The 67 GOPCs that provide consultation service on Saturday will continue to operate this Saturday morning (February 4). As for Sunday morning (February 5), in addition to the 14 GOPCs scheduled to provide consultation service, the HA will also open the Cheung Sha Wan Jockey Club GOPC on the same morning to provide service for COVID-19 patients in need. Please refer to Annex 1 for the list of GOPCs providing consultation services on Sunday.

     The HA will continue to closely monitor the operation of the clinics, and will deploy additional quotas and manpower to support patients as appropriate.

     All confirmed patients can make an appointment for consultation services at GOPCs through the following ways:
     

1. Using the "BookCOVID" function of the "HA Go" mobile app;
2. Using the GOPC Telephone Appointment System to book an appointment. Patients can refer to the HA website www.ha.org.hk/goto/gopc/en for the booking telephone number;
3. Calling the HA enquiry hotline 1836 115. The hotline will refer COVID-19 patients who are in need of GOPCs for further treatment.

     In addition, the seven "Care Booking Lines" (see Annex 2) will continue to provide assistance and give priority to high-risk COVID-19 patients to make appointments.

     The HA will announce the information of GOPC quotas reserved for COVID-19 patients at 8.30am and 1pm every day and will update the information in a timely manner according to the reservation situation. The public can refer to the following hyperlink: www32.ha.org.hk/covid/en/quota.

     The HA urges confirmed patients with mild symptoms or lower risks to consult private doctors so as to alleviate the pressure on the Accident and Emergency or GOPC services. Patients who require COVID-19 oral drugs can refer to the following hyperlink to consult the relevant private doctors: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/tp_pd_antiviral.pdf.

Ends/Friday, February 3, 2023
Issued at HKT 19:25

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