(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government: The Universal Community Testing Program will not send test samples to Hong Kong

  China News Service, Hong Kong, August 14. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government reiterated that the universal community testing program only detects the new crown virus. All tests will only be carried out in Hong Kong, and test samples will not be sent outside Hong Kong, and will be destroyed after the test is completed.

  According to news from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Information Service on the evening of the 13th, the spokesperson strongly condemned the spread of rumors on the Internet that the test samples would be sent overseas, deliberately distorting the facts and attempting to slander the test plan.

  The spokesman said that under the Universal Community Testing Program, test samples and registered personal data will be processed separately, so there is no privacy issue at all. Under the plan, the sample bottles will not be labeled with any personal information, and the testing agency only knows the serial number of the sample bottle and does not know who the sample belongs to.

  The spokesman said that the personal data provided by citizens who voluntarily participated in the test will be encrypted and stored in the server of the SAR government data center for the Department of Health or other relevant departments for epidemic prevention purposes, and must comply with the "Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance" of Hong Kong law (Chapter 486) will not be transmitted overseas. All personal data and test results will be deleted within one month after the plan is completed.

  The spokesperson also clarified that the universal community testing program and the health code are two completely different programs. There is no health code issued to people who are tested with a negative test result, or they can even go to designated places during specific time periods. The health code plan is to prepare for customs clearance in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and it has not yet been launched.

  The spokesperson added that the universal community testing program is a response to Hong Kong society’s demand for universal testing for many months. Through voluntary participation, it provides Hong Kong citizens with a free virus testing service, hoping to find hidden patients in the community and diagnose and treat them as soon as possible. Let the epidemic be brought under control as soon as possible. (Finish)