HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s universal coronavirus testing program has given the city a big dose of confidence in its fight against the pandemic, said a local doctor who volunteered in the program.

Medical workers taking part in the program have gained valuable experience in handling infectious diseases, boosting the efficiency of the entire medical system in future pandemic-control efforts, Chen Siu-wai told China Daily in a face-to-face interview on Friday.

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As the two-week program winds down on Monday, Chen encouraged more residents to grab the last chance to get tested “so that our city and our economy can get back on track earlier,” she said.

Chen, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, has worked in the community testing center at Choi Hung Road Sports Centre for five half days. Once she finished her work at her clinic in the morning, she would come to the center to help collect residents’ specimens until 8 pm.

Most of the residents who come to the centers are very happy that they can have the chance to take the test, and they are all so grateful for it, and this delighted us too.

Chen Siu-wai, volunteer

For many local medical practitioners, Chen said, being able to take part in the program has been an excellent learning opportunity that has greatly broadened their horizons.

“For many private doctors like me, we don’t get much chance to deal with infectious diseases. but after the mass testing program, we have learned better how to protect ourselves while helping the city to fight the coronavirus,” she said.

After the citywide testing program that was launched on Sept 1, Chen said she feels the whole community has more confidence in combating possible outbreaks in the future, not only because medical workers can be mobilized more easily, but also because the logistics and the venues of testing centers can be arranged faster.

Chen said she was motivated to become a medical volunteer in the program because she was worried that there wouldn’t be enough help at the testing station.

“Many doctors who worked in the public hospitals would have been unable to put aside their work, so as a private doctor, I believed my timetable would be more flexible, so I decided to take the step and sign up for it,” Chen said.

Hong Kong obstetrician Chen Siu-wai volunteers at the community testing center at Choi Hung Road Sports Centre. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Chen said the last thing she would have wanted to see was a lack of medical helpers at testing stations to cater to the needs of residents — a situation that would have forced residents to wait in line for a long time.

Because she didn’t want her family members to worry, Chen did not tell them she had signed up for the program at first.

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About 6,000 local medical workers have signed up for the testing program, exceeding her expectations. The program also received positive feedback from residents. As of 8 pm on Friday, about 1.62 million people have received the test, and 1.45 million specimens have been tested.

Chen said some doctors at testing centers on Hong Kong Island worked all day for six days a week, as all slots were booked.

Despite being occasionally tired, Chen said she and many other volunteers have “thoroughly enjoyed” the process because it has given them a great sense of satisfaction.

 “Most of the residents who come to the centers are very happy that they can have the chance to take the test, and they are all so grateful for it, and this delighted us too,” Chen said.