News Image
Telephone hotline added and designated clinics activated for confirmed patients pending admission to isolation facilities

16.02.2022 10:09


The Hospital Authority (HA) announced on February 15 that it will commence operating a telephone hotline and activate seven designated clinics from February 16 to cope with the rapid and huge increase in number of confirmed patients, which has overwhelmed the capacity of isolation facilities of public hospitals and the community treatment and isolation facilities.

The hotline 1836 115 will operate daily from 8:00am to 10:00pm, seven days a week, to answer enquiries on medical information and provide infection control advice for people pending admission to isolation facilities upon confirmed infection.

In addition, seven designated clinics for confirmed cases of COVID-19 (see appendix) will also be activated to help provide diagnosis and treatment for the people with mild symptoms of infection, such as fever, cough, sore throat, etc., after being notified by the Department of Health on their positive results and awaiting for hospital admission.

In order to implement appropriate infection control arrangements, people seeking consultation must make appointments by telephone to avoid people queuing at the clinics. The healthcare staff of the designated clinics will provide appropriate treatment according to the patient’s clinical condition, and will transfer the patient to the hospitals for further treatment if required.

The designated clinics are open from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Eligible patients should call the selected designated clinic to make an appointment, and will be provided the earliest appointment timeslot in the next 24 hours.

Normal general out-patient services at the designated clinics will be suspended for the time being. Episodic patients who having an appointment made at the seven clinics via telephone booking or mobile application “HA GO” are advised to seek consultation at other General Out-patient Clinics (GOPC) or at private clinics. Chronic patients with follow-up appointments at the clinics are advised to refill their drugs at the Medication Refill Clinics (see appendix) on the appointment day by presenting their appointment slips and identity cards.

Vaccination services (including COVID-19, seasonal influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations) at the seven clinics will also be suspended. Eligible citizens intended to receive vaccinations are advised to go to other selected general out-patient clinics or service points for the vaccinations. Government will send text messages to citizens who have made appointments for COVID-19 vaccination at the seven designated clinics and advise them to go to other community vaccination centres for vaccination service.

The distribution of deep throat saliva specimen collection packs and collection service of specimens at the seven designated clinics will also be suspended. Citizens are advised to go to other selected GOPCs or service points designated by the Government for obtaining the specimen collection packs and submitting the specimens.  Details on the specimen collection packs distribution points and specimen collection points are available at the following website

In addition, in order to focus manpower and resources to support the services of the seven designated clinics, Kam Tin Clinic in Yuen Long will also temporarily suspend services from February 16. The clinic will contact chronic patients with follow-up appointments to make alternative arrangements.