Hong Kong residents crossing border at Shenzhen Bay Port can soon book Covid-19 tests online as eager travellers throng checkpoint
- New system is aimed at easing crowding at the crossing point as travellers head to mainland China
- Traffic has intensified after the Shenzhen government increased quota of quarantine hotel rooms
Shenzhen authorities also announced on Sunday a new measure to crack down on scalping of quarantine hotel rooms by allocating them through drawing lots following discussions with the Hong Kong government.
Shenzhen Bay Port, one of just two land passenger crossings that remain open amid the pandemic, has been packed with crowds in the morning over the weekend after the Guangdong provincial city boosted the number of quarantine hotel rooms by 700 to 2,000 a day and added additional spots for those in need.
As seen during a Post visit on Sunday, queues snaked outside the checkpoint as hundreds of travellers from Hong Kong waited to undergo the required nucleic acid test before crossing.
Among the early birds was logistics worker Nelson Yuen, 52, who arrived at the crossing at 10.45am. He had lined up for two hours to get his test done, but by 3.15pm, the result was still not ready.
Planning to visit his relatives on the mainland, Yuen said the Shenzhen government should have made more quarantine hotel rooms available.