Coronavirus: 1.5 million apply for Hong Kong’s free mask scheme in first 11 hours after website goes live
- Government is giving every one of city’s 7.5 million inhabitants mask that can be used 60 times
- Website went online at 7am and people can apply until June 6
The government scheme has been well-received as the city seeks to return to normal, with no new local coronavirus infections for 17 straight days, while also keeping its guard up to avoid a relapse.
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang said there was no need to rush as the registration period would remain open for a month.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who visited the mask factory in Tsuen Wan to thank workers and staff, said 1.57 million people had applied online by 6pm for the CuMask+, its name derived from the chemical symbol for copper, a key filtering component, and also playing on the words “see you”.
“The system is operating well. I accessed the page and some of my colleagues also finished registration,” Sit told a radio programme in the morning.
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