The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) confirms that Jockey Victor C Wong has been tested positive to COVID-19 during a regular PCR test this morning. In accordance with Club’s stringent anti-pandemic policy for licensed persons, all jockeys take PCR tests seven days a week with same day results from the Club’s Chief Medical Officer Team at Union Hospital. The PCR tests on racedays are analysed by Union Hospital on a prioritized schedule so that the results are always received before the commencement of the race meeting. Wong’s test result returned negative on the morning of 20 March and he was hence allowed to participate in the race meeting yesterday afternoon.

Wong is now isolating at his home in Tai Po and awaiting further instruction from the public health authority for the required period. Wong will stand down from the upcoming race meeting on 23 March as well as trials and track work activities until further notice. 

Designed in conjunction with the Club’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and our own biosecurity experts the Club has developed stringent preventive measures to protect jockeys inside the “racing bubble”. This includes 100% third shot vaccination, PPE, testing, strict rules on social gathering, daily activity supervision, and compliance monitoring.

As an additional preventive measures, the Club has separated the jockeys into multiple separate groups both on racedays and for operational management on non-racedays. Other four relevant jockeys in the same group as Wong, namely Jerry C L Chau, Alfred K H Chan, Alex H W Lai and Dylan H T Mo took the regular PCR tests yesterday and this morning, with all results returned negative.  Nevertheless, in order to eliminate any slightest risk regardless of how remote, the Club has decided that these four jockeys will also stand down from the race meeting on 23 March as well as trials and track work activities. We will ensure that they will undertake the daily PCR test as mandated in the coming days and decide next steps in light of the test results. We will make a further announcement in due course.

The replacement for Wong and other four jockeys’ commitment for the race meeting on 23 March will be released separately.