Hong Kong to Lift Flight Ban on 9 Countries from Next Month...Significantly Easing Quarantine Measures

Hotel Quarantine Period Reduced from 14 to 7 Days
Social Distancing Measures to Be Gradually Eased from the 21st of Next Month

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Hong Kong, which had been imposing strict quarantine measures akin to a 'city lockdown' on citizens due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, will significantly ease related standards starting next month.

On the 21st, the South China Morning Post of Hong Kong reported this, citing the announcement by Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's Chief Executive. According to the announcement, starting from the 1st of next month, the flight ban on nine countries including the United States will be lifted, and the hotel quarantine period for arrivals will be shortened from 14 days to 7 days. Arrivals will receive a negative PCR test result on the 5th day and negative rapid antigen test results on the 6th and 7th days.

Social distancing measures will be eased in three stages over three months starting from the 21st of next month, and elementary schools, international schools, and kindergartens will resume in-person classes from the 19th of the same month. The quarantine stages will apply to restaurants, gyms, other businesses, and public gatherings, and the existing ban on private gatherings of two or more households will also be lifted.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Regarding this decision, Chief Executive Lam explained, "We have spent a long time considering which quarantine mode to adopt and are working to identify the most suitable roadmap for the city," emphasizing the need to establish a long-term plan by considering opinions from local and mainland experts. He stressed, "We are all concerned about socio-economic development, so we will broadly consult with various stakeholders in Hong Kong to create a more permanent path that allows Hong Kong to address the public health crisis in a more targeted manner." He further stated, "For a long-term public health strategy, we must consider both maintaining Hong Kong's access to the mainland and ensuring continuous connections with the outside world."

At the same time, focus will be placed on improving vaccination rates. Currently, the first-dose vaccination rate among children aged 3 to 11 is 57%, and about 70% of the population aged 70 and above have received their first vaccine dose.

The controversial plan to implement mandatory COVID-19 testing has been put on hold. According to the government's latest recommendations, people infected with COVID-19 in the past three months are exempt from all forms of mandatory testing. Chief Executive Lam stated, "Although the epidemic situation in Hong Kong has eased considerably, the situation remains serious," adding, "Experts have also said that at this stage, it is not appropriate to allocate limited resources to universal testing. Timing is crucial." However, he added, "We will review the application of mandatory universal testing depending on time and circumstances."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.