Travellers in Hong Kong no longer have to quarantine in designated hotels, it's been announced. They are also not required to produce a negative PCR test within 48 hours of boarding a plane as the city seeks to open up globally again.
However the city’s chief executive John Lee also said travellers will need to present a negative Covid-19 result from a rapid antigen test conducted within 24 hours before boarding the flight. The new measures will come into effect from Monday.
“While we can control the trend of the epidemic, we must allow the maximum room to allow connectivity with the world, so that we can have economic momentum and to reduce inconvenience to arriving travellers,” said Mr Lee. There must be a “balance between risks and economic growth”, he added.
From Monday, travellers into Hong Kong will have to undergo three days of home monitoring. If they test negative for Covid-19 after three days, they will be allowed into venues such as restaurants and bars.
For nearly two years, Hong Kong required overseas arrivals in the city to quarantine in designated hotels. At one point, the city had among the world’s longest quarantine periods at 21 days of mandatory isolation.
The easing of measures comes as Hong Kong prepares to hold several high profile events, including the Rugby Sevens tournament in November and an international banking summit. Neighbouring Taiwan is expected to do the same next month.
This leaves mainland China as a destination that will still require travellers to quarantine on arrival. Hong Kong has, for most of the pandemic, aligned with China’s “zero-Covid” strategy.
The Rugby Sevens is making a comeback in the city for the first time since the pandemic began. Organisers said 10,000 Rugby Sevens tickets will go on sale to the public on September 28.
At a news conference on Friday, they said risk mitigation measures will be taken for the tournament. This includes making sure that all players and officials involved have had at least two Covid-19 vaccinations.
“The return of the Hong Kong Sevens means business is returning too. And I know we can’t wait for both to fill the stands, and the streets and shops, restaurants and hopefully bars as well,” said financial secretary Paul Chan at the Rugby Sevens news conference.
“The momentum will keep on building. And long beyond. There will be no stopping our many prestigious international events."
The relaxation of travel requirements drew optimistic reactions from some residents in the city. “I think (reopening) has to be step-by-step, it’s positive,” said Samuel Tsang
However, there are others who believe that three days of monitoring for arrivals is still an inconvenient measure. “It’s too late. Everybody else has opened up for such a long time,” said Eva Leung.
“The economy has become like this, no one is coming,” she said, adding that it is still a hassle, especially for business travellers who have to move around the city for work. “It’s still not convenient.”
