Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travellers
The Hindu
Close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19 will also no longer need to isolate in Hong Kong
Hong Kong will scrap some of its COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for inbound travellers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues, the city’s leader said on Wednesday.
For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, requiring stringent COVID-19 tests and isolation for close contacts of infected cases as well as for incoming travellers.
Also read: China health commission stops publishing daily COVID figures
But the mainland has relaxed measures in recent weeks, and Hong Kong is preparing for the January reopening of its border with China, which had previously imposed harsh restrictions and snap lockdowns to stamp out the virus.
“Our society as a whole has built an extensive and high-level barrier of immunity (to COVID-19),” said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee at a news conference. Over 80% of the city has at least three doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
Close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19 will also no longer need to isolate in Hong Kong, he said, and there will no longer be a limit on the number of diners per table at restaurants. The relaxed measures will take effect from Thursday.
Masks, however, will still need to be worn in public unless residents are exercising, as doing away with masks may lead to a surge in respiratory diseases like influenza just as Hong Kong faces a seasonal surge of flu cases, said Secretary of Health Lo Chung-mau at the news conference.
With a new government in place in Delhi, Singapore hopes to schedule the Ministerial Roundtable with India shortly, says Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. In an exclusive interview, he speaks about the impact of the elections on ties, the “missed opportunity” of RCEP and the new buzz around Andhra Pradesh’s capital Amaravati.