Hong Kong is scrapping some of its last remaining Covid restrictions following China’s rapid shift away from the zero-tolerance approach. A drastic change of entry rules will be followed as of Wednesday, December 14.
Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau told a news conference Tuesday that travelers arriving in the city would no longer be issued an “amber code” barring them from entering restaurants and bars during their first three days.
The government will lift a ban on international arrivals going to bars or eating at restaurants, and stop requiring people to scan a QR code on their phones to enter venues, Chief Executive John Lee said at a press conference Tuesday. Some venues will still need proof of vaccination upon entry, he said, without mentioning whether the government intends to remove the mask mandate.
Masks will still be required except for exercising. Some restaurants may still restrict their premises in asking for proof of vaccination, but from Wednesday this week, international travelers will no longer undergo COVID-19 entry and movement restrictions. The COVID mobile app will also no longer be mandatory.
Travelers to Hong Kong had to quarantine in hotel rooms, unable to eat in restaurants, even hotel restaurants. This will end on Wednesday.
Everyone arriving from overseas, including residents, will be allowed into all locales provided they test negative for COVID-19 on arrival, John Lee said.
“They will still need to show a photograph or paper record of their COVID-19 vaccines at some venues which require it, Lo Chung-mau told journalists but those arriving in the territory will not face restrictions when moving around. Gyms, clubs, and salons will open.
Residents and visitors had slammed Hong Kong’s COVID-19 rules, saying they threatened its competitiveness and standing as an international financial center.
“We have to consider measures that will help to revive our economic and social activities, Lo said, adding that the changes would take effect from Wednesday.
Travel from Hong Kong to Macao and mainland China will also be eased to “keep in line with mainland China’s policy,” Lo said.
International travelers are still required to undergo a PCR test on arrival in Hong Kong and on the second day of their visit, plus five days of rapid antigen tests. Those testing positive must isolate.
Hong Kong has closely followed China’s zero-COVID policy since 2020 but began gradually easing restrictions in August.
Health secretary Lo also explained, infected people isolated at home would no longer be required to wear an electronic tag restricting them to their residence.
Hong Kong removed mandatory quarantine for overseas travelers in September, following more than two and a half years of isolation that threatened its status as an international business hub and plunged the economy into recession.
Cathay Pacific welcomes move
Cathay Pacific airlines has welcome this latest measures to facilitate travel to Hong Kong, especially the decision to remove the Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass for inbound persons entering Hong Kong effective tomorrow, 14 December 2022.
The adjustments will help further boost sentiment for travel, especially among inbound visitors, thereby facilitating the resumption of travel activities and strengthening of network connectivity at the Hong Kong aviation hub.
The Cathay Pacific Group, which includes passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express, has already added about 3,000 passenger flight sectors in the fourth quarter of this year. This includes Cathay Pacific resuming flights to popular destinations such as Tokyo (Haneda), Denpasar (Bali) and Zurich in November, as well as Sapporo, Fukuoka, Penang and Dhaka in December. More popular destinations are set to be resumed in 2023, including Phuket and Nagoya in January.
Meanwhile, HK Express has resumed flights to Tokyo (Haneda), Chiang Mai and Da Nang in December, with services to Jeju and Busan in the pipeline for January.
The Group remains fully committed to rebuilding the connectivity of the Hong Kong international aviation hub. As a Group, we are on track to achieve our target of operating up to one-third of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of 2022. We anticipate that we will be operating around 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, with an aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.