Hong Kong will reduce its mandatory hotel quarantine for international travelers from one week to three days, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced, in an easing of tough Covid-19 restrictions that have hit flights.
Hong Kong, once a global logistics and transportation hub, has been cut off from the rest of the world for more than two years due to its strict adherence to China’s “zero covid” policy.
Under one of the world’s toughest coronavirus regulations, Hong Kong had required those arriving from abroad and Taiwan to undergo mandatory quarantine and repeated testing inside a designated hotel room.
The restriction sparked complaints from residents and businessmen.
Lee announced on Monday that the quarantine period for those arriving would be shortened to three days of hotel quarantine plus four days of health monitoring at home or a hotel of his choice.
Along with the new quarantine provisions, Hong Kong will apply a health code system similar to that of mainland China in a tracking app developed by the government.
With this system, an infected person will receive a red code that will prevent them from leaving isolation.
Foreigners who arrive will be given a yellow code and will not be allowed to enter places such as restaurants, bars, gyms and cinemas during their four days of self-monitoring.
