All new arrivals into Hong Kong must continue to undertake two PCR tests. - Bloomberg
HONG KONG (Bloomberg): Hong Kong will allow people to enter bars without a negative rapid test, and scrapped limits on patrons for a raft of venues, as the financial hub continues to slowly loosen some of its last remaining Covid curbs ahead of a trip by the city’s leader to Beijing.
The end of the testing rule for entry to venues including bars and nightclubs, which was put in place in June, will take effect from Thursday (Dec 22), officials announced on Tuesday. The cap on the number of people allowed to participate in banquets, which is currently 240, will also end. The 12 people per table limit for restaurants will be kept, but may be the next measure to be relaxed, Under Secretary for Health Libby Lee said.
The mask mandate will remain in place as it’s effective against Covid and other respiratory diseases, Lee said, adding that it’s likely to be the last measure the government adjusts. The vaccine requirement for entry into most venues will also be kept, as will the 12-person limit for outdoor gatherings.
"We are heading toward a normal life,” she said at the briefing. "It depends on how fast we go forward. We will seek every opportunity to relax the measures.”
The changes, the latest in a slow unwinding of strict Covid curbs that hobbled growth and hurt the city’s standing as a global financial hub, come into effect as Chief Executive John Lee heads to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping. Lee said earlier he’ll use the duty visit that runs from Wednesday to Saturday to update Xi on his efforts to control Covid while ensuring the economy can be strengthened.
His visit also coincides with growing expectations for the city’s border with mainland China to reopen for the first time in three years as the latter shifts away from Covid Zero. Hong Kong is preparing to resume its high-speed rail services with the mainland, and the South China Morning Post reported preparations are being made for a full reopening early next month.
Even with Hong Kong lifting some of its harshest Covid curbs, including scrapping mandatory hotel quarantine for inbound travellers in late-September, the city has kept a number of virus rules in place. As well as mask wearing, all new arrivals into the city must continue to undertake two PCR tests. Daily rapid tests remain in place for schools, though Libby Lee said the health department will take advantage of the holiday break to look at whether there’s room to change the requirement.
The city has seen an uptick in infections, reporting more than 15,000 new daily cases, though health officials said that the situation was showing signs of stabilizing. The city anticipates demand on the public hospital system will increase, but can deploy more staff and beds if necessary.
