Hong Kong is scrapping most of the COVID rules, though masks are still mandatory

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong will scrap its strict coronavirus rules from Thursday, city leader John Lee said, meaning arrivals will no longer need to take mandatory PCR tests while the city’s vaccine permit will also be revoked.

All measures will be canceled on Thursday, except for the wearing of masks, which remains mandatory, Lee said at a media briefing on Wednesday.

“The city has reached a relatively high vaccination rate, which is conducive to building a barrier against the epidemic,” Li said.

He added, “Hong Kong has a sufficient amount of medicine to combat the Corona virus, and health care workers have accumulated rich experience in dealing with the epidemic.”

Li said his government aims to reopen the border with China by January 15, and is working with authorities across the border to ensure an orderly reopening.

He said the authorities were preparing to remove all restrictions.

“The time is right for us to do it,” he told me, “now that we’ve been preparing for six months to do it.” “The whole community is preparing for it. We are doing all this according to our local epidemiological situation.”

The Hong Kong vaccine permit requirement, which was imposed in February and was necessary for people to get to most places in Hong Kong, will expire from Thursday. Social distancing rules, such as capping gatherings of more than 12 people in public, will also be scrapped from Thursday.

The city for nearly three years has largely followed China’s lead in tackling the novel coronavirus, with both places being the last bastions in embracing a COVID-free policy.

The removal of restrictions is likely to increase travelers to the former British colony who previously avoided them due to the strict restrictions.

In a surprising change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world’s most stringent lockdown and extensive testing regime. Authorities said this week that the country will stop requiring incoming travelers to enter quarantine from January 8.

Travel restrictions were introduced between Hong Kong and the mainland in early 2020. Reopening has been postponed several times due to outbreaks in Hong Kong or the mainland.

The government announced in December that international passengers arriving in Hong Kong since the middle of the month were no longer subject to COVID-related movement controls or prohibited from entering certain places.

Business groups, diplomats and many residents have criticized Hong Kong’s COVID-19 rules, saying they threaten its competitiveness and status as an international financial centre.

The rules have affected Hong Kong’s economy since early 2020, accelerating the exodus of businesses, expats and local families who left amid a campaign by Beijing to take closer control of the former British colony.

Additional reporting by Jesse Pang and Angel Wu. Editing by Tom Hogg, Lincoln Feast and Muralikumar Anantharaman

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