Hong Kong could be on the verge of scrapping its mandatory hotel quarantine requirement for international arrivals.
Multiple media outlets reported over the weekend that the government is planning to introduce a “0+7” scheme which would see arrivals only required to self-monitor for seven days rather than undertake the current “3+4” model, requiring three days of hotel quarantine and four days of home surveillance.
The Oriental Daily was first to report the government’s plan, which it said could be announced as early as this coming week. Hong Kong’s health chief Lo Chung-mau then confirmed the proposal during an interview with Radio Television Hong Kong on Saturday, stating the government is “actively considering” scrapping hotel quarantine due to declining case numbers across the city.
A key government advisor has also called for mandatory PCR testing to be scrapped for inbound arrivals in order to help Hong Kong align itself with the rest of the world.
“If the COVID-19 figures in the coming one to two weeks continue to decrease and our medical sector can bear with it, I believe the government should actively consider loosening [quarantine measures],” said pandemic advisor David Hui Shu-cheong.
However, while the move would open Hong Kong up to the world, it would likely make any full reopening of its borders with mainland China and Macau a more distant prospect given China’s ongoing zero-COVID stance.
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