Hong Kong announced a further loosening of COVID-19 curbs in the global financial hub starting Wednesday (December 14) when international passengers arriving in the territory would no longer face COVID-19 movement controls or be barred from certain venues, and that it was also scrapping mandatory COVID-19 mobile application.
From Wednesday, travelers and all residents coming from overseas will be allowed into all locales provided they test negative for COVID-19 on arrival, but they will still need to show a photograph or paper record of their COVID-19 vaccines at some venues which require it, Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau told a press briefing on Tuesday (December 13).
All arrivals face no restrictions on moving around, he added.
Hong Kong has closely followed China’s zero-COVID policy since 2020 but began gradually easing restrictions in August, cutting mandated hotel quarantine to three days before scrapping it completely in September, more than 2-1/2 years after the virus emerged.
Masks are still mandated across the city unless exercised. Group gatherings of more than 12 people are banned, but people can still go to nightclubs and attend banquets where hundreds of people are present.
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Production: Thomas Suen, Angie Teo