China: Authorities in Hong Kong to ease certain domestic COVID-19-related restrictions from April 21 /update 94

Event

Hong Kong will relax domestic COVID-19-related measures from April 21, easing social distancing rules and the limit on public groups to four people, while lifting restrictions on home gatherings. Restaurants can operate until 22:00; banquets can take place with up to 20 people. The government will also allow personal services, fitness sites, and cultural and leisure venues to reopen at 50-percent capacity.

Domestic Measures
Residents must wear facemasks in all public areas. Private events can occur at 50-percent capacity; officials permit events at full capacity if at least two-thirds of attendees have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Authorities encourage workplaces to implement telecommuting arrangements, if possible.

The vaccine pass system remains in effect. Officials require a pass, indicating at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, to visit high-risk venues, such as personal services, fitness establishments, and houses of worship. Nightclubs, pubs, and karaoke rooms remain closed. Individuals must use the Leave Home Safe mobile application to access most dining, entertainment, and fitness facilities. Alternative forms are available for exempt groups.

Officials require mandatory testing for high-risk groups and individuals potentially exposed to COVID-19. People who do not comply face a fine of HKD 25,000 and prison sentences of up to six months. The government continues to order focused, short-duration lockdowns at select buildings within an area and require residents to remain at home until testing is complete. Shutdowns can occur without notice but typically take place overnight.

International Travel Restrictions
Authorities continue to ban most nonresident foreign nationals from entry. Officials permit entry for fully vaccinated residents and all travelers who spent the previous 14 days in Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China. Vaccinated senior executives of select publicly listed or registered financial services companies can enter if they meet specific criteria. Permitted executives must undergo COVID-19 testing and adhere to approved itineraries.

Most inbound passengers must provide a negative PCR test result from a sample taken 48 hours or less before arrival; authorities calculate the sample time and date from the time zone of the inbound flight for connecting passengers. All foreign arrivals at HKG must provide documentation that the testing organization is ISO 15189 certified or accredited by the local government. Passengers from mainland China and Macau must present a negative PCR test taken within three days before arrival; tests must be conducted by laboratories mutually agreed upon by Hong Kong and Guangdong officials or approved by China's National Health Commission. Passengers must also hold a reservation at a designated quarantine hotel to board flights. Arrivals must undergo on-arrival COVID-19 testing and remain in specified areas of HKG until receiving a negative result before continuing to hotel quarantine.

Fully vaccinated arrivals from mainland China and Macau must quarantine for seven days at a hotel or home and receive a negative COVID-19 test on day five to exit. Unvaccinated arrivals from both locations must quarantine for 14 days; home quarantine is possible in some circumstances. Unvaccinated arrivals from Taiwan and fully vaccinated returning residents outside of Greater China must quarantine for two weeks at designated hotels, take a daily rapid antigen test (RAT), and PCR tests on days 5 and 12. However, passengers can opt for a seven-day quarantine but must return negative test results on days 5-7 to exit early. Travelers seeking reduced quarantine should only book hotel reservations for seven days. All arrivals must self-monitor for symptoms for an additional week after release and undergo further testing on specified days. For a detailed list of quarantine and testing requirements, click here.

The government allows some groups, such as government officials on duty and cargo and coach drivers, to self-quarantine. All people in self-quarantine are subject to enhanced monitoring. Hong Kong residents who only visited low-risk areas in mainland China or Macau, as well as nonresidents who have been in Guangdong Province or Macau for the previous 14 days, can forgo quarantine by making a reservation online. The government operates a quota system for such arrivals. Entrants under the scheme must enter via the Shenzhen Bay or Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoints or Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), take a COVID-19 test within three days before entry, and undergo tests on specified days after arrival. All other border checkpoints remain closed.

Inbound ship and flight crews must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours before departure for Hong Kong. Aircrews must quarantine at designated hotels for seven days and undergo a PCR test on day seven; officials may require additional routine testing after quarantine. Airlines and shipping companies must arrange point-to-point transport for employees to limit interaction with the public; ship workers must travel directly to the airport after disembarking. Cruise ships remain banned.

The government will suspend specific airline routes for seven days if three passengers test positive for COVID-19 on arrival. Authorities will also halt an airline's route for a week if one person tests positive upon arrival and the airline did not enforce a pre-departure test check for one other passenger. Flight cancellations can occur on designated routes without notice.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by local health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.

Resources

Hong Kong Government
Leave Home Safe