26 Jan 2021 | 12:05 PM UTC
China: Authorities extending COVID-19 measures in Hong Kong through at least Feb. 3 /update 50
Officials extend COVID-19 restrictions in Hong Kong, China, through Feb. 3. Additional lockdown measures possible. Entry ban ongoing.
Event
Hong Kong authorities have extended gathering and commercial restrictions through at least Feb. 3 due to ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) activity. Public gatherings of more than two people are banned, including at restaurants and sports facilities. Most nonessential businesses are closed, and dine-in services at restaurants must end at 1800. Most civil servants are working from home, though authorities intend to resume some basic public services from Jan. 28. In-person classes at kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools also remain suspended, though some students may return to classrooms with capacity limits. The government requires residents to wear facemasks in all public areas and on public transport.
Authorities are conducting mandatory testing for high-risk groups, including people who work or live at locations with outbreaks or employees in specific occupations. Officials also require residents that may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested. People who do not take required tests are subject to a fine of HKD 2,000 (USD 258); officials could impose a fine of up to HKD 25,000 (USD 3,225) or prison sentences of up to six months for those who repeatedly fail to get tested. The government intends to continue focused, short-duration lockdown orders in neighborhoods where officials determine COVID-19 is spreading; authorities have warned that they may no longer announce new shutdowns in advance.
Hong Kong has restricted land border crossings with mainland China indefinitely. Authorized travelers are only permitted entry at the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Immigration processing centers at Ocean Terminal and Kai Tak Cruise Terminal remain closed. Increased absenteeism may continue, especially for employees who work in Hong Kong but reside in mainland China.
Officials are allowing some transit flights at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) if grouped in a single booking and the connection time is shorter than 24 hours. Airport Authority Hong Kong is permitting transit flights originating from mainland China until further notice under the same rules; transit flights to mainland China remain banned. Airlines have significantly reduced flights due to decreased demand; additional cancellations are likely.
Travel Restrictions
The government continues to ban all nonresident foreign nationals from entering the territory. Travelers from Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China can enter Hong Kong, provided they have no recent travel history elsewhere. Travelers arriving from Macau and Guangdong Province seeking to avoid quarantine must make a reservation online and only enter via open border checkpoints. Officials have barred entry for individuals who have stayed in Brazil, Ireland, South Africa, or the UK for more than two hours within 21 days of departure.
Hong Kong designates Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the US as very high-risk areas. Returning residents arriving from these locations must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 result from a test taken within 72 hours before departure.
Officials require all arriving travelers, except from mainland China, Macau, and Taiwan, to quarantine at a hotel for 21 days; travelers must present a hotel reservation for the entire period before boarding flights. All arriving travelers must undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival in Hong Kong and at the end of the quarantine period, if applicable. Officials will isolate and treat symptomatic passengers or people testing positive for COVID-19 at government-designated facilities. Authorities have exempted some mainland Chinese teachers, students, and business travelers whose activities officials deem economically beneficial to the territory from the mandatory quarantine, provided they test negative for COVID-19.
Officials are maintaining quarantine measures for crews of aircraft and maritime vessels indefinitely. Under the requirements, ships without cargo cannot exchange crews. On other ships, workers are no longer allowed to enter the territory and must travel directly to the airport after disembarking if completing their service on board. Inbound ship crews and flight crew members must obtain a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of departure for Hong Kong. Both airlines and shipping companies must arrange point-to-point transport for employees to limit interaction with the public.
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. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.
Exercise basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). There is no evidence that the influenza vaccine, antibiotics, or antiviral medications will prevent this disease, highlighting the importance of diligent basic health precautions.
