Hong Kong to tighten COVID-19 rules, seeks to open to China

HONG KONG – Hong Kong volition tighten COVID-19 restrictions contempt a deficiency of section outbreaks to amended align with China’s policies and summation chances of quarantine-free question betwixt the territory and mainland, person Carrie Lam said Tuesday.

It volition measurement up interaction tracing, specified arsenic requiring the usage of its LeaveHomeSafe app successful authorities premises to grounds the coming and going of visitors. It volition besides tighten quarantine rules to exempt lone exigency workers oregon those successful indispensable industries specified arsenic logistics. Currently, those exempt from quarantine see hose crew, banking and security executives, directors of nationalist companies, arsenic good arsenic unit members connected cargo and rider ships, among others.

Hong Kong has not had a large section outbreak since the opening of the year, with virtually nary section transmission successful caller months. But it is mostly closed to planetary travel, and travelers from countries deemed high-risk specified arsenic the U.S. indispensable service a 21-day quarantine.

Ad

Authorities accidental resuming quarantine-free question with the mainland is the apical priority, compared to reopening question internationally.

Lam said tightening restrictions to beryllium “more successful enactment with mainland practices” is indispensable to springiness Chinese authorities assurance to resume quarantine-free cross-boundary travel.

“If Hong Kong were to loosen the borderline controls for radical arriving from overseas oregon follow what different countries person done … to unrecorded with the COVID-19 virus, past the chances of resuming question with the mainland volition beryllium reduced,” she said astatine a play quality league wherever she wore a brace aft precocious breaking her arm.

She dismissed concerns that Hong Kong’s restrictions volition marque it little charismatic arsenic an planetary concern hub. “Hong Kong’s superior vantage lies successful being the gateway to the mainland of China,” she said.

The mainland authorities has maintained a zero-tolerance argumentation toward the pandemic, utilizing lockdowns, quarantines and compulsory investigating to stamp retired COVID-19 outbreaks quickly.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.