HONG KONG,18 May 2021: Hong Kong’s government announced Sunday it is tightening quarantine and testing requirements for people arriving from Taiwan effective 17 May.
The decision followed a worsening Covid-19 situation as Taiwan confirmed 206 new cases on Sunday.
According to the government’s statement, people who have stayed in Taiwan for 14 days before boarding a flight to Hong Kong must show the airline a negative nucleic acid test result conducted within 72 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time. They will also have to show confirmation of a room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong.
Upon arrival in Hong Kong, they will enter a test-and-hold zone at the airport. Then on confirmation of negative test results, they will transfer to a designated hotel for compulsory quarantine. Vaccinated travellers will quarantine for 14 days and undergo three tests during the period, followed by seven days of self-monitoring and mandatory testing on the 16th and 19th day since their arrival.
People who are not fully vaccinated will be subject to a 21-day compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels and undergo four tests during the period. Non-Hong Kong residents will be denied entry, the government emphasised.
The Hong Kong government said it had been closely monitoring the epidemic situation in various countries…. and “will adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for people arriving in Hong Kong as the situation warrants.”
A report in the South China Morning Post Monday claimed it was very likely that stricter rules would also extend to travellers from Singapore and Japan. Singapore reported 38 new cases on Sunday and Japan 6,000.
Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection on Monday said it is investigating four additional Covid-19 cases. One of the cases involves a four-month-old boy. The three other cases came from Russia, India and Indonesia. In the past 14 days, it reported 38 cases, including seven local ones, of which one has an unknown infection source.
Hong Kong has administered 1.95 million jabs. However, it needs to vaccinate around 70% of the adult population of 7.25 million residents to achieve herd immunity and reopen travel with Macau and mainland China.
(Source: Hong Kong Government)
