HONG KONG (Reuters) -International travellers to Hong Kong will now not must do a compulsory PCR COVID-19 test on arrival, local broadcaster TVB said on Wednesday citing sources, adding that the town’s vaccine pass required to enter most venues would even be scrapped.
Hong Kong leader John Lee is because of hold a media briefing at 3.30pm (0730 GMT) to provide further details.
The expected announcement comes after Lee said on Saturday that Hong Kong would reopen its borders with mainland China by mid-January.
Hong Kong has for nearly three years largely followed China’s lead in tackling the novel coronavirus.
In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world’s strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing. The country will stop requiring inbound travellers to enter quarantine from Jan. 8, authorities said this week.
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Restrictions on travel between Hong Kong and the mainland were imposed in early 2020. The reopening was postponed several times because of outbreaks in Hong Kong or the mainland. Hong Kong and China have lagged the remaining of the world in easing stringent COVID rules.
International passengers arriving in Hong Kong since mid-month are not any longer subject to COVID-related movement controls or barred from certain venues.
And while Hong Kong has effectively dismantled lots of its stringent COVID rules in recent months, masks are still compulsory in public places unless exercising, while international arrivals are required to do a PCR COVID-19 test on arrival and once more two days later. A compulsory vaccine pass has also been in place since February.
Lee has said the federal government was taking a gradual approach to relaxing restrictions to minimise public health risks.
(Reporting by Jessie Pang, Twinnie Siu and Farah Master; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)
Copyright 2022 Thomson Reuters.
