Covid-19: Hong Kong mulls limited form of quarantine-free travel by Nov; health code may be expanded in future

Hong Kong leader John Lee has reported the first stage of the impending China-design and style health and fitness code process will only use to all those contaminated with Covid-19 and incoming travellers, but did not rule out attainable expansion in the upcoming.

In the meantime, the city’s wellbeing chief reportedly mentioned that quarantine-totally free vacation could be permitted by November on the ailment that arrivals undertake nucleic acid assessments and are banned from “high-chance functions.”

The main govt was asked no matter whether he would assure that the proposed wellbeing code system would not be expanded to protect a lot more teams on Wednesday early morning, when he achieved the press soon after attending the initial regular monthly ante-chamber assembly between top officers and lawmakers.

Lee did not reply directly, expressing only that anti-epidemic measures had to be made “according to conditions.”

Well being authorities declared on Monday that they will introduce true-identify registration for the get in touch with-tracing LeaveHomeSafe application and China-design and style health and fitness codes to “identify” individuals infected or undergoing quarantine. The date of implementation is nonetheless to be announced. Purple codes will be issued to folks contaminated with Covid-19, though yellow codes will apply to all those who have arrived from abroad.

Lee extra that there could be “changes” pursuing the first implementation of the health code, but did not elaborate.

Conditional quarantine-absolutely free vacation

The Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau informed the SCMP that the governing administration is currently weighing the prospective buyers of permitting conditional quarantine-free of charge journey by November.

Lo stated a cut in resort quarantine time would be made possible by the introduction of the new well being code method, as perfectly as prohibition of “high-hazard pursuits,” these as bar gatherings.

“At [the] minimum PCR screening is needed. But does quarantine have to be confined to a set place? … Could it be professional medical surveillance, as well as a yellow code and not showing up in a bar for the first several days? I won’t rule that out,” he claimed.

The minister mentioned he would still require to critique the most recent info on the positivity rate of nucleic acid examination benefits among the overseas arrivals on the 3rd day of their lodge isolation before deciding how to modify the quarantine requirements.

In accordance to Lo, the relaxation of quarantine rules could appear right before a summit of international bankers scheduled on November 1 and 2.

When requested at the same press assembly on Wednesday if the government presently experienced a routine for soothing journey principles, Main Govt John Lee explained the preparations would rely on the Covid-19 circumstance and that the focus on was to “minimise the selection of people afflicted by limits.”

Pro advisory board expands

The Chief Executive’s Office introduced on Wednesday that the Covid-19 Pro Advisory Panel, which guides the governing administration on its pandemic system, has been expanded to 6 associates.

Ivan Hung and Lau Chak-sing from the College of Hong Kong (HKU)’s medical section, as well as paediatric expert Lau Yu-lung, ended up recently appointed to the panel.

The workforce initially consisted of David Hui from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and HKU’s Yuen Kwok-yung and Gabriel Leung.

“The Authorities upholds the basic principle of earning targeted anti-epidemic endeavours on a scientific foundation, and the six specialists have all together designed precious contributions to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in combating… Covid-19,” Lee explained in the assertion.

As of Tuesday, Hong Kong has registered a overall of 1,276,686 Covid-19 conditions and 9,420 related deaths.

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