Hong Kong announces relaxed quarantine policy for incoming travelers
Hong Kong government officials have announced the end of "formal quarantine" in hotels for international visitors after over two years of rigid pandemic mandates, CNN reports.
When the new rules take effect on Sept. 26, incoming international travelers will be allowed to complete the mandated three days of quarantine by self-monitoring instead of quarantining in a hotel. Travelers can complete their three days of self-monitoring at home or a place of their choosing and will also be able to go outside, though some areas will remain restricted. During the three-day self-quarantine, visitors will be assigned an amber color per Hong Kong's digital health code, preventing them from entering certain local places, like bars or restaurants.
Incoming visitors will not be required to provide a negative PCR screening before boarding a plane, but they will need to provide a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) 24 hours before boarding. Travelers will have to take PCR tests on the second, fourth, and sixth day after arrival and a RAT test every day for a week after arrival.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The loosening of COVID-19 regulations for foreign visitors comes after mounting pressure on the Hong Kong government from the city's business community and public health officials.
Speaking at a Friday press conference, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced that the city's infection numbers have stabilized, thus enabling the end of strict quarantine.
"We hope to give the maximum room to reconnect Hong Kong and to revitalize our economy," Lee said.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - November 29, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 29, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
One great cookbook: 'Every Grain of Rice' by Fuchsia Dunlop
The Week Recommends The alchemy of Chinese home cooking made accessible
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
A popular new video game is at the center of China's censorship dispute
In the Spotlight 'Black Myth: Wukong' has more than a million players, but some are criticizing China's oversight of the game
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
7 captivating new UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore
The Week Recommends These sites have cultural, historical and scientific significance and the international organization's fresh stamp of approval
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
5 cities known for their animal residents
The Week Recommends From penguins in Cape Town to pandas in Chengdu
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
A not-so-quiet place: Why is no one using headphones in public anymore?
Under the Radar People are increasingly comfortable with both speakerphone and watching videos (very) out loud
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Gas masks and loo rolls: why 'preppers' are on the rise
Under The Radar Doomsday community has expanded from 'Rambo wannabes' to 'Tesco regulars'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why deepfakes of dead loved ones are big business in China
Under The Radar AI-generated avatars of deceased 'builds on China's long cultural history of communicating with the dead'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published