Health

Hong Kong shortens quarantine period for int’l travelers to 3 days

Beijing, Aug 8 (EFE).- Hong Kong will shorten to three days the mandatory quarantine international travelers arriving in the city must undergo, authorities reported Monday.

This measure, which will start Friday, will be the second reduction this year, after going from two weeks of quarantine to just one in March.

Those who arrive after the days of quarantine, must continue with a period of “self-observation” for another four days, in which they will be prohibited from entering premises such as restaurants and bars.

“We need to balance people’s livelihoods and Hong Kong’s competitiveness to give the community maximum economic momentum and vitality,” Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in a news conference.

Lee stressed that the “3+4” hotel quarantine policy is an “important part” of the Hong Kong government’s fight against the pandemic.

Quarantined people will be issued a red code on the relevant health monitoring app, which will turn yellow at the end of the three-day lockdown, giving them the option of moving around the city without entering crowded places.

If commuters test negative daily through rapid tests for the next four days, they will be able to take public transport, go to work or go to shopping malls.

Scientific data has shown PCR tests on the third day of quarantine for travelers can confirm most infections, reducing the risk of transmission to less than 1 percent, similar to the community rate.

The territory follows a zero tolerance policy against the coronavirus similar to that in force in mainland China and includes the isolation of all those infected in specialized facilities or in homes.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1.39 million Covid-19 cases and 9,540 deaths among Hong Kong’s population of about 7.4 million people. EFE

gbm/lds

Related Articles

Back to top button