Government tightens boarding and quarantine requirements for various places
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Noting that Hong Kong recorded an imported case of the Omicron variant from Nigeria, and the latest epidemic development in that region, the Government will specify Nigeria, Angola, Ethiopia, and Zambia as Group A specified places from 0.00am on November 30 to implement the most stringent quarantine and testing requirements for the relevant inbound travellers. Hong Kong residents arriving at Hong Kong from these four places are required to undergo quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre for the first seven days, during which they have to undergo daily tests and their health conditions will be monitored by healthcare professionals. After seven days, they will then be allowed to finish the remaining 14 days of compulsory quarantine at the designated quarantine hotel which they have reserved. They are still required to undergo frequent testing during quarantine there, followed by another compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong. This quarantine and testing arrangement is currently applicable to inbound travellers from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, as the variant of concern Omicron has been detected in various places around the world, Hong Kong have to stay vigilant. As a preventive measure, the Government will specify places which have detected imported Omicron cases as Group A specified places. These include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel and Italy. The relevant specifications will be effective from 0.00am on December 2. With the above nine places above specified as Group A specified places, non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed there within 21 days are not allowed to enter Hong Kong. For Hong Kong residents, they can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they have been fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record. They have to undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel for 21 days upon arrival at Hong Kong, with six tests to be conducted during quarantine, followed by compulsory testing in a Community Testing Centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.
Details on the relevant boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for respective specified places can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.
The Government will gazette the relevant updated specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to effect the above measures.
To attain the dynamic "zero infection" goal and to follow through on the anti-epidemic strategy of guarding against the importation of cases and the resurgence of domestic infections, the Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation of various places and adopt a risk-based approach taking into account a basket of factors, including public health considerations (such as epidemic situations in particular places, testing rates, vaccination rates, volume of travellers and actual imported cases), as well as other local socio-economic factors, and will adjust the boarding, quarantine and testing requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places based on the risk levels as the situation warrants.
Ends/Monday, November 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 23:36
Issued at HKT 23:36
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