Testing requirements for inbound persons coming to Hong Kong from places around world upon full resumption of normal travel with Mainland
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Since the implementation of the first-phase resumption of normal travel on January 8, the overall epidemic situation in Hong Kong did not deteriorate and the total number of cases has been decreasing. The number of imported cases constitutes barely a low proportion (2.6 per cent) of the overall local cases, and only 16 per cent of the imported cases were from the Mainland, showing that the importation risk from the Mainland is relatively lower. On the other hand, there is no sign of a significant increase in the number of non-eligible persons (i.e. non-Hong Kong residents) who seek consultation in the accident and emergency departments of public hospitals under the Hospital Authority, thus no additional pressure was posed on the local public healthcare system.
After the implementation of full resumption of normal travel on February 6, all inbound persons from the Mainland or Macao will no longer be required to conduct any pre-departure nucleic acid tests or rapid antigen tests (RATs). However, for persons travelling from Hong Kong to the Mainland (except those aged 3 and below), if they have stayed in overseas places or Taiwan on the day of departing Hong Kong for the Mainland or during the seven days before that day, they will still be required to conduct a nucleic acid test within 48 hours prior to departure and obtain a negative result as per the Mainland's requirements.
The self-paid nucleic acid test conducted in Hong Kong should meet the following criteria:
- The test must be conducted within 48 hours before the scheduled flight departure time (for those entering the Mainland via airport) or arrival time (for those entering the Mainland via other boundary control points);
- The test specimen must be a throat swab, nasopharyngeal swab or combined nasal and throat swab collected by dedicated staff; and
- The test result must be negative, and the test report must be issued by local COVID-19 testing institutions recognised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (including community testing centres/community testing stations in various districts) for conducting reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing.
Meanwhile, in order to uphold the joint prevention and control efforts and ensure a proper management of risks, the testing requirements for inbound persons from overseas places and Taiwan will remain unchanged. That is, except those who aged 3 and below on the day of arrival at Hong Kong, all inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan are required to conduct an RAT within 24 hours (or as an alternative, undergo a nucleic acid test within 48 hours) prior to the scheduled time of flight departure (for those entering Hong Kong via the airport) or the time of arrival at Hong Kong (for those entering Hong Kong via other boundary control points), and obtain a negative result for coming to Hong Kong. Such a pre-departure test requirement will be maintained for a certain period for observation, and the Government will review the requirement in due course.
The Government will gazette the relevant specification notice under the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) to effect the above measures.
Ends/Friday, February 3, 2023
Issued at HKT 20:02
Issued at HKT 20:02
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