Hong Kong will end hotel quarantine for international travelers beginning next week. The decision comes after more than two and a half years of stringent pandemic controls.
Hong Kong’s chief John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday announced the new plan that will go into effect on Monday, September 26, 2022.
Under the fresh requirements, the inbound travelers to Hong Kong will “only be required to go through three days of home medical surveillance, with their movement citywide limited,” the daily South China Morning Post reported.
Incoming travelers will be able to do their three days of self-monitoring at home or a place of their own choice. During this time they will be able to go outside but will be restricted from some places.
Arrivals will no longer need to provide a negative PCR test before boarding a plane. However, they will need to provide a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) 24 hours before they board.
During the three-day monitoring period, people will be assigned an amber color under the city’s digital health code, which will prevent them from entering places such as bars or restaurants.
They will need to do PCR tests on days 2, 4 and 6 after arrival, and an RAT test every day for seven days after arrival.
Japan and Taiwan have also announced to ease inbound travelers’ entry.
Hong Kong has reported 1,731,026 coronavirus cases, including 9,934 deaths since the pandemic broke out in early 2020.
