The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee Ka-chiu, has announced that the “amber code” restriction for arrivals to Hong Kong will be removed from Wednesday, essentially abolishing the city’s “0+3” isolation measure for arrivals.
This in effect brings Hong Kong back to “0+0” and arguably removes the SAR’s last major barrier to the outside world.
The previous “amber code” system was put in place in October, replacing the need for hotel quarantine but preventing new arrivals from entering restaurants, shopping malls and other establishments until the three-day isolation period was over. Under the new measure, the health code of all arrivals will immediately be shown as blue provided they don’t test positive to COVID-19 on arrival, meaning no restrictions to entry to establishments in Hong Kong.
Also scrapped is a requirement to scan QR codes to enter certain establishments, although proof of vaccination remains.
The move to 0+0 sees Hong Kong move even further ahead of Macau and mainland China in emerging from the pandemic, despite its neighbors having recently announced their own relaxation of COVID-19 rules.
Both Macau and the mainland said last week that people who test positive will no longer be sent to isolation facilities and are permitted to isolate at home instead. However, a “5+3” quarantine system remains in place for all arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan and foreign countries, meaning five days of hotel quarantine followed by three days of home isolation.
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