Due to the worsening situation of Covid-19 cases in other countries, Hong Kong announces tighter quarantine arrangements for inbound travellers from countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, France, Greece, Iran, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the US, while also moving Australia from a low-risk category to Group B, a medium-risk country.
The threat of the Delta variant is one of the reasons for the sudden move. “Despite large-scale vaccination programmes, many places are also experiencing a resurgence of the virus, which poses enormous challenges to our local anti-epidemic efforts,” the government explains in the announcement released this afternoon.
Arrivals from medium-risk countries will undergo seven days in quarantine if they are fully vaccinated. Inbound travellers coming from high-risk countries will undergo 14 or 21 days, subject to specific arrangements from the government which can be found on this link.
According to the authorities, Hong Kong will continue to closely monitor the situation 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, the 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."
Stay updated with the latest social distancing restrictions in Hong Kong with our regularly updated guide. Got questions about Hong Kong's Covid-19 vaccine rollout? This explainer outlines everything we know so far. Visit this guide, for more information on the perks that vaccinated Hongkongers can receive in the city.
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