Regina Ip hints ‘much-anticipated’ quarantine cut to be announced very soon

The SAR government will soon announce a “much-anticipated” plan to shorten hotel quarantine for inbound travelers, said Executive Council convener Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.

Her comments came after the government was said to be considering shorter hotel quarantine for travelers with the use of health code

It is understood that authorities will be moving to four or five days of hotel quarantine, after which arrivals will be issued with a so-called yellow health code for the rest of the seven-day period, prohibiting them from entering high-risk areas where masks can be removed.

Officials have long hinted at a move to tie Hong Kong’s vaccine pass system to the Leave Home Safe app by identifying infected people with a red code and giving arrivals in quarantine a yellow code. The two-color health code system will be similar to the China-style health code.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Exco convenor said she was very supportive of the idea to shorten the quarantine period. She also hinted that the government is currently working double-time, with the announcement coming very soon.

However, despite resuming business travels, Ip said Hong Kong must still prevent the importation of the coronavirus.

She believed the government would make the final decision based on local data, whereas the two-color health code system may also help with resuming cross-border travel.
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