Hong Kong lifts UK, Ireland travel ban

Travellers may fly to Hong Kong, starting 7 May.

The Hong Kong government has announced it will lift the restriction on flights coming from the UK and Ireland starting 7 May, citing the stabilized COVID-19 situations and relatively satisfactory vaccination rates there.

This will allow Hong Kong residents there to return to the City, the government said, noting that they will be subjected to stringent compulsory quarantine and testing arrangements.

Travellers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result with samples taken 72 hours prior to the flight schedule as well as a confirmation for a 21-night room reservation at a designated quarantine hotel.

Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the travellers will be subjected to the “test-and-hold” arrangement, where they will be tested before undergoing the 21-day quarantine. On the 26th day upon arrival, they will again be required to take a COVID-19 test.

The Hong Kong government had identified the UK and Ireland as amongst the extremely high-risk places late last year due to the emergence of new variants of COVID-19 in the said areas.

Meanwhile, the ban on other extremely high-risk places, such as India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines will continue. The ban also covers persons who have stayed in the said countries as well as Brazil and South Africa.

The ban on Nepal started on 1 May, the same day the flight suspension on India, Pakistan and the Philippines, implemented on 20 April, was extended.

Read also: Hong Kong bans flights from “extremely high risk” Nepal

"The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation, including the developments of the epidemic situation both globally and locally, vaccination progress, and changes in the volume of cross-boundary passenger traffic, and will further adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from places with different risks when necessary,” a government spokesman said.

As part of its tighter measures against the pandemic, Hong Kong announced the travel ban will not automatically be lifted after two weeks, but will instead be based on regular reviews.