What you need to know when going to Hong Kong

The government recently imposed stricter measures for overseas arrivals.

The Hong Kong government had strengthened border control measures to an “anti-epidemic barrier,” which will impose varying quarantine and testing requirements based on their place of origin.

Under the arrangement, Group A specified places (high-risk) will be re-organised from the original Group A1 and Group A2 specified places.

The government spokesman clarified this does not adjust places under these classifications downward, therefore, no extremely high-risk or very high-risk places were reclassified as medium risk.

Only fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents with a recognised vaccination record and their accompanied children aged below 12 are allowed to board flights for Hong Kong.

They will be subjected to a mandatory "test-and-hold" arrangement at the airport upon arrival in Hong Kong.

They can only proceed to their designated quarantine hotel for the 21-day isolation period, upon getting a negative result.

They will also be required to undergo compulsory testing in a Community Testing Centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.

As for the medium-risk Group B specified places under the latest arrangement, they comprise the original Group B and Group C specified places, where the compulsory quarantine and testing requirements remain unchanged (i.e. 21 days of compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels for non-vaccinated persons, a shortened quarantine period of 14 days for those with a vaccination record, and a further shortened period of seven days for those who also have a positive result proof of an antibody test).

There is no relaxation whatsoever on quarantine arrangements for persons arriving from these places. The latest arrangement further strengthened relevant boarding and testing arrangements.

Now all persons arriving from overseas places must comply with the requirement of a PCR-based nucleic acid test conducted within 72 hours before the scheduled time of boarding.

Additional compulsory tests (on the ninth, 12th, 16th, and 19th days) are also required for vaccinated persons after the quarantine period.