Hong Kong COVID measures

The warning was issued following the expiry of the 14-day adaptation period of the codes.

They are required to undergo a 3-day hotel quarantine and day medical surveillance.

Bars and pubs will still need to operate at 75% capacity.

This will be followed by a 4-day medical surveillance. 

The launch is on a trial basis and will fast track quarantine procedures.

However, patients can only opt for home isolation if they fulfill relevant requirements.   Patients carrying Omicron sub-variants BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 will no longer be required to isolate in government-run facilities and can now just undergo home quarantine, the Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan announced on 20 July.   The same rule applies for the close contacts of patients, Chuang added.   However, Chuang said patients can only opt for home isolation if they fulfil relevant requirements and their household environment is suitable.   “Such arrangements will be the same as those for other Omicron cases,” the medical expert said.   As of 18 July, Hong Kong has 1,093 cases carrying the Omicron sub-lineage BA.2.12.1 and 372 involving the sub-lineages BA.4 and BA.5.   “The World Health Organization noted that there is no severity signal among the BA.5 subvariant. The BA.5 subvariant has a growth advantage over other sub-variants but we have not observed any increase in severity among those patients suffering from it,” Chuang said.

Quarantined residents will have to wear the bracelets starting 15 July.

Negative tests are required from customers of bars, pubs, clubs, and nightclubs.

The city has been seeing an increase in positive cases since the beginning of June.

The relief measures include fuel subsidy and reimbursement for losses.

Chief Executive Lam said there will be no relaxation before the end of June.

Unemployment and time spent watching pandemic news were linked to the symptoms.

The easing is part of the three-stage relaxation that CE Lam announced in March.

Recently, Hong Kong endured its worst outbreak since the pandemic began, and as the economic data reflects, the situation is still far from stable. In February, for instance, the value of total retail sales – with retail being one of the most directly impacted sectors – decreased by 14.6% compared with the same month in 2021. In hope of boosting business sentiment, the government eased some anti-pandemic measures, but the effectiveness of these actions is still in question.

Companies are expected to weather out disruptions for up to 6 months.

The government will enhance capacity in various parts of its anti-epidemic effort instead.