Hong Kong Ending Mandatory Hotel Quarantine for Travelers Next Week

Hong Kong will end their mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals beginning Monday, SCMP reports. The city has been one of the strictest in the world regarding COVID-19 safety measures, at one point requiring 21 days of quarantine in a self-paid hotel.

Hong Kong Disneyland Castle of Magical Dreams sunset

Travelers will still need to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms for three days after arrival but can do so from their choice of location, including their home or a hotel. During this period, they will be under an amber code, meaning they will not be able to enter most public premises but will be able to use public transport.

There are three levels to Hong Kong’s vaccine pass. Red means the person must quarantine, amber means they cannot enter most public places, and blue means they are cleared to go. Guests can enter Hong Kong Disneyland under the blue code.

Hong Kong has also replaced their requirement of a negative PCR test before boarding a flight with a negative rapid antigen test. Fliers will also need to declare their results online 24 hours before their flight.

“Our considerations are based on data analysis of the pandemic,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-Chiu said in a press briefing. “We have also considered factors including people’s livelihoods, economic activities, Hong Kong’s competitiveness, and ease of entry.”

Hong Kong has been reluctant to cut their quarantine requirements because of the lax COVID-19 strategies from Beijing and mainland China.

“We still need to protect the young and elderly. We also deliver precise anti-epidemic measures and connect with the world,” Lee said. “We made the decisions after thorough discussion.”