Coronavirus: Hong Kong plans to ease 3-week mandatory quarantine for vaccinated travellers

Hong Kong authorities are planning to reduce the compulsory quarantine period for fully vaccinated people from Friday, as per local reports. However, the length of new quarantine period is still unknown.

The move comes after lawmaker Ann Chiang questioned why residents were quarantined even after receiving two jabs.

Currently, Hong Kong residents are supposed to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period if they came close to positive patients, and two weeks for those travelling from low-risk countries. There is a strict rule for other foreign travellers to go through a 21-day hotel quarantine.

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The move for the new policy shift came after health experts pressurised the government to ease the restrictions and urged the government to review its policy of quarantining everybody in the places of new variant discovery.

Some experts think that if the trend continues in Hong Kong, it will have to face serious repercussions because of the low rate of inoculation.

Meanwhile, some sources said the plan to shorten the quarantine period is not beneficial to all. It is restricted only to those who have received both the doses of vaccine at least 14 days prior to this announcement.

Along with reducing the quarantine period, the government is also planning to reopen bars and restaurants for its fully vaccinated population, seeking inspiration from Singapore.

In an online petition with more than 5,500 signatures this week, some residents of Royalton I and Caribbean Coast urged the government to reduce their quarantine period and allow them to quarantine in their homes. "The decision of importing 1,027 residents to quarantine camps and hotels is not sound as it posses a threat to health and well-being of everyone," they wrote.

They believe this move had impacted their health and finances drastically.

(With inputs from agencies)