Rules for HK residents with jabs to be eased

Hong Kong will loosen some coronavirus measures for residents who have been fully inoculated from late April, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday.

Restaurants will be allowed to extend dine-in services to midnight with the cap on diners per table raised from four to six provided that staff members have received their first dose of vaccine.

The restrictions will be further relaxed to 12 people to be seated at each table under the condition that both the staff members and customers have taken two doses of vaccines, she said.

Visitation to public hospitals and care homes could also be permitted for vaccinated people.

Lam said the government was discussing further details and aimed to loosen measures from April 29.

Quarantine periods for fully vaccinated people arriving from low-risk countries like Australia, Singapore and New Zealand could be reduced to seven days from 14 days and to 14 from 21 days for arrivals from medium-risk countries. She said it was not clear yet when the relaxation of such quarantine measures would take place.

In mid-May, non-Hong Kong residents will be allowed to enter Hong Kong from the mainland without compulsory quarantine, she added.

Hong Kong launched a COVID-19 vaccination drive on February 26. About 578,900 people have received their first dose of vaccine, and over 250,000 have received their second dose so far.

Lam said the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong which emerged late in November last year has been under control.