Hong Kong is finally wising up to the fact that its “zero covid” strategy is untenable. As it prepares to relax flights bans that have crippled not only flag carrier Cathay Pacific, but the entire nation, the latest proposal still makes visiting Hong Kong very difficult.
Hong Kong Lifts Flight Ban Effective April 1, 2022 – But Foreigners Still Barred From Entry
Facing a severe surge in cases and a staggering death rate, mostly amongst the city state’s unvaccinated aged citizens, Hong Kong is shifting away from Mainland China’s “zero covid” strategy.
Hong Kong ventured down an authoritarian path thanks to stricter control by China prior to the pandemic and the situation has only grown worse, as many companies have struggled or left the Special Administrative Region, blaming onerous pandemic restrictions.
Effective April 1st, flights from the following nine nations will be allowed to resume:
- Australia
- Canada
- France
- India
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- United Kingdom
- United States
Rules on transiting have not been announced. Before the omicron shutdown, passengers could transit Hong Kong if connecting on a single ticket with a stay of less than 24 hours. Those passengers were not allowed to leave the secure area of the airport.
However, even with a negative COVID-19 test and full vaccination, a one-week hotel quarantine will still be necessary for residents returning to Hong Kong. Non-residents are still not permitted to enter Hong Kong unless arriving from the Mainland, Macau, or Taiwan. Furthermore, strict social distancing guidelines will remain in effect until at least April 21st and will be reduced in three phases (for the first round, gyms, game centers, beauty salons, religious venues, and sports facilities will be re-opened as well as dining hours extended at restaurants – bars will remain closed and masks will still be compulsory indoors and out).
And that is the problem. If you were expecting to visit Hong Kong or even fly through it, you need to be patient. Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, noted:
“The city has spent a lot of time arguing over what anti-pandemic modes we are adopting …We are trying to figure out a road map that is most suitable for the city.”
Yet Lam seems well-aware of the tradeoff between the illusion of perfect safety and socioeconomic development:
“Since we are all also very concerned about socioeconomic development, we will widely consult various stakeholders in Hong Kong to come up with a more permanent pathway for Hong Kong to tackle any public health crisis in a more targeted manner.”
CONCLUSION
The news from Hong Kong is encouraging, yet even with the lifting of the flight ban, Hong Kong remains far behind most of the world (and even some of its Asian neighbors) in terms of re-opening.
image: Cathay Pacific
“unless arriving from the Mainland, Macau, or Taiwan”
Weird they chose only the sovereign nation of Taiwan for exemption. Must be due to the superior public hygenie and health policies implemented there.
I suspect the subtext on this is part of the China mantra of Taiwan is part of China and nothing to do with their precautions – Singapore have more stingent ones in place than Taiwan but they are not a special case. In any event, Ms Lam will have consulted her masters in Beijing and she’s in reality, only their mouthpiece.
Fools. Have they not learned that lockdowns are ineffective? Only two types of people left now. Those that have gotten the Vid and those that will get it. END THE NONSENSE. END THE COVID THEATRE.
Good news. My May RTW flying CX JFK HKG FRA is canceled (now JFK SIN FRA then home on LH B747-8i seat 1K)
But July Bday RTW JFK HKG HND (then NRT DOH AUH IAD) is still hopeful! Use up my 125,000 Asia miles for two CX 1st legs and HKG lounge and be done with CC. At least July is same ticket 😉
Communist/Fascist china has ruined Hong Kong.
Half the population is already infected in the last few weeks, and the population density is very conducive to high transmission. It’s now more dangerous being there than anywhere else, and that’s why they’re opening. Looking from another angle, unless you’ve already caught omicron in the past few months, it’s very dangerous to go there when they open.
They will happily cripple the economy, thereby preparing themselves for the Great Reset their true masters have dictated.
In the meantime, let’s be afraid of a cold.