Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced at today’s "Steering and Coordination Group on Pandemic Response" press conference on September 23 that Hong Kong will change its current inbound quarantine policy starting October 26, moving from the current 3+4 (3 days in a quarantine hotel + 4 days under an amber code with no restaurant dine-in) to 0+3, meaning no quarantine at all. The Hong Kong government has also issued a press release.

New policy

The new policy is as follows:

  • Hong Kong residents who are not vaccinated may return to Hong Kong
  • Return2hk and Come2hk will no longer have quotas, and entry to Hong Kong from anywhere in mainland China or Macau will be allowed
  • For arrivals to Hong Kong from overseas and Taiwan, the policy will change to 0+3
    • No 48-hour PCR test is required before entering Hong Kong; a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding will be accepted instead (you can self-test and take a photo)
    • The +3 period can be completed at home or at a hotel of your choice. You may go out during this period, but PCR testing requirements still apply
    • After taking a PCR test at the airport, arriving travelers do not need to wait at the airport for the result and may go to their place of residence and wait there for the test result
      • You may choose your own transportation, including public transit
    • After receiving a negative result, you will be issued an amber code for 3 days (Day 0 through Day 2 after arrival) and may not enter restaurants, bars, and similar venues
    • Free mandatory PCR tests are required on Days 2, 4, and 6 after entry, and a rapid antigen test is required every day
    • On Day 3, after receiving a negative PCR result from the Day 2 test, your code will turn blue and all restrictions will be lifted

Summary

Recently, both Japan and Taiwan updated their entry policies and have moved further and further down the path toward reopening. Previously, not long after Hong Kong switched to 7 days of quarantine, multiple cities in mainland China began piloting a 7+3 arrival quarantine policy. Therefore, the author hopes that once there is enough data, the mainland may also look to Hong Kong’s data and consider relaxing the 7-day quarantine policy.

For those hoping to return to China via Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government’s announcement already states that during the first 3 days, travelers may not go to mainland China or Macau, so you will still need to stay in Hong Kong for 3 days before leaving.

For passengers transiting from mainland China via Hong Kong, the reopening of Come2hk also means it may become possible to fly to Hong Kong, spend a day or two sightseeing/shopping, and then continue abroad, instead of having to leave immediately by ferry, which is also a convenience.