Covid-19 curbs tightened for 3 more countries

The Hong Kong government announced on Tuesday that travel restrictions will be tightened on arrivals from Japan, Portugal and Sweden because of the emergence of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

From Friday, non-Hong Kong residents who’ve spent time in the three countries in the previous three weeks will be banned from entering the SAR.

As for vaccinated Hong Kong residents, they will have to be quarantined for 21 days at a designated hotel and undergo regular testing.

Officials said the move was made after Japan, Portugal and Sweden reported imported Covid-19 cases involving the Omicron variant.

The government had earlier tightened travel restrictions on arrivals from 12 countries in Africa, requiring Hong Kong residents returning from those places to spend the first week of their 21-day quarantine at the Penny’s Bay quarantine centre.