Govt bans HK Express Bangkok service for two weeks

Health officials on Sunday said they were banning passenger flights from Bangkok operated by Hong Kong Express Airways until January 29.

A government spokesman said a passenger had failed to comply with requirements under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation, while another passenger had tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival.

Last week the government also announced a ban on transit passenger flights from about 150 high-risk countries until February 15. Flights from eight countries, including the United States and Britain, are also barred until February 3.

Separately, officials said they are testing close contacts who’ve completed two weeks of quarantine, and will allow them to leave the quarantine centre if their results are negative.

This follows lobbying to shorten the quarantine period for close contacts by seven days to 14 days – if they have vaccination records.

However, they still have to get a Covid test on the 19th day.