Quarantine exemptions to cover all of mainland: govt

Hong Kong residents staying anywhere in mainland China will be allowed to return to the city from April 29 without needing to quarantine, the government announced on Monday, as it described the Covid-19 situation across the border as under control.

The government’s “Return2HK” scheme is currently only open to local residents coming back to the SAR from Guangdong province and Macau. Residents need to have registered in advance with the government, and test negative for the coronavirus.

Civil Service Secretary Patrick Nip said 1,000 residents will be able to fly back to Hong Kong, on top of the scheme’s quota of 5,000 for people returning via the Shenzhen Bay port or the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge.

The quota for the airport may be increased later, Nip added.

Nip said when people arrive at the Hong Kong International Airport, they will have to undergo a Covid test and wait for the result before proceeding to the immigration checkpoint.

Another mandatory test will be arranged for them on the 12th day following their arrival.

However, the secretary said there’s no news yet on when the mainland will exempt Hong Kong residents from quarantine when they travel across the border.

“A high vaccination rate will of course be very helpful to reduce the overall risk level of Hong Kong,” he told a press conference.

“In the eyes of the mainland authorities, I am sure that they would look at whether Hong Kong a still a medium- or high-risk area. As long as we are a medium- or high-risk area, I am sure we’ll be far from achieving [quarantine-free arrangements].”