Get vaccinated to facilitate take-off of travel bubbles, government urge Hong Kongers. Photo Credit: Getty Images/IakovKalinin
As Hong Kong eases out of its latest wave of Covid-19, talks of a quarantine-free travel agreement with Singapore are back on the table — with authorities proposing that only vaccinated passengers be allowed to fly.
Hong Kong secretary for commerce and economic development, Edward Yau, said on 29 March that Hong Kong residents who wish to enter the travel bubble arrangement will have to first receive two complete vaccine doses and wait at least 14 days after the second jab prior to flying.
"We have put forward the proposal to the Singapore Government and we're waiting for a response, but I think it's important that we first get things right on our side — that is, before people here in Hong Kong travel, they must first be vaccinated. This is for their own protection... that will be the trend around the world in the long run," he said.
Yau added that Hong Kong's seven-day moving average for unknown infections has dropped to less than five — which he noted is one of the clauses for both countries to resume discussions.
Singapore's minister for transport, Ong Ye Kung, said that the country is studying the proposal to reopen borders safely, as reported in The Straits Times.
The Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble (ATB) has been in limbo ever since its original 22 November launch. Due to escalating cases in Hong Kong, in December both countries announced a deferment of the quarantine-free ATB to beyond 2020.
While no exact timeline has been given for the bubble restart, Yau indicated that Hong Kong is in discussions with 16 jurisdictions on travel arrangements for locals who are vaccinated.
The Hong Kong government is also expected to announce the extension of the current 'Return2HK' programme — which allows local residents from mainland China to return home sans quarantine — to include more mainland provinces besides Macau and Guangdong, according to the South China Morning Post.
As well, travellers from low-risk countries — namely Australia, New Zealand or Singapore — can now quarantine for 14 days at a designated hotel, rather than 21, before undergoing another seven days of self-quarantine at their own residence.
According to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection, 462,000 vaccines have been given as of 28 March 2021.
Source: Travel Weekly Asia