Hong Kong Won’t Open to World Until Mid-2022, Lam Aide Says
#62
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Platinum (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,404
people aren't getting tested in the USA because they don't care, people aren't reporting rapid antigen tests to the HK government because they don't want to get locked up in penny's bay, what's the difference?
'dynamic zero' describes the number of zeros at the end of the number of cases
'dynamic zero' describes the number of zeros at the end of the number of cases
#63
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Programs: LH MM SEN & many others+++
Posts: 353
just to let you know the media trend in EU,
this war in Europe has definitely smashed the last nail in the covid's coffin on media outlets.
since a week now, I can hardly see any news on anything but the war.
so, I expect this covid to dry out pretty soon already.
I appreciate far east is not that concerned with the war subject so the restrictions are to be covered as an important topic for a while.
looking hindsight, I guess the negative success of this pandemic was also based on the relative calm and prosperity the world was enjoying in 2019 for a while.
It allowed people to make a huge thing out of it.
If you want: if you're house is on fire, and you have a cold it doesn't really matter anymore.
But if everything is perfect and you catch a cold - that's the event of the year.
So with the virus, I guess.
this war in Europe has definitely smashed the last nail in the covid's coffin on media outlets.
since a week now, I can hardly see any news on anything but the war.
so, I expect this covid to dry out pretty soon already.
I appreciate far east is not that concerned with the war subject so the restrictions are to be covered as an important topic for a while.
looking hindsight, I guess the negative success of this pandemic was also based on the relative calm and prosperity the world was enjoying in 2019 for a while.
It allowed people to make a huge thing out of it.
If you want: if you're house is on fire, and you have a cold it doesn't really matter anymore.
But if everything is perfect and you catch a cold - that's the event of the year.
So with the virus, I guess.
#64
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,099
Stay away from the Canal Road Flyover Saturday; the police have warned the old ladies off. From HKFP:
"Citizens have been urged not to go 'villain hitting' on Saturday in order to reduce social contact, as Hong Kong battles with the fifth wave of Covid-19 outbreaks. Stalls have agreed to not open for business.
"The Chinese tradition involves paying someone to strike a piece of paper with a name or a person’s photo in order to repel bad luck or wrongdoing. It usually takes place during 'Insects Awakening,' one of the 4 solar terms in the Chinese calendar. The police, in a statement published on Thursday evening, said that the force and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will take relevant action on Saturday as they urged people not to go to Wan Chai, where the majority of 'villain hitting' stalls are situated."
"Citizens have been urged not to go 'villain hitting' on Saturday in order to reduce social contact, as Hong Kong battles with the fifth wave of Covid-19 outbreaks. Stalls have agreed to not open for business.
"The Chinese tradition involves paying someone to strike a piece of paper with a name or a person’s photo in order to repel bad luck or wrongdoing. It usually takes place during 'Insects Awakening,' one of the 4 solar terms in the Chinese calendar. The police, in a statement published on Thursday evening, said that the force and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will take relevant action on Saturday as they urged people not to go to Wan Chai, where the majority of 'villain hitting' stalls are situated."
#65
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Platinum (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,404
Since this seems like the most recent thread (in addition to the flight ban thread):
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...ry-2022-03-21/
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...ry-2022-03-21/
- Flight ban lifted April 1
- Hotel quarantine for arrivals could be cut to seven days from 14 if residents tested negative
- Reopening schools and public venues around April 20
- Mass testing plan is put on hold
#66
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,099
But the ban on nonresidents is continuing?
EDIT: Reading her news conference transcript, it's clear only residents can enter. So we aren't even back to where we were pre-Omicron in December.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202203/21/P2022032100473.htm
EDIT: Reading her news conference transcript, it's clear only residents can enter. So we aren't even back to where we were pre-Omicron in December.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202203/21/P2022032100473.htm
Last edited by 889; Mar 21, 2022 at 2:52 am
#67
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,099
From today's Standard (2 Apr 2022):
"Government advisor David Hui Shu-cheong said on Saturday it seemed unlikely to lift the mask wearing requirement by June or July . . . Hui continued that the requirement could be lifted or relaxed by the end of this year, if there is a second generation vaccine targeted at new mutations of the coronavirus with better protection by the second half of the year."
"Government advisor David Hui Shu-cheong said on Saturday it seemed unlikely to lift the mask wearing requirement by June or July . . . Hui continued that the requirement could be lifted or relaxed by the end of this year, if there is a second generation vaccine targeted at new mutations of the coronavirus with better protection by the second half of the year."
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,905
But the ban on nonresidents is continuing?
EDIT: Reading her news conference transcript, it's clear only residents can enter. So we aren't even back to where we were pre-Omicron in December.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/...2032100473.htm
EDIT: Reading her news conference transcript, it's clear only residents can enter. So we aren't even back to where we were pre-Omicron in December.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/...2032100473.htm
From today's Standard (2 Apr 2022):
"Government advisor David Hui Shu-cheong said on Saturday it seemed unlikely to lift the mask wearing requirement by June or July . . . Hui continued that the requirement could be lifted or relaxed by the end of this year, if there is a second generation vaccine targeted at new mutations of the coronavirus with better protection by the second half of the year."
"Government advisor David Hui Shu-cheong said on Saturday it seemed unlikely to lift the mask wearing requirement by June or July . . . Hui continued that the requirement could be lifted or relaxed by the end of this year, if there is a second generation vaccine targeted at new mutations of the coronavirus with better protection by the second half of the year."
#71
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,099
Again, from today's Standard:
"Speaking on a radio program, infectious disease expert Wilson Lam Wai-shun from the Hong Kong Medical Association said despite the city now recording a downward trend in Covid infections, authorities must take action to prevent the next wave of outbreaks. . . He noted that a large proportion of the city’s population has contracted the coronavirus, but authorities must hang tight on the inbound control measures if the city is to maintain its dynamic zero-Covid policy. . . Lam stressed that any relaxation of the measures, including the shortening of the quarantine period for vaccinated inbound travelers, would increase the risk of a new Covid wave."
Any relaxation, ever.
"Speaking on a radio program, infectious disease expert Wilson Lam Wai-shun from the Hong Kong Medical Association said despite the city now recording a downward trend in Covid infections, authorities must take action to prevent the next wave of outbreaks. . . He noted that a large proportion of the city’s population has contracted the coronavirus, but authorities must hang tight on the inbound control measures if the city is to maintain its dynamic zero-Covid policy. . . Lam stressed that any relaxation of the measures, including the shortening of the quarantine period for vaccinated inbound travelers, would increase the risk of a new Covid wave."
Any relaxation, ever.
Last edited by 889; Apr 6, 2022 at 2:14 am
#72
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Platinum (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,404
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...tine-tien-says
Hong Kong can’t reduce its one-week quarantine for incoming residents until Beijing moves past Covid Zero, a deputy to China’s top legislature said, showing the constraints facing the financial hub to further opening up internationally.
“For us to cut it down to seven, already the mainland is unhappy and feels they cannot connect with us,” Michael Tien, a National People’s Congress deputy and city lawmaker, said in an interview. “So to go any lower than seven, forget it. If we go lower than seven, they may even ban Hong Kong people from going into Shenzhen.”
Chief Executive Carrie Lam slashed quarantine for incoming travelers to seven days from 14 and lifted blanket flight bans on countries including the U.S. and U.K. last month, after the city’s curbs triggered outcry from international business leaders and saw thousands of expats flee. That move also allowed most infected residents to quarantine at home.
China, by contrast, has stuck with strict lockdowns like the one in Shanghai, where 25 million residents have been largely restricted to their homes for nearly two weeks. President Xi Jinping pledged his government’s commitment to Covid Zero on Wednesday, saying prevention and control systems cannot be relaxed.
China is using the world’s strictest border curbs, mass testing drives and city-wide lock downs to stamp out the infectious omicron variant. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that China is shortening quarantine periods 10 days from 14 in eight cities as part of a trial that could lead to more widespread changes.
Another Hong Kong politician, who asked not to be identified due to sensitivities around virus policy, said the city’s drift from the mainland’s strategy was so sensitive that it wasn’t talked about at last month’s NPC meeting. He agreed Hong Kong could not further reduce quarantine until China shifts its policy away from Covid Zero.
‘Strike a Balance’
Tien said easing the week-long flight ban on any route that imports three or more Covid cases was one way Hong Kong could mend some global ties. Unpredictable operating conditions have seen Virgin Atlantic and British Airways suspend operations in Hong Kong.
Reducing the ban to three days would “strike a balance” between loyalty to the mainland’s strategy and restoring global links, he said. The other politician advocated for scrapping the ban, saying it no longer served a purpose with the city still logging more than 1,000 daily local infections.
Tien and the other politician agreed it was unlikely Hong Kong’s border with mainland China would open this year, with the latter saying the city should focus on its international ties as worries increase over the state of the economy. Previously, Lam said the China border was the city’s priority over international travel.
Connecting with the mainland depends on two things, according to Tien.
“One is whether we can get down to zero cases for a long time, which I doubt,” he said. “The other is whether mainland will change its policy, which I doubt.”
“For us to cut it down to seven, already the mainland is unhappy and feels they cannot connect with us,” Michael Tien, a National People’s Congress deputy and city lawmaker, said in an interview. “So to go any lower than seven, forget it. If we go lower than seven, they may even ban Hong Kong people from going into Shenzhen.”
Chief Executive Carrie Lam slashed quarantine for incoming travelers to seven days from 14 and lifted blanket flight bans on countries including the U.S. and U.K. last month, after the city’s curbs triggered outcry from international business leaders and saw thousands of expats flee. That move also allowed most infected residents to quarantine at home.
China, by contrast, has stuck with strict lockdowns like the one in Shanghai, where 25 million residents have been largely restricted to their homes for nearly two weeks. President Xi Jinping pledged his government’s commitment to Covid Zero on Wednesday, saying prevention and control systems cannot be relaxed.
China is using the world’s strictest border curbs, mass testing drives and city-wide lock downs to stamp out the infectious omicron variant. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that China is shortening quarantine periods 10 days from 14 in eight cities as part of a trial that could lead to more widespread changes.
Another Hong Kong politician, who asked not to be identified due to sensitivities around virus policy, said the city’s drift from the mainland’s strategy was so sensitive that it wasn’t talked about at last month’s NPC meeting. He agreed Hong Kong could not further reduce quarantine until China shifts its policy away from Covid Zero.
‘Strike a Balance’
Tien said easing the week-long flight ban on any route that imports three or more Covid cases was one way Hong Kong could mend some global ties. Unpredictable operating conditions have seen Virgin Atlantic and British Airways suspend operations in Hong Kong.
Reducing the ban to three days would “strike a balance” between loyalty to the mainland’s strategy and restoring global links, he said. The other politician advocated for scrapping the ban, saying it no longer served a purpose with the city still logging more than 1,000 daily local infections.
Tien and the other politician agreed it was unlikely Hong Kong’s border with mainland China would open this year, with the latter saying the city should focus on its international ties as worries increase over the state of the economy. Previously, Lam said the China border was the city’s priority over international travel.
Connecting with the mainland depends on two things, according to Tien.
“One is whether we can get down to zero cases for a long time, which I doubt,” he said. “The other is whether mainland will change its policy, which I doubt.”
#73
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,317
It's time for the HK leaders to be more pragmatic. Since China isn't letting people from HK in anyway, why not have a more open border internationally? Zero covid is impossible and the HK leaders need to just work on saving HK vs. trying to be acceptable to China. It will never happen. HK will never get to zero covid; the cat is out of the bag.
Last edited by JNelson113; Apr 14, 2022 at 1:14 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,317
Speculation on what a government should consider and will likely decide regarding opening to tourists is widespread through these Destination forums. It's interesting to discuss what could happen, the thought processes of government officials, their goals, fears, etc., as we try to figure out when different locations will open. It's totally okay if you don't want to engage in these discussions but some of us do.