AnnouncementsSecretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau
Secretary for Home Affairs, Caspar Tsui
- FEHD: Low case rate in the last week. Swift measures have been deployed and outbreak was contained - lowered thresholds, ambush testing, regular testing in high risk workplaces, contact tracing etc. Want to keep containing the epidemic and not undo the progress.
- During Easter Holidays - Most measures to continue for 14 days
- With Easter Holidays around the corner - carefully considered infection risks and from 1st of April - various public swimming pools will be opened.
- Cinema caps - to be lifted to 70%. Eating and drinking not allowed.
- Requirements on scheduled premises - remain in place (bars / nightclubs etc)
- Recommending to CE - exempt religious activities - restricted to 30% - holy communion not allowed (eating and drinking) - to be updated tomorrow.
- Overseas Arrivals: Adjust relevant boarding and testing requirements. People who are from the UK boarding restrictions will be removed - however, arrangements will be made with airlines to designated flights from 2nd week of April. Will stay at single specified hotel for 21 days. Tested on 7th and 19th date. Will announce more info late.
- Mandatory Quarantine from Low Risk Places - 14 days. 19th day compulsory test. Low risk places - Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
- "Medium Risk Places" - If they have been vaccinated - quarantine for 14 days + 7 days self quarantine. If they're not vaccinated - 21 days.
- Heard something about non-residents being allowed in
- VACCINES: Those who have 2nd dose - after 14 days, will be incorporated into control measures - Food establishment and scheduled premises staff will be exempt from regular testing. Teaching staff who have been vaccinated will be exempt from regular testing. Visitation for nursing homes and hospitals. For public hospitals - vaccinated people who provide antigen test will be allowed to visit. Details to follow.
- VACCINES: Considering to further adjustments to social distancing - if there is a critical number of people vaccinated.
- Arrival Arrangements: HK residents and non-residents allowed from low risk places. 14 day mandatory hotel quarantine. Bilateral travel arrangements with Singapore are being discussed again, due to improvement in number of cases. 10 more countries are being explored (total of 16 countries - japan, korea, thailand, new zealand etc).
- Singapore: Testing on both sides.
- The announcements are all over the place with a lot of repetition!
- Importance of Physical and Mental Health: Religious organisations want to resume activities. Religious organisations will impose on ceiling of number of attendance. No eating / drinking activities. Will take on board health protocols and detailed guidelines will be introduced specific to their religious requirements. More details soon.
- Sports: Some facilities have been opened already. LCSD will open - swimming pools, beaches, children's areas, libraries etc. Details to be announce soon.
- Get the Jab!
Q&A
- If the vaccination rate is enough there will be more relaxation, what is the time table / threshold for vaccination uptake?
- Word vomit. Ventilation / masked activities / 14 days are critical etc ... bottom line - no schedule.
- Vaccination is also about allowing travel.
- Singapore Travel Bubble - Vaccination - Is SinoVac been approved by Singapore?
- Travel bubble between two places is about forming a bubble. It is like a "protection bubble' (FFS!).
- Both sides have to be happy about the epidemic situation in both places.
- No travel for 14 days prior to departure
- Direct flights, pre and post arrival testing
- No word on sinovac / vaccine acceptance. (I think this part was rejected as a question)
- Vaccination Exemptions: 2 Jabs + 14 days - will people be exempt from close contact quarantine?
- 14 day regular testing - people who are vaccinated will not have to be tested regularly.
- No comment made on close contacts
- When will the BioNTech vaccine be resumed?
- DH is working closely with Fosun and BioNTech. Confirmed that there are some packaging defects and safety of vaccine is not affected. Current doses are being tested and this week there should be a final report and vaccination can be resumed shortly.
- When will travel arrangements be eased for low / medium risk countries?
- Announcement will be made this week about reduction in quarantine period from 21 days to 14 days. Expect new arrangements to fall in place in 2 week.
- When will UK travel be resumed? How?
- Boarding restriction will be lifted and working with airlines to have a few flights to bring back residents. Will happen towards the end of April.
- Putting further restrictions on this - test and hold at airport, testing at 7, 12, 19 days. Quarantine in HK hotel for 21 days. Press release will be issued this week.
- BioNTech Schedule:
- Communicating several times a day. Suspension has been requested by manufacturer. Hope to resume this week - no specific day is being targeted.
- Vaccines and Travel:
- Health authorities in different jurisdictions will have different standards.
- Will you need masks while swimming?
- Will unvaccinated people be allowed into the travel bubble?
- Will need to take 2 doses + 14 days after second dose.
- Announcements will be made this week.
- Will you need to drink in bars with a straw? (Perfect example of a fucking stupid question if you ask me!)
- Premises which remain closed, we're conducting risk assessments and no-conditions are being discussed (or are they?).
FFS - Tired of reporters starting with "Experts Say" shit ... you're talking to experts! Lets not start this "my experts are more expert than yours" nonsense.