Hong Kong ends limit on group gatherings, scraps vaccine pass

HONG KONG will end some of its last major Covid rules, scrapping limits on public gatherings and no longer requiring proof of vaccination for entry to some venues, in a sweeping overhaul of policies aimed at reviving its reputation as a global financial center.

There will be no cap on public gatherings, and the city’s vaccine pass will also be scrapped, starting on Thursday, Chief Executive John Lee said Wednesday. The city will also no longer require arrivals to undertake PCR tests, though they’ll be recommended to do rapid tests for five days, and close contacts of Covid-positive people won’t need to quarantine, he said.

The changes are based on a high immunity level in the city, sufficient medicine, experience of handling Covid among healthcare workers, an improved emergency response system and better awareness among residents, Lee said. “The above mentioned changes are strongly pushing Hong Kong to recover.”

While the changes mean Hong Kong has done away with almost all of its major pandemic curbs—a mask mandate and daily rapid tests for schools remain—the incremental pace of loosening stands in stark contrast with the abrupt U-turn on Covid Zero in mainland China.

The world’s second-biggest economy is set to emerge from almost three years of selfimposed global isolation early next month, after announcing an end to quarantine for inbound travelers, and no testing after arrival. It’s also set to resume issuing Hong Kong travel permits and reopen express checkpoints on the border, buoying the outlook for the financial hub that’s struggled to maintain its status as a global financial center amid strict coronavirus curbs.