Hong Kong is set to introduce a tiered health-code system reminiscent of what’s used in mainland China to facilitate a reduction in its deeply unpopular mandatory hotel quarantine.
The new rules, which come into effect on Friday, will mean arrivals at Hong Kong’s international airport must spend three days in hotel quarantine — down from seven. If they don’t test positive for COVID-19, they will then undergo four days of health monitoring, underpinned by a yellow health code that restricts entry into a raft of high-risk places. Meanwhile, anyone infected with the virus will receive a red code that means they must isolate.
The new system is a significant easing for a city that once imposed 21 days of hotel quarantine. But experts say the use of yellow codes make little sense if used only by travelers, considering thousands of cases are already being reported locally everyday, and businesses want quarantine to be scrapped entirely.