Hong Kong shortens hotel quarantine to three days for arrivals starting from 12 August 2022

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Inbound persons will be subject to quarantine under the "3+4" model, and to Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass during four-day medical surveillance period.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee held a press conference of the Anti-Epidemic Command and Coordination Group on 8 August 2022 (Monday), announcing the adjustments to the city's isolation, quarantine, and testing arrangements for inbound persons, as well as the enhanced Vaccine Pass function.

From Friday, 12 August 2022 (Hong Kong time), inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan will be subject to quarantine under the "3+4" model, i.e. they will be subject to compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels (DQHs) for three days, followed by medical surveillance at home for four days, with multiple tests during medical surveillance and the monitoring period thereafter.

They will be subject to Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass during the four-day medical surveillance period, and are not allowed to enter high-risk premises involving mask-off or group activities, as well as other premises requiring key protection.

Find the specific measures as follows.

Procedures of boarding and arrival quarantine and testing for inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan

• Starting 00.00am on 12 August 2022 (Hong Kong time), all relevant inbound persons are required to complete the online Health & Quarantine Information Declaration of the Department of Health in advance to declare record of completion of vaccination, and provide relevant information such as booking confirmation at DQHs.
• If inbound persons' vaccination declaration meets boarding requirements, they will be issued a green health declaration QR code upon successful confirmation of DQH booking information by the system. Persons holding a green health declaration QR code will not be required to further verify relevant information at check-in for their flights. 
• As for inbound persons whose vaccination declaration meets the boarding requirements but the system is unable to confirm their DQH booking information, they will be issued a pink health declaration QR code. They will be required to present DQH booking documentation upon check-in for their flights.
• Inbound persons will continue to be required to provide proof of pre-departure tests (only applicable to inbound persons aged 3 or above), i.e.:
  1. negative result proof of a PCR-based nucleic acid test within 48 hours of the scheduled time of departure; or
  2. documentary proof to show that they were infected with the virus 14 to 90 days prior to boarding for Hong Kong, together with negative result proof of a RAT conducted within 24 hours of the scheduled time of departure.
• All inbound persons will complete a one-stop registration upon arrival at the specimen collection stations on the arrival level of Terminal 1, and undergo specimen collection for nucleic acid test and rapid antigen test (RAT) on the spot.
• Persons holding a green health declaration QR code can use the "express channels" to proceed with immigration procedures and baggage collection after completion of specimen collection. If their RAT negative result is confirmed, they can continue to take point-to-point transport to DQHs.
• Persons holding a pink health declaration QR code are required to proceed to the Midfield Concourse of the airport upon completion of specimen collection to further confirm relevant documents and information before they can proceed with immigration procedures.
• The system will issue quarantine orders, medical surveillance notices, vaccination records, and Provisional Vaccine Pass QR codes electronically.

Quarantine under the "3+4" model, and the Red Code and Amber Code of the Vaccine Pass

• If inbound persons possess a smart mobile phone that can install the LeaveHomeSafe (LHS) mobile application, the Department of Health (DH) will require them to install or update the LHS mobile application to version 3.4.0 or above (updated version), and ensure that the mobile device can be connected to the Internet. 
• Inbound persons are subject to the same quarantine arrangement regardless of vaccination status. The day of arrival with the first nucleic acid test conducted is considered as Day 0. They will be categorised as persons with an Amber Code. Their Vaccine Pass QR codes will be displayed in amber accordingly.
• Inbound persons are required to undergo compulsory quarantine for three nights in DQHs. Those who are consecutively test negative can complete compulsory quarantine in the morning of Day 3.
• They are then subject to medical surveillance at home or in other self-arranged accommodation for four nights. Those who are consecutively test negative can complete medical surveillance in the morning of Day 7.
• During the four-day medical surveillance period, inbound persons can go out after obtaining negative results of RATs daily, and conduct daily essential activities of lower risks, such as taking transport, going to work, entering supermarkets and markets, etc. But they will be subject to Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass. They cannot enter high-risk premises involving mask-off or group activities, as well as other premises regulated under Cap. 599F which are subject to "active checking" of the Vaccine Pass and requiring key protection, i.e.:
  • catering business premises (including bars or pubs),
  • amusement game centres,
  • bathhouses,
  • fitness centres,
  • places of amusement,
  • indoor places of public entertainment,
  • party rooms,
  • beauty parlours and massage establishments,
  • club houses,
  • clubs or nightclubs,
  • karaoke establishments,
  • mahjong-tin kau premises,
  • indoor sports premises,
  • swimming pools,
  • cruise ships,
  • indoor event premises,
  • barber shops or hair salons,
  • religious premises.
  • residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs),
  • residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs),
  • schools, and
  • designated healthcare premises.
• Persons holding an Amber Code who are working or studying at those premises, or receiving services at designated healthcare premises, are not subject to the restriction under the Vaccine Pass. They can go to work or to school if there is no additional restriction imposed by the employers or persons-in-charge of individual premises.
• Those who need to seek medical consultation or treatment at designated healthcare premises are also not restricted. However, visitors, accompanying persons, and carers cannot be a person holding an Amber Code.
• Those who hold an Amber Code should strictly observe the anti-epidemic measures in the relevant premises, including wearing a mask.
• Inbound persons are subject to self-monitoring in the subsequent three days after quarantine under the "3+4" model.
• When the medical surveillance period of relevant persons ends, the LHS application will automatically revert the Amber Code to a Blue Code, i.e. the Vaccine Pass of ordinary persons.

Multiple tests after arrival at Hong Kong during compulsory quarantine, medical surveillance and self-monitoring period 

• Day 0: nucleic acid test at the airport;
• Day 2: nucleic acid test in DQHs;
• Day 4, Day 6 and Day 9: after obtaining negative results of RATs on each respective day, inbound persons should undergo nucleic acid tests at a community testing centre or a mobile specimen collection station, or arrange a self-paid test by professional swab sampling at a local medical institution recognised by the Government; and
• During compulsory quarantine, medical surveillance, and self-monitoring period, inbound persons are subject to daily RATs until Day 10 of arrival at Hong Kong.

Confirmed cases

• All confirmed cases, including persons under home isolation and persons in community isolation facilities, will be categorised as persons with a Red Code. These persons are not allowed to leave the isolation location.
• Upon completion of their isolation, the LHS will automatically revert the Red Code to a Blue Code.
• For persons who have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, completion of isolation refers to having negative rapid antigen test (RAT) results on both Day 6 and Day 7 (or two consecutive days thereafter) and having self-declared on the website.
• For persons who have not been vaccinated or have only received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, they are required to complete a 14-day isolation at the isolation site.
• For persons under the categories of Red Code or Amber Code, even if they are not using the updated version of the LHS mobile application to show their Vaccine Pass, they are still required to observe the above restrictions. Regardless of whether the Vaccine Pass is presented through mobile application or in paper form, the QR Code Verification Scanner of the premises and the devices being used by enforcement officers are equipped with the function to identify whether a person is under the categories of Red Code or Amber Code.

Quarantine and testing requirements for inbound persons from Mainland or Macao

• Persons arriving at Hong Kong under the Return2hk or Come2hk Schemes will not be affected and they can continue to be exempted from compulsory quarantine (i.e. zero-day compulsory quarantine period).
• For other persons not arriving from the Mainland or Macao under the Return2hk or Come2hk Schemes, their compulsory quarantine period at home will be correspondingly adjusted to three nights, followed by four nights of self-monitoring on the third day of arrival at Hong Kong.
• During the self-monitoring period, they are required to take their body temperature twice daily and undergo compulsory nucleic acid test as required, and Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass are not applicable.
• The testing requirement for all inbound persons from the Mainland or Macao has also been also adjusted to compulsory nucleic acid tests on Day 4 and Day 6 of arrival in Hong Kong.

Image / HKSAR Government Press Releases

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