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John Lee Promises to Review Hotel Quarantine Policy

DDHK.ORG - Hong Kong's new leader, John Lee Ka-chiu, said he planned to "quickly review" mandatory quarantine measures for arriving tourists. Including, considering suggestions to replace it with isolation at home or reducing the duration of the quarantine period at the hotel.

Lee, who will replace Carrie Lam as Hong Kong's Chief Executive on July 1, told local media that he would seek to reduce inconvenience to international travelers "without bringing additional risk to the mainland at the same time." He also plans to prioritize the full reopening of China's borders, without saying how he would achieve either goal.

“One thing I will do very quickly with my secretary for health is a quick review, looking at statistics and figures to ascertain how we can achieve the best results at the least cost,” said a report, citing Lee in an interview.

Hong Kong has been undergoing some of the strictest quarantine measures in the world to prevent Covid-19 for more than 2 years. The restrictions have led to an exodus of workers and expatriate residents and damaged the economy, raising questions about the city's future as a financial hub.

While the travel ban on non-residents was lifted last month, provided they are fully vaccinated, all international arrivals are still subject to a 7-day hotel quarantine. These restrictions are different from those taken by most of the rest of the world, which have relaxed pandemic rules and treated the virus as endemic.

“The second thing is, what are the possible interim measures and interim goals before we can reach the final goal?” Lee added in the interview. “The quarantine period causes inconvenience to tourists. Is there a way to work around the discomfort so [we] can reduce it a little bit? This is a choice.” [Source: RTHK] [DDHKNews]

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