Cross-border steps in right direction, but coronavirus experts need to talk
- As Hong Kong marks more than 21 days with no local Covid-19 infections, the question is when will quarantine-free travel be able to resume?
Hong Kong has marked another milestone with no local Covid-19 infections for more than 21 days. The question is when will quarantine-free travel be able to resume?
While the way forward remains unclear at this stage, the government has proposed medical experts from the city meet with mainland counterparts to hammer out conditions for the gradual reopening of the border. Hopefully, this will pave the way for a clear road map regarding travel.
Public impatience was reflected in the Legislative Council yesterday, when Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was questioned on the lack of progress over cross-border travel.
Lam said she could not answer on behalf of mainland authorities on what more the city needed to do for the border to be reopened. Beijing has been asked to establish a dialogue between medical experts on both sides of the border to spell out the necessary conditions.
With the city still recording a small number of imported infections each day, the mainland is understandably wary of easing controls at this stage. Lam has categorically ruled out the so-called living with Covid strategy adopted elsewhere, meaning restrictions for international travel will not be eased in the near future.
That should help reinforce the city’s control over the pandemic, which hopefully will instil confidence in opening up travel to both the mainland and Macau.
Ultimately, a high vaccination rate is still key. Currently, 960 million people, or 67 per cent of the mainland population, have been fully vaccinated. Hong Kong is not lagging too far behind, with those having their first shot standing at more than 63 per cent.
However, recent daily figures have fallen short of the 20,000-odd needed to hit the 70 per cent target by the end of the month, a level described by Lam as worrying. Whether the extension of walk-in jabs for another five target groups may help increase the rate remains to be seen.
Carrie Lam lobbies Beijing for border reopening, seeks medical expert dialogue
Meanwhile, travellers may only rely on two quarantine-free visit schemes – one for Hongkongers returning from the mainland and one for mainlanders visiting the city. The former was relaunched yesterday as infections on both sides of the border stabilise.
The latter will start for the first time next week, after being repeatedly delayed by a resurgence in cases over the past few months. There has been a suggestion that the scheme for mainland tourists may not be as attractive as it seems.
Provinces still have their own quarantine policies and this has raised concern as to whether tourists will bother to visit the city if they have to go through lengthy confinement upon return. In any case, the 2,000-a-day quota limits any economic benefits. However the two schemes, when implemented smoothly, can point the way forward for further travel convenience.
