By The SUN
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| Quarantine & testing requirements for Philippine travelers stay in place |
Hong Kong unveiled its plan to shorten the quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons arriving from non-very high-risk overseas places today, Apr 15. But a government statement said the exact grouping of places will be made when the scheme is published in the gazette in late April or early May.
Not included in the scheme are travelers
from the Philippines, which has been placed under the A2 category for “very
high risk places,” which also currently includes India, Pakistan and Indonesia.
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At a higher level are three countries classified as A1 or “extremely high risk” places, which include as of now the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, the three countries identified as the sources of the highly infectious coronavirus variants, collectively designated as N501Y.
Anybody who had stayed in the A1 countries for at least two hours in the past 21 days will not be allowed to board a flight to Hong Kong.
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However, according to a statement issued by the Hong Kong government today, the A1 countries may be moved to A2 by the first half of May, meaning flights from there would resume, subject to stringent requirements including the 21-day quarantine and a negative Covid-19 test result.
Conversely, any A2 country like the Philippines could be moved to the A1 category for 14 days, meaning a total flight ban, if a cumulative number of at least 5 passengers from the country, regardless of airline taken, are found to have the variant on arrival in Hong Kong, within a 7-day period.
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After 14 days, the downgraded country will revert to A2 status, meaning flights can resume, but still subject to strict boarding and quarantine requirements.
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| Quarantine period for high to low risk countries is cut if traveler is fully vaccinated |
For all other places not classified as very high risk or extremely high risk, there is now a possibility of reducing the 21-day quarantine period if the passenger is fully vaccinated, meaning he or she has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before traveling.
According to the government statement, the scheme is “on the basis of the 'vaccine bubble' and in accordance with risk-based principles."
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The statement announced the reduced quarantine period for categories designated as “high” to “medium” and low risk. But apart from the low risk countries under category D, which include Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, no other places have yet been designated under each group.
For Group B places specified as “high risk,” the quarantine period will be shortened to 14 days, with a 7-day self-monitoring period, plus compulsory tests on the 12th and 19th day after arrival.
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In addition, the negative result for
a Covid-19 test taken 72 hours before the flight, and confirmed hotel booking, should
be presented before boarding.
For group C countries designated as “medium risk”, the quarantine is also shortened to 14 days for fully vaccinated passengers. No pre-testing is necessary prior to boarding, but the confirmed hotel booking must be presented. The 12th and 19th day tests also apply.
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For group D, or “low risk” countries, the hotel quarantine period for fully vaccinated travelers, which may include non-residents, is further lowered to 7 days, with a further 7 days for self-check, and compulsory tests on the 12th and 19th day. If the traveler is not vaccinated, the hotel quarantine is 14 days.
In addition to all these requirements, every traveler who arrives in Hong Kong must still follow the “test-and-hold” procedure, meaning they will have to undergo testing for Covid-19 and remain at the airport until the result is known. Any person who tests positive is taken directly to a hospital for treatment and isolation.
The full requirements for each category of places can be found by clicking this link:
https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202104/15/P2021041500038_364896_1_1618455183571.pdf
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