HK Government maintains existing social distancing measures

The number of daily new cases in Hong Kong has continued to show signs of decline, and as of yesterday, the recorded COVID-19 cases were 5000 plus from more than 10,000 cases for the past weeks.  This trend slightly gave relieving pressure on the public healthcare system managed by the Hospital Authority (HA).

Hong Kong Government said that the epidemic has reached a plateau and is developing a downward trend, slightly relieving the pressure on the public healthcare system.

To have a clear observation of the epidemic trend, the Government decided to maintain the existing social distancing measures for the next 14-day cycle.

The measures will be effective from September 22 to October 5.

All catering and scheduled premises are allowed to continue operating subject to strict compliance with requirements including the vaccine pass, red and amber codes, and virus testing.

Relevant measures include allowing all catering premises and scheduled premises to continue to operate subject to strict compliance with requirements including those concerning Vaccine Pass, Red Code, and Amber Code as well as testing. Other requirements, such as mask-wearing for citizens on transport carriers and in specified public places, as well as the prohibition of group gatherings in public places, also remain in force.

Other requirements such as mask-wearing for citizens on transport carriers and in specified public places, as well as the prohibition of group gatherings of more than four people in public places, also remain in force.

The mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) will be extended. A person must wear a mask all the time when the person is boarding or on board, a public transport carrier, is entering or present in an MTR paid area, or is entering or present in a specified public place. Citizens are allowed not to wear masks if they are present in outdoor public places in country parks and special areas as defined in section 2 of the Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208), or are conducting strenuous physical activity (e.g. exercising or jogging) in outdoor public places.

Unless exempted, group gatherings of more than four persons in public places will remain prohibited. The requirement is also applicable to group gatherings in catering premises, bars/pubs, and scheduled premises regulated under Cap. 599F in which the relevant requirements or restrictions are not complied with.

A Government spokesman said, “With the concerted effort of our society, the number of confirmed cases has eventually been brought down from the high level of over 11 000 cases per day in early September. The epidemic situation has reached a plateau and is developing a downward trend. We must seize the current opportunity and ride on the subsiding trend to further stabilize the epidemic situation. The Government calls on citizens to collaborate and keep on maintaining personal hygiene in order to contain the risk of virus transmission jointly.