Hong Kong scraps COVID app, eases curbs for foreign visitors

Overseas travelers will now be allowed to visit bars and restaurants immediately after arriving in Hong Kong. But several other COVID rules remain in place.

Easing COVID restrictions, authorities in Hong Kong on Tuesday announced that movement of overseas travellers coming to Hong Kong will no longer be curtailed, and that they can now visit bars and restaurants right after their arrival. The city authorities also announced their decision to scrap the government-mandated COVID scanning app that was required by residents to enter public places.

Overseas travelers are no longer required to stay out of bars during their first three days in Hong Kong. (Tyrone Siu/REUTERS)

"We have made these two decisions, because we have considered the data and the risks," Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

The new COVID guidelines will come into effect from Wednesday, he said, adding that entry to certain venues will still require proof of vaccination.

The move to ease COVID curbs comes a day after mainland China announced that it is scrapping its COVID tracking app.

While most of the countries had already withdrawn COVID restrictions, Hong Kong was allowed to follow a less strict version of China's zero-COVID strategy.

During the pandemic, the entry to public and commercial places was controlled by an app called "LeaveHomeSafe" which was linked to residents' vaccination status.

The strict COVID restrictions had adversely impacted the tourism sector and impeded its economy, with business groups, diplomats and many residents urging an end to restrictions.