Hong Kong to end mandatory hotel quarantine for travelers: What this means

Covid In Hong Kong: Incoming travelers will also no longer need a negative PCR test within 48 hours before boarding a plane to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s leader announced the city would no longer require incoming travelers to quarantine in designated hotels as the city seeks to open up globally after nearly two years.

Covid In Hong Kong: A crew member of Cathay Pacific walks at the Hong Kong International Airport Departure Hall. (Reuters)

Incoming travelers will also no longer need a negative PCR test within 48 hours before boarding a plane to Hong Kong, the city's chief executive John Lee said Friday at a news conference. Instead, they will need to present a negative result from a rapid antigen test, conducted 24 hours before their flight.

The measures will come into effect Monday.

“While we can control the trend of the epidemic, we must allow the maximum room to allow connectivity with the world, so that we can have economic momentum and to reduce inconvenience to arriving travelers,” said Lee, who also said that authorities will not roll back the measures announced Friday.

He said that there must be a “balance between risks and economic growth."