image source,Archyde.com
After three years of continuous blockade, China has basically lifted the previous restrictions on entry and epidemic prevention.
The governments of mainland China and Hong Kong announced the first phase of customs clearance arrangements on Thursday (January 5). The seven ports of the two places will all resume operations on January 8, with 60,000 people each able to cross the border in a single day.
From Sunday (January 8), 50,000 residents of each of the two places can make an appointment to enter the territory of the other side through their respective official online systems. When crossing the border, they need to have a negative nucleic acid test certificate within 48 hours.
The joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council of China also announced earlier on Thursday that visas for mainland residents to travel to Hong Kong for tourism and business will resume.
The four ports of Hong Kong Airport, Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will also be fully open. Through ticket control, about 10,000 people can transit through these ports every day.
There will be no limit on the number of Hong Kong people in the Mainland going south and returning to Hong Kong, and mainlanders in Hong Kong going north, and no appointment is required.
This is the first time since the global pandemic of the new crown epidemic that the two places have resumed large-scale quarantine-free customs clearance. Hong Kong officials said that this is a “big step” for the “gradual, orderly, and comprehensive” restoration of normal customs clearance between the two places.
“We’re pretty close to 100% (return to normal),” Hong Kong Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao told the media on Sunday.
Traffic and Quarantine
From Sunday, Hong Kong’s air services will resume regular flights, and the cross-border Jinba service of the two ocean terminals and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will also be strengthened-the four ports included in this aspect will use the ticketing mechanism to control the number of people crossing the border. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 people in one direction every day.
The three land ports between Hong Kong and the mainland – Shenzhen Bay, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and Man Kam To – will also fully resume border inspection services on Sunday, with a one-way limit of 50,000 people per day.
Hong Kong residents can make reservations for entry places for the next 8 weeks through the online system starting from Thursday.
The Hong Kong government also stated that the high-speed rail between China and Hong Kong will resume operation no later than January 15.
Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration, Chen Guoji, said at a press conference on Thursday: “In order to reduce the risk of cross-infection of the epidemic, both Hong Kong people entering the mainland from Hong Kong and mainlanders entering Hong Kong from the mainland must travel 48 hours before travel. Nucleic acid test, the result is negative to enter the country.”
After entering the territory of the other party, those with negative test certificates and health declarations who are asymptomatic will no longer need to be isolated or quarantined.
Since January 8, mainland China will no longer conduct nucleic acid testing for all personnel entering Hong Kong.
image source,Archyde.com
The number of new crown infections in China has risen sharply, but there is no accurate diagnosis and death data for reference.
Those who have abnormal health declarations or have symptoms such as fever will be tested by the customs for antigens. If they are positive and have no serious underlying diseases or mild cases, they can take home, home isolation or self-care. Those who test negative and have been quarantined are deemed not to need follow-up people will be able to be placed in the community.
Chen Guoji also said that Hong Kong will closely contact the relevant departments in the Mainland to review the implementation of the first phase of customs clearance, so as to determine the arrangements for the next phase.
Drugs and Medical
Lu Chongmao, director of the Hong Kong Medical and Health Bureau, said that Hong Kong’s current wave of new crown epidemics “has passed its peak”, but Hong Kong will still adopt “relaxed but not given up” epidemic prevention measures.
One of the issues that has attracted attention after the customs clearance between the two places is whether the drug and medical system will be under pressure. Lu Chongmao said that pharmacies in some areas may experience shortages of certain antipyretic drugs, but the supply of other paracetamol drugs is stable, and it is not ruled out that legislation will be imposed to limit purchases.
He said that the storage capacity of paracetamol drugs in Hong Kong’s public medical system has been increased to 5 to 6 months of daily use, which is enough to take care of patients in the public system.
Lu Chongmao said: “On the other hand, if there is a need for non-queuing, the sale and purchase will be very regulated, and if necessary, legislation may be enacted.”
He also stated that the self-funded vaccine services sold by private institutions will not affect the vaccines in Hong Kong’s public medical plan, emphasizing that mainland residents who come to Hong Kong for a short period of time cannot receive the Hong Kong government’s public vaccines.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao said that at present, Hong Kong is very close to being completely open to overseas countries, and he is “confident” that Hong Kong will return to normal as soon as possible.
However, after China relaxed the new crown epidemic prevention policy last month, the number of infections has risen sharply, which has aroused concerns from the outside world. Many European and American countries have implemented quarantine measures for tourists from China.
Li Jiachao said on Thursday that the vaccination rate in Hong Kong is relatively high, and the number of people who have been infected with the new crown has exceeded 2 million. After customs clearance, the 48-hour nucleic acid test is the key control measure to ensure that mainlanders who have been infected will not enter the country.
“After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong people know how to protect themselves,” Lee said.
He said that after customs clearance, Hong Kong will be “one step away” from full return to normal.