Hong Kong scrapped some travel curbs and laid out a road map for easing social-distancing measures, seeking to appease a city frustrated by two years of pandemic restrictions even as its worst ever COVID-19 outbreak continues to flare.
A ban on flights from nine countries including the U.S. and U.K. will be lifted from April 1, and the amount of time travelers spend in mandatory hotel quarantine will be cut in half, provided they test negative, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Monday, unveiling the results of a review of the city’s approach to the pandemic.
While the travel easing had been foreshadowed by local media, Lam went a step further in laying out a plan to ease Hong Kong’s social-distancing rules in phases, starting from April 21 as long as there is no rebound in infections, she said. First, dining in at restaurants for dinner with as many as four people will be allowed, then gyms, massage parlors, and public entertainment centers will be reopened.
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