Bolder step urged to follow quarantine scrap
Money glitz | Wallis Wang 22 Sep 2022
It is impossible to achieve zero Covid, but Hong Kong is in a position to scrap hotel quarantine, says virologist Jin Dong-yan.
Others are proposing an even bolder move - end quarantine and slash the home surveillance period.
"Currently, the number of severe illnesses and deaths is low and more than 99 percent of patients are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms," the University of Hong Kong's Jin told a radio program.
"The real-time effective reproductive number - the number of people being infected by a patient - has also dropped below one."
He said he supports calls for the government to scrub hotel quarantine.
Former secretary for transport and housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung called for a "bolder" step toward so as not to undermine Hong Kong's competitiveness.
"Even with the 0+7 [quarantine arrangement], you have this 'seven' - which may still be quite restrictive in terms of going to various places - and that may not be attractive enough to attract visitors compared to other places [like] Singapore," Cheung said.
A City University survey found that about 60 percent of 1,042 respondents support the "0+7" model.
And a New Youth Forum survey found that more than half of 1,052 respondents would like quarantine canceled.
Lawmakers Johnny Ng Kit-chong and Doreen Kong Yuk-foon called on the government to consider a bolder "0+3" plan.
The American Chamber of Commerce urged the government to cancel all anti-epidemic measures for inbound travelers.
Meanwhile, some 4,200 rooms from nine hotels are withdrawing from the government's designated hotel quarantine scheme.
The industry expects more hotels to withdraw, though the health bureau said 61 others have applied for November's next round.
Hong Kong yesterday recorded 5,687 infections - 5,541 local and 146 imported - and nine deaths.
There 760 reports from 526 schools, including 10 that had to suspend classes for a week.
Two elderly homes and two disabled homes reported five infections.
wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com
