Letters | Don’t punish airlines, bill Covid-positive passengers
- Readers discuss Hong Kong’s flight suspension rule, how chief executive hopeful John Lee can bring common prosperity to the city, and the need to improve road safety at the crumbling Lion Rock Tunnel
I am writing this letter to convey my support for the zero-Covid approach the Hong Kong government has adopted. Indeed, the approach has led to a significant reduction in the number of daily infections and deaths over the past two months.
The existing requirements for travellers to be fully vaccinated before their departure and to quarantine for a week upon arrival, I believe, already serve the purpose of protecting the community. While there are a minority of passengers testing positive on arrival and a small number of people who fail to comply with health orders, it should not come at the expense of airline operations, Hong Kong’s reputation as an international city and a hub for the rest of China, and people’s mental and social well-being.
It is ultimately up to the individual, not the airline, to comply with the relevant health orders. To mitigate the risk posed by the minority that test negative or fail to comply with health directives, the following measures could be adopted:
Those who test positive on arrival are to undergo an extra seven days in quarantine. They should also cover their expenses during their isolation. Those who fail to comply with health directives should undergo an additional eight days in hotel quarantine and be fined a certain amount of money.