Coronavirus: Hong Kong records no new cases, as government adviser suggests easing border restrictions with Macau
- Executive councillor Dr Lam Ching-choi says it could be time to explore concept of ‘travel bubble’ or quarantine-free corridor with other cities deemed safe
- It was also the 20th day in a row with no local infections, as tally stands at 1,044, with four fatalities
Hong Kong recorded zero new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, as a government adviser suggested that border control measures between the city and Macau could be the first to be lifted.
It was also the 20th day in a row without any local infections, although a handful of imported cases over the past week had taken Hong Kong’s tally to 1,044 with four related deaths.
Health experts earlier raised the prospect of Hong Kong being declared free of local transmission if there were no such cases after 28 days, which is equivalent to two incubation cycles for the coronavirus.
Speaking to the Post, executive councillor Dr Lam Ching-choi said it could be time to explore lifting border restrictions between the city and Macau if the local coronavirus threat eased further.
“Both places have experienced a long period of zero local cases, and soon after we lift some social-distancing measures, it’s time to prepare for a certain extent of border reopening – such as a ‘travel bubble’ that some countries are attempting,” he said, referring to a controlled flow of people between places considered to be safe, without the need for quarantine.
Three Baltic nations, as well as Australia and New Zealand have been planning such a strategy, also known as a corridor.