Evening dine-in services to resume, mask requirement for outdoor exercise to end as Hong Kong records 19 new coronavirus cases
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The new rules, which allow restaurants to end dine-in services at 9pm rather than 6pm, take effect on Friday.
Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee unveiled the decision, saying the number of daily cases had been “gradually declining” while acknowledging the “anti-epidemic fatigue” and socioeconomic needs of people.
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“Under the new normal, it is almost not possible for us to wait until there are no more local cases before relaxing social-distancing measures,” she said.
Chan added the government would closely monitor the situation in the next two days, but the rules would be introduced “unless there are drastic changes to the epidemic situation”.