Hong Kong Covid-19 fourth wave: Lunar New Year flower markets to proceed, but with crowd control, officials confirm in U-turn

Health minister says authorities have to balance fighting health crisis with the demand for flowers and preparations made by farmers for festive season

Staff will be tested, with infrared sensors at entrances and exits, and an alert system to indicate capacity

Reading Time:2 minutes

A Lunar New Year flower market in Victoria Park last year. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 10:02pm, 19 Jan 2021Updated: 11:02pm, 19 Jan 2021

Hong Kong’s traditional Lunar New Year flower markets will be open for the festive period but with crowd-control measures, officials have said in a U-turn over an earlier decision to ban the annual event amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee announced the reversal on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the event was called off as Covid-19 cases spiked, and said the government had to balance fighting the health crisis with the public’s demand for flowers and preparations made by farmers.

“With all these new measures that we have identified ... plus the reduction in the number of stalls, we believe that we have tried our best to lower the infection risk,” she said.

Chiba Orchid Farm in Yuen Long, where some buyers earlier had flocked amid news of the initial flower market cancellation. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

The Lunar New Year Fair is an annual event involving flower markets and thousands of florists and festive goods vendors in public parks and courtyards across the city.

Vendors will be required to provide contact details of staff members, who must return a negative Covid-19 test result at least two days before the fair starts.

To manage crowds, the number of stalls will be capped at around half capacity at each of the 15 locations.