Coronavirus: Hong Kong looks at sharing Covid-19 data with mainland China in bid to get border fully reopened

Areas Hong Kong will need to put extra effort into were discussed at meeting between officials and experts from city and mainland in Shenzhen

Officials will also need to study how to further minimise threat of infection among high-risk groups, tighten hospital discharge rules, source says

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Hong Kong is hoping for the border with the mainland to fully reopen. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 8:00am, 30 Sep 2021Updated: 7:05pm, 1 Oct 2021

Hong Kong may need to share data on residents’ Covid-19 risk exposure with mainland China and tighten quarantine exemption rules, with the city government carrying out a review of pandemic control measures in a bid to reopen the border.

Areas of epidemic control that Hong Kong would need to put extra effort into were discussed at a meeting between officials and experts from the city and the mainland in Shenzhen on Sunday.

A source with knowledge of the meeting said the government would also need to study how to further minimise the threat of infection among high-risk groups, as well as tighten hospital discharge criteria and testing standards for Covid-19 patients. But no further details were laid out.

The government is reviewing the suggestions and how they could be carried out.

Guangdong province, meanwhile, will resume processing travel visa applications by mainlanders hoping to visit Hong Kong for business purposes under a pilot scheme to be launched on October 11, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Hong Kong has not recorded a local Covid-19 case since August 17, but the mainland, which strictly adheres to a zero infection policy, is cautious about potential risks from the city.