Coronavirus Hong Kong: Britain added to highest-risk category over Omicron fears, but duration of Penny’s Bay quarantine slashed

As of Tuesday, Britain will join the US and 12 African nations subject to extra-stringent entry requirements

However, residents returning from those countries will now only have to spend four days in a government quarantine camp, rather than a week

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Starting from Tuesday, arrivals from Britain will have spend part of the quarantine in the government camp at Penny’s Bay (pictured). Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 8:27pm, 20 Dec 2021Updated: 12:49am, 21 Dec 2021

Britain is finally being added to Hong Kong’s highest coronavirus risk category a week after it was found to be the source of two imported Omicron infections, though a new rule change will slash the amount of time affected travellers must spend in a government quarantine camp.

The move, announced on Monday and taking effect on Tuesday, is part of the government’s heightened efforts to keep Omicron out of the local community, lest the more infectious variant jeopardise Hong Kong’s long-held zero-Covid strategy.

In another change, starting from Christmas Eve, all travellers coming to Hong Kong, regardless of where they are flying from, will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test done within 48 hours of boarding, as opposed to the current 72.

Meanwhile, an existing flight suspension mechanism was further tightened with immediate effect on Monday, meaning more carriers could soon face 14-day bans on operating certain routes into the city.

Hong Kong confirmed two imported Omicron cases from Britain last week, but rather than quickly move to add the country to its enhanced-measures category – as it did with the United States – the government has been dragging its feet in announcing any stepped-up restrictions.