Coronavirus: Hong Kong vaccine bubble roll-out for restaurants, leisure venues and schools delayed to February 24, Carrie Lam reveals

Lam pushes back start of scheme barring the unvaccinated from restaurants, entertainment venues – and now schools – from before Lunar New Year to end of next month

Omicron restaurant outbreak will postpone the launch of quarantine-free travel with mainland China, city leader admits

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All those wishing to enter a range of food and leisure premises in Hong Kong must have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine from late February. Photo: Yik Yeung Man

Published: 11:55am, 4 Jan 2022Updated: 8:07pm, 4 Jan 2022

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Hong Kong’s plan to bar those who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 from all restaurants, leisure venues and schools will be postponed until February 24, the city’s leader has announced.

The expansion of Hong Kong’s vaccine bubble to require people entering those premises to have received at least one dose of a coronavirus jab was initially expected to launch in late January ahead of Lunar New Year, which starts on February 1.

But Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor told her weekly press briefing on Tuesday that more time was needed for businesses to prepare for the new measures, as well for residents to get vaccinated.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Photo: Nora Tam

She also revealed ahead of meeting her de facto cabinet that the policy would cover schools. Leisure venues such as libraries and museums will also be subject to the tougher requirements, which will not apply to children aged under 12 or those able to prove they are medically unfit for inoculation.

However, Lam said there were no plans at present to extend the vaccination requirements to private offices and shopping centres, citing the “far-reaching impact” of such steps.