Coronavirus: Hong Kong social-distancing rules will ease on Thursday under ‘vaccine bubble’, subject to staff and customers getting jabs
- Health minister will reopen nightclubs, party rooms, karaoke lounges, bathhouses and bars without restaurant licences, in system requiring vaccinations
- Customers visiting bars, nightclubs and other reopened premises must have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot
Hong Kong will ease social-distancing restrictions for food and drink businesses and entertainment venues starting from Thursday, subject to both customers and staff being vaccinated, as authorities try to promote a “vaccine bubble” to accelerate the city’s flagging Covid-19 inoculation drive.
Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee on Tuesday announced the reopening of party rooms, nightclubs, karaoke lounges, bathhouses and bars without restaurant licences, along with the return of local tours as well as larger wedding and church gatherings and shareholders’ meetings.
“I would like to emphasise that the government will use the vaccine bubble as a basis to adjust the social-distancing rules based on our considerations about the infection risks,” Chan said, confirming an earlier report by the Post.
“We will consider further relaxation of social-distancing rules after a review of the new arrangements.”
Customers visiting bars, nightclubs and other reopened premises must have received at least one vaccine shot, with the same rule applying to diners at restaurants that will be allowed to expand seating to eight people per table and operate until 2am. The vaccination rule will apply only to staff at reopened mahjong parlours, not customers.
Exemptions will be granted to people who are medically unfit for vaccination and wish to attend gatherings such as weddings with no food and drinks served, annual shareholders’ meetings and religious events.