Coronavirus: Hong Kong to ease more social-distancing rules on Thursday, allowing 8 per table at restaurants ‘ahead of Mother’s Day’

City leader Carrie Lam announces latest move before Exco meeting, citing more stable Covid-19 situation in city

Residents will also be allowed to take off their masks at outdoor sports venues, while swimming pools, beaches and water playgrounds will be reopened

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Among key moves in the latest easing of social-distancing curbs is the relaxation of a cap on diners per table at restaurants, from four to eight. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 10:39am, 3 May 2022Updated: 2:03am, 4 May 2022

Hong Kong will ease some social-distancing curbs ahead of schedule this Thursday, including allowing eight diners per table at restaurants, up from the current four, with the city’s leader pointing to an improved coronavirus situation.

From Thursday, residents will also be allowed to take off their masks when running or at country parks and outdoor sports venues such as basketball and tennis courts, while swimming pools, beaches and water playgrounds will be reopened. Thirty-eight public pools will reopen gradually from May 12 to 16 to ensure cleanliness and hygiene.

“Taking into account that the pandemic situation is under control, I have decided to allow some earlier relaxations, especially for diners per table as Mother’s Day is coming … For some, three generations can dine together,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Tuesday.

“The weather has been so good recently, it is just unreasonable to ban the public from going for a swim, and it’s also hard to run with masks in hot weather.”

Swimming pools will be allowed to reopen from Thursday. Photo: May Tse

The announcement came as the city reported 290 new Covid-19 cases, the second straight day infections were below 300, after falling under that level for the first time in about three months on Monday.

Tuesday’s cases, of which 21 were imported, pushed the city’s tally to 1,205,083. Health authorities also reported seven more fatalities, taking the death toll to 9,325.