The Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Carrie Lam, said Tuesday that a travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore would likely go ahead next month, while Hong Kong will also allow residents in mainland China to return without undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine.
“Implementing the air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore within the next month is one of our current targets,” Lam said.
The two jurisdictions had previously reached a preliminary “air travel bubble” agreement which would exempt quarantine measures for people travelling between them.
According to Lam, Hong Kong will also exempt quarantine requirements on Hong Kong residents returning from mainland China from November. However, the exemption would come with certain quotas to start with since only two borders currently remain in operation – the Shenzhen Bay Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
Hong Kong is still imposing a 14-day quarantine on visitors returning from Macau and mainland China, but Lam did not mention whether the latest policy would include Macau.
Hong Kong experienced a third wave of COVID-19 outbreaks July but has not recorded any locally acquired cases in recent days, so has decided to relax some social distancing policies including increasing the limit on restaurant diners from four to six people per table.