BEIJING: In an effort to close any gaps in Hong Kong's policies to combat the coronavirus, health officials will tighten rules on issuing temporary vaccine passes to travelers, the Post has learned.

According to a government source on Tuesday, "the authorities are now looking at increasing the requirement to obtain a temporary vaccine pass, given the change in circumstances."

A woman from mainland China recently caused a stir on social media by posting that she could "travel everywhere" in Hong Kong despite being unaffiliated against COVID-19, urging officials to update her policy. it was done.

Foreign visitors who are allowed to enter the city, as long as they have two shots, are required to apply for a temporary vaccine pass to access all locations covered by the government program.

Should the government increase the number of doses required and reduce the relaxation period to six months, given that three-dose vaccination is now widely available in many places and most travelers are also fully vaccinated Is? According to insiders, these areas are being investigated.

All eligible residents of Hong Kong are required to receive three coronavirus vaccinations as part of the city's Vaccine Pass program to enter various establishments, including eateries, swimming pools, sports venues and entertainment venues.

Although the government made three shots mandatory for eligible residents age 12 and older to be eligible for a vaccine pass starting in May, the source claimed that the government was aware that such procedures could be done elsewhere in the world. were not common.

The insider claimed that as a result, local authorities decided to establish a two-pocket requirement for incoming travelers, including returning residents, to be eligible for a temporary vaccine pass.

Arrivals had to declare their non-local vaccination or recovery records at city post offices or the border in order to be eligible for the temporary pass.

Passengers will have to get their third shot to be eligible for a regular pass after their temporary status expires after six months.
Arrivals from Macau, Taiwan and mainland China, however, are exempt from the rule and are eligible to apply for a provisional pass without vaccination.

According to a government source, ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, city officials had considered all three areas as low-risk because of their stringent anti-epidemic rules, each of them having previously reported few cases.

The insider continued that vaccination requirements were not a prerequisite for travel between locations due to the small caseload and strict restrictions in each region.

Additionally, no vaccinations are required for participants in the "Return2HK" and "Com2HK" programs, which provide a limited number of spots for locals as well as visitors from the mainland and expatriates, respectively, to visit Hong Kong. Huh.

Co-Chair of the Medical Association's Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, Dr. Joseph Tsang Ke-yan, agreed that everyone should be treated equally in the case of the need for vaccination.

According to him, the exemption was not ideal as it could create a negative impact and go against China's official position in support of vaccination.

"There is a high chance that visitors to mainland Hong Kong will contract COVID. They have to strike a balance here. If they get sick here, will they use our public health system? Will it be available in isolation wards. on a Wednesday radio program, Tsang argued.

Michael Tien Puk-Sun, a lawmaker, agreed that the exemption was inconsistent. They claimed that rather than being based on the traveler's country of origin, the vaccination requirement for visitors should be designed to reduce the risk of infection in Hong Kong to reduce the burden on the city's healthcare infrastructure.

"How can you persuade Hong Kong residents to accept the fact that mainland visitors are exempt from such requirements, while Hong Kong residents are prohibited from entering designated premises if they receive two vaccines? Didn't get the dose?
he said, "

An "ironically" process, according to TN, allows non-vaccinated residents of Hong Kong to apply for a provisional vaccine pass if they cross the border for a brief trip to the other side and then return to the city. He pointed out that this is another flaw in the "return2hk" requirement.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the arrangement had been in place for some time and as a result there had been no imported cases from the mainland. He was asked whether the policy made a difference in the city's border control measures. "Of course", he continued, "we would keep an eye on the pandemic situation and review in light of the current circumstances.
An announcement would be made later, a Health Bureau spokesman said, adding that authoritieswere thinking about standardising procedures for issuing temporary vaccine passes.

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