COVID-19 UPDATE: BORDER CONTROL MEASURES TIGHTENED FOR PERSONS ARRIVING AT HONG KONG FROM VIETNAM (WITH EFFECT FROM AUGUST 20)

Greetings from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Singapore. We would like to keep you informed of Hong Kong's latest border control measures for inbound travellers from medium-risk Group B specified places, including Vietnam, which will take effect tomorrow (August 20).

In view of the developments of the global COVID-19 epidemic situation and the latest expert recommendations about the Government's prevention and control efforts against the highly transmissible Delta variant, the compulsory quarantine period of inbound travellers from Vietnam in designated quarantine hotels (DQHs) could at most be shortened to 14 days only if they hold recognised vaccination record (please see NOTE).

Arrangements for medium-risk Group B specified places

For Hong Kong residents who have stayed in Group B specified places on the day of boarding for/arrival at Hong Kong or during the 14 days before that day, the relevant quarantine requirements will be as follows:

(a) Undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in a DQH; and
(b) Undergo six tests during compulsory quarantine.

Relevant non-Hong Kong residents who do not hold a recognised vaccination record are not allowed to board flights for Hong Kong.

For relevant Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents who are fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record, the relevant quarantine requirements will be as follows:

(a) Undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days in a DQH;
(b) Undergo four tests during compulsory quarantine;
(c) Self-monitor for the subsequent seven days; and
(d) Undergo compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th days of arrival at Hong Kong, where the test to be taken on the 19th day must be conducted in a Community Testing Centre.

(NOTE: Recognised vaccination records include those issued by Hong Kong, an authority or recognised institution of a country where its national regulatory authority is designated by the World Health Organization as a stringent regulatory authority, Mainland or Macao authorities or an institution recognised by Mainland or Macao authorities, or an authority or recognised institution of a country with bilateral vaccination record recognition agreement with Hong Kong.)

Details of the latest boarding, quarantine and testing arrangements are attached in Annex (refer to Group B specified places) for your easy reference.

The Government will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation of different places, and will consider a basket of factors under the risk-based principle, including public health considerations (such as epidemic situation in particular places, testing rate, vaccination rate, volume of travellers and actual imported cases, etc.), as well as other local socio-economic factors to adjust the boarding, quarantine and testing requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places based on risk levels as the situation warrants.

Any changes to the grouping of specified places according to the risk levels and the relevant measures will be updated in this webpage:

https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html#quarantinemeasuresofinbound.

Travellers are advised to visit the website to check for the latest measures before travelling to Hong Kong.

More detailed information can be found in the press release:

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202108/17/P2021081700867.htm

For other details, please refer to the following:

Designated Hotels for Quarantine
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html

COVID-19 Thematic Website
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html

Major updates of the COVID-19 measures will also be posted to our social media (Facebook + Instagram + LinkedIn @hketosg) and the relevant press releases uploaded to our website (www.hketosin.gov.hk).

Thank you for your attention.