Hong Kong Will Review COVID-19 Restrictions In The Coming Days, Pay Attention To The Economic Sector

JAKARTA - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday she would review COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days, understanding her citizens' growing impatient with rules that isolate and hurt businesses.

Restrictions, including a ban on flights from nine countries such as the UK and the United States, a quarantine of up to 14 days for people arriving in Hong Kong, a ban on face-to-face classes, the closure of gyms and most public places have frustrated many residents in the city of 7.4 million. that.

Speaking at regular COVID-19 media briefings, Lam said she would provide updates around March 20-21 rather than waiting for the restrictions to expire on April 20.

"I feel very good, that some of our financial institutions are losing patience about this kind of isolation status from Hong Kong. Hong Kong is an international financial center, no one considers Hong Kong as an international financial center as important as me," Lam said. March.

The review will include social distancing measures as well as updates on border restrictions and proposals for mass testing, he added.

Meanwhile, health authorities reported 29.272 new infections on Wednesday and 217 deaths, bringing the total cases to around 800.000 and deaths to nearly 5.000. Most of these cases and deaths occurred in the last three weeks.

Hong Kong is sticking to its 'zero-COVD' strategy which aims to curb all outbreaks, despite a spiral of cases engulfing nursing homes and flooding medical facilities and morgues.

The policies mirror those of mainland China, which is also facing major challenges as cases spike, restrict the movement of millions of people and affect some of the country's industrial hubs.

The situation has sparked an exodus of people from the city, with an outflow of more than 45.000 this month, after at least 71.000 left in February. That compares with an outflow of nearly 17.000 in December before the fifth wave hit.