HONG KONG - Hong Kong will impose a 14-day quarantine for all people who enter the area, starting from Thursday night (19/3/2020). The policy applies to anyone who comes from all over the world, except mainland China, Macau and Taiwan. This also applies to Hong Kong residents who have just arrived from abroad.
This was announced directly by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, in a press conference on Tuesday (17/3/2020). Lam also urged Hong Kong residents not to travel if it is not so important.
Starting Thursday, people arriving from any country will be required to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days. Or, placed under medical supervision. People who have close contact with patients who have tested positive for Corona will be sent to the Hong Kong quarantine center.
Since February 8, tourists and local Hong Kong residents arriving from mainland China have been subject to self-quarantine. So, leaving only people who came from Macau or Taiwan who were exempted from the quarantine regulations.
This is the most drastic move by the government to contain Covid-19 in Hong Kong. Carrie Lam emphasized that the new arrangements related to quarantine and medical surveillance were to ensure that previous efforts were not in vain.
Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lam noted that in the past week 90 percent of the 57 confirmed coronavirus cases were "imported cases," or close contacts of people who brought the disease to Hong Kong. He said the government had not chosen a total entry ban (lockdown) on non-residents, because it could cause other problems, including economic problems.
Carrie Lam appealed to everyone who is doing quarantine at home to have the discipline to protect themselves and Hong Kong from a potentially large outbreak. "Because we've been doing pretty well in the last two months. We really have to maintain this result through concerted efforts, "he said.
[DDHKNews /news source: RTHK / photo source: SCMP]
