Tag: COVID-19

HK-Singapore Air Travel Bubble to Begin on 26 May

After many false starts the first local ‘Air Travel Bubble’ opens on the 26 May when HongKongers will be able to travel quarantine-free to Singapore.

There are lots of rules and qualifications, see below, but amongst the many rules is nothing about what happens to HongKongers in Singapore if the travel bubble is suspended. And once the bubble is suspended, the restart conditions are quite onerous. So if you travel, be prepared… For the latest information www.tourism.gov.hk/travelbubble

Hopefully, if the bubble proves successful, it will lead to similar arrangements with New Zealand and Australia in the coming months. No practical suggestions seem to have been made as to when or how HongKongers will be able to visit Macau any time soon.

Objective Air Travel Bubble

No restrictions on travel purposes.

Exemption from compulsory quarantine requirement / Stay-Home Notice.

No restrictions on itineraries.

Eligibility

Any person currently in Hong Kong and Singapore, irrespective of his/her nationality.

Any person with no travel history to any place other than Singapore or Hong Kong in the last 14 days prior to departure.
Note: any compulsory quarantine / Stay-Home Notice periods in Hong Kong or Singapore arising from the traveller’s last visit outside Hong Kong or Singapore would not count towards that 14-day period.

Negative result of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nucleic acid test by recognised testing institutions with a specimen collected within 72 hours prior to departure.

Hong Kong passport holders can only take an ATB flight at least 14 days after they have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Travel on ‘Designated Flights’.

Designated Flight Arrangements

From 26 May to 9 June, 2021:
Hong Kong to Singapore: 1 flight per day, with 200 travellers per flight Singapore to Hong Kong: 1 flight per day, with 200 travellers per flight 

From 10 June, 2021 onwards:
Hong Kong to Singapore: 2 flights per day, with 200 travellers per flight. Singapore to Hong Kong: 2 flights per day, with 200 travellers per flight.

Health Protection Measure

Testing Requirements:
Travellers are required to take mutually recognised COVID-19 PCR nucleic acid tests with a specimen collected within 72 hours prior to departure from Hong Kong and Singapore.

Travellers arriving in Hong Kong and Singapore are required to take a PCR nucleic acid test again at the airport.

Designated Flights:
Only carry ATB travellers, but not transit nor non-ATB travellers.

Designated lane upon arrival in Hong Kong:
There is a designated lane at Hong Kong International Airport for ATB travellers to take post-arrival COVID-19 tests and proceed through immigration.

Mechanism to Adjust or Suspend ATB:
A change in the epidemic situation in Hong Kong and Singapore may trigger the adjustment or suspension of ATB flights:
If the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases is more than five for either Singapore or Hong Kong, the ATB arrangements will be suspended after two days for a two-week period.

The ATB arrangements can resume on the next day after fulfilling the following two criteria:
(i) the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID- 19 cases for both Hong Kong and Singapore does not exceed five on the last day of the 14-day suspension period or any subsequent day; and

(ii) after criterion (i) is met, subsequently there have to be three consecutive days with the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases for both Hong Kong and Singapore not exceeding three, and the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local COVID-19 cases on the third day in both places does not exceed five.

Other Requirements for ATB Travel: HK to Singapore
(for all travellers)

Within 3 days prior to arrival in Singapore, fill in and submit SG Arrival Card.

Book a post-arrival PCR nucleic acid test before departure. Upon arrival, take the PCR nucleic acid test at the airport, then go to the declared place of accommodation5 by private transportation, taxis or private hire cars, and stay thereat for isolation until receipt of a negative test result before leaving the accommodation and commencing itineraries
(for travellers who are non-Singapore citizens, and at the same time, non-Permanent Residents or non- Long-Term Pass holders)
Apply for an Air Travel Pass 7 to 30 days prior to departure

Download the TraceTogether mobile app, register and keep the app activated on their mobile devices during their stay in Singapore, and retain the app and its records for 14 days subsequent to departure from Singapore

Other Requirements for ATB Travel: Singapore to HK

Fill in and submit health declaration by using the online Health & Quarantine Information Declaration Form within 48 hours prior to arrival in Hong Kong, and get the relevant QR code.

Book a post-arrival PCR nucleic acid test before departure. Upon arrival, take the PCR nucleic acid test through the designated lane for ATB travellers at the airport, and only leave the airport and start itineraries after receiving a negative test result.

Download the LeaveHomeSafe (LHS) mobile app, and scan the LHS QR codes displayed at relevant premises during their stay in Hong Kong, as well as retain the app and its records for 31 days subsequent to departure from Hong Kong.

Useful Links:

HongKong’s designated ATB: www.tourism.gov.hk/travelbubble

Health & Quarantine Information Declaration Form for arrival in Hong Kong: www.chp.gov.hk/hdf

Local COVID-19 testing institutions recognised by the Hong Kong SAR Government: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf

LeaveHomeSafemobileapp: www.leavehomesafe.gov.hk

Singapore’s designated ATB website Safe Travel Lanes: https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg 

Singapore Trace Together mobile app: www.tracetogether.gov.sg 

Singapore Arrival Card: https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard

images: singapore tourism

‘Vaccine Bubble’ Quarantine Arrangements

The Government today, 15, April, announced plans to shorten the quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons arriving from non-very high-risk overseas places on the basis of the “vaccine bubble”.

“As the global epidemic situation remains severe with the new virus variants still ravaging many parts of the world, the Government needs to maintain the 21-day compulsory quarantine requirement for persons who have stayed in high-risk places outside China. ”

“However, considering that the epidemic situations in certain places have stabilised and pose lower public health risks, with reference to the ‘vaccine bubble’ concept, the Government will adjust the quarantine arrangements for persons who have stayed in overseas places other than extremely high-risk and very high-risk places under the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C), the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E) and Cap. 599H,” said the spokesman.

“The basic boarding and quarantine requirements will remain unchanged for high-risk and medium-risk places (i.e. Group B and Group C specified places), but the Government will supplement in due course new arrangements applicable to fully vaccinated persons and shorten the compulsory quarantine period for the relevant persons from 21 days to 14 days under the “vaccine bubble” concept.

As for low-risk Group D specified places (i.e. Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore), the compulsory quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons will also be correspondingly shortened from 14 days to seven days in due course.

Persons that have completed quarantine under the adjusted Group B, Group C and Group D requirements will be required to self-monitor for seven days and undergo compulsory testing after their shortened quarantine.”

The Government plans to gazette and effect the new arrangements within about two weeks.

BioNTech (Comirnaty) Vaccination Resumes

BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccination resumed today 5 April, longer lines – which at the time bc’s reporter was there were sadly disproportionately (about 80%) non-ethnic Chinese – meant the queue and injection took around 80 minutes.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210405-11pro-Second-Covid-Vaccination-BionTech-Sai-Yin-Pun/i-XS6wd54

Unfortunately at Sai Yin Pun Vaccination Centre the nurse absolutely refused to allow our reporter to take a photo of themselves getting vaccinated.

We’re not big ‘selfie’ takers, but this seemed a missed opportunity to raise communal awareness of vaccination and maybe counter some of the negative rubbish being spread by the ignorant both in Hong Kong and abroad.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210405-11pro-Second-Covid-Vaccination-BionTech-Sai-Yin-Pun/i-w86Rq7j

While the vaccine is not yet a cure, it can and will save lives! Not only of those who get infected but also of those whose jobs, livelihoods and mental health have been destroyed over the last year!

PLEASE GET VACCINATED!!! Make a booking here www.coronavirus.gov.hk

Fosun BioNTech Batch No 210102 – Update

At today’s daily press conference the Secretary for Civil Service Patrick Nip said the Hong Kong Government had received notice from Fosun Pharma/BionTech that there may be a problem with the packaging with Comirnaty batch number 210102.

BioNTech requested that vaccinations stop during the investigation period, while stressing that this is just a precaution. The Department of Health (DoH) and the CHP have decided that all local vaccinations in Hong Kong using Fosun BioNTech vaccine known as Comirnaty will stop until further notice. 

Director of Health Dr. Constance Chan said the DoH has stringent protocols to monitor the distribution of medications locally.

Hong Kong has imported two batches of BioNTech vaccine:
585,000 doses on 28 February 2021 – Batch Number 210102.
758,000 doses on 7 March 2021 – Batch Number 210104.
150,000 doses from batch number 210102 have been used as of 23 March.

Dr. Chan said since these vaccinations have begun health staff have filed the following reports:
8 incidents when staff found cracks in the container.

22 incidents of leakage due to overpressure in the vile.

16 incidents of loose caps or caps that were not straight were found.

8 incidents where marks or dirt were found on the bottle

To be extra cautious whenever staff found abnormalities, they did not use these viles and threw them away.

Dr. Chan commented that those who have been vaccinated should not worry as there are very strict protocols for the staff to follow. This was echoed by Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan who wanted to remind people that there is no evidence of any problems with the doses already administered to people in Hong Kong.

Thru their distributor Fosun Hong Kong, the Government submitted feedback to the manufacturer BioNTech. The manufacturer recommended Hong Kong suspend use of Batch Number 210102 temporarily. Batch Number 210104 is still in the warehouse and Fosun recommended that this batch not be used for the moment too. Dr. Constance Chan said that they will await the report from BioNTech as to whether batch 210104 can be used. If not, this batch will be returned, and HKGOV will request a new batch from BioNTech.


This morning an investigation was launched by the DoH. Fosun will request BioNTech to review the procedures inside their manufacturing plant. While locally Fosun will review the arrival procedures to see if their handling in Hong Kong had anything to do with these events.

Beyond those waiting for their first dose are those waiting for the second dose. The first group of which are scheduled for this Saturday, 27 March. The DoH is pressuring BioNTech for a prompt response and report.  Currently, the DoH procedure is to administer the 2nd doses on day 21. Although there are studies and recommendations that suggest the second dose be effective up to Day 42. Dr. Chan said the DoH preference is to continue with day 21 but this all depends on what the manufacturer says.

Statement from Fosun Pharma

Fosun received written notice from BioNTech on the evening of 23 March 2021 informing them that there may be a “small number of defects related to the cap of the vial” in batch number 210102.

Fosun added that “As, at the date of this announcement, there is no evidence to suggest that the safety of the relevant batches of product may be at risk.”

Fosun BioNTech Batch No 210102

The Governments of HKSAR and Macao SAR have temporarily suspended Covid-19 vaccinations using Comirnaty.

A press release issued by the Hong Kong Government at 10am 24 March, read below or here, said that it had received notice from the manufacturer that there may be a packaging defect with the closure of the medicine bottle.

For the sake of caution, the government has decided to suspend all vaccinations using this type of vaccine during the investigation period.

BionTech and Fosun Pharma have not found any reasons to believe safety has been compromised. The Department of Health will be having an emergency meeting with the distributors to understand the incident.

Hong Kong currently has two batches of vaccine including Batch Number 210102 (expires 21 June) and 210104. Batch number 210104 will remain sealed and unused until an investigation has been carried out.

For those already vaccinated, which includes bc magazine staff, there has been no notification from the manufacturer that the improper closure is harmful. It may though affect the efficacy of the vaccine.

Suspension of BioNTech vaccination
*****************************
The Government received written notification from Fosun Industrial Co., Limited this morning (March 24) that as notifications of observed deviations in the vial seal of Comirnaty vaccine (BioNTech) product (batch 210102 (Expiry 06/2021)) were received, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma have initiated an investigation to identify the root cause of these packaging issues. For the sake of prudence, the concerned vaccination should be suspended immediately for the time being while investigation is ongoing.
So far, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma have no reason to believe that there is a risk to product safety. However, for the sake of prudence, vaccination of the batch 210102 should be suspended until the investigation is completed. Meanwhile, batch 210104, another batch of BioNTech vaccines procured by Hong Kong, should also be put on hold and not be administered. This is a precautionary measure to continuously ensure vaccine safety.
As BioNTech vaccines procured by Hong Kong belong to the above batches, all Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) stopped vaccinating BioNTech vaccine with immediate effect today until further notice. Those who have made appointments to receive BioNTech vaccination from today onwards need not go to CVC for vaccination.
The Department of Health will hold an urgent meeting with Fosun Industrial Co., Limited today to obtain further details of the incident and discuss on the follow up measures.

This post will be updated as more information is available:
Edited 13:42 added English press release and link

For more information on Covid-19 in Hong Kong see the government website www.coronavirus.gov.hk

New Quarantine Hotel List Announced: 21 April – 19 June, 2021

An updated list of 30 designated quarantine hotels for the period 21 April – 19 June 2021 (third cycle) was released today.

The list of designated hotels in the third cycle and related details such as room rates have been uploaded to www.designatedhotel.gov.hk.

Or download the pdf here

Central and Western District
1. Best Western Plus Hotel Hong Kong
2. CM+ Hotels & Serviced Apartments
3. Grand City Hotel
4. JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La
5. Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong
6. One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences
7. Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View
8. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Hong Kong Eastern District
1. Ramada Hong Kong Grand View

Islands District
1. Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung
2. Regal Airport Hotel

Kowloon City District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Hung Hom Gillies Avenue South
2. iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel
3. Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
4. Metropark Hotel Kowloon Hong Kong
5. Regal Oriental Hotel

Kwai Tsing District
1. Dorsett Tsuen Wan,

Hong Kong Southern District
1. Nina Hotel Island South (Formerly L’hotel Island South)
2. Ovolo Southside

Tsuen Wan District
1. Silka Far East Hotel Hong Kong

Wan Chai District
1. Best Western Hotel Causeway Bay
2. Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong
3. Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
4. Mira Moon Hotel
5. Vela Boutique Hotel

Wong Tai Sin District
1. Pentahotel Hong Kong,

Kowloon Yau Tsim Mong District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Yau Ma Tei Wing Sing Lane
2. Dorsett Mongkok Hong Kong
3. Ramada Hong Kong Grand
4. Silka Seaview Hotel Hong Kong

Updated Social Distancing Measures – 18 February, 2021

Today the government updated the gazetted directions and specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) to further tighten social distancing measures.

The updated directions are effective from 00:01, 18 February, 2021

Restaurants

Allowed to open to 10pm and a maximum of 4 persons will be allowed per table. Staff to ensure that customers… 

    • Wear masks 
    • Check their temperature
    • Do not allow more people than permitted 
    • Use hand sanitiser 
    • Make sure people are socially distanced. 
    • ALL patrons may only enter if they have scanned using the Leave Home Safe app or leave with the outlet their last name, mobile phone number and the time that person entered and exited the premises. All records must be kept for 31 days. 
    • Restaurants must also ensure that all working staff members are tested every 14 days. All test records must be kept for 31 days. 

For those restaurants that have not complied with all of the new conditions, these outlets will only be allowed to open till 6pm and a maximum of two people will be allowed on each table. 

Restaurants that fail to comply with these new rules could be fined up to HKD 50,000 or imprisoned for up 6 months. 

Premises That May ReOpen:
    • All sports ground both indoor and Outdoor 
    • Beauty parlours
    • Gyms
    • Massage parlours
    • Cinemas 
    • Amusement parks 
    • Video Game Centers 
    • Ice Skating Rinks
    • Bowling Alleys 
Premises That Remain Closed:
    • Party Rooms
    • Bathhouses 
    • Discos/Night Clubs 
    • Karaokes 
    • Mahjong Parlors
    • Swimming Pools
    • Beaches 
Public Gatherings:

    • No more than 2 persons can gather together at any one time.

Housing Authority to Reopen Outdoor Recreational Facilities

The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) announced today that from 11 February 2021 leisure facilities including badminton courts, table tennis tables, tennis courts, gateball courts, fitness equipment and peddle walk trails… will REOPEN!

The HA reminded people that the group gathering ban is still in force and that unless exempted, group gatherings of more than the permitted number in public places are strictly prohibited.

Members of the public are required to wear a mask when using these facilities.