Faced with an exponential spike in Covid-19 infections, the Hong Kong government has rolled out new containment measures including bringing forward school holidays, extended dining out curfews and compulsory testings for all residents.
This follows the chief executive’s urgent call last week for Hong Kong hotels to provide rooms as community isolation facilities.
The government has ordered all 7.5 million residents to undergo three rounds of compulsory Covid-19 tests, as confirmed case numbers swell past 66,000 across different districts. The situation has led to an overloaded medical system, with hospital capacity hitting past 90 per cent.
Social restrictions to set in include an earlier summer break for schools in March and April; mandatory closure of certain public premises such as gyms, entertainment venues and bars extended until April 20; and continued ban on dine-in at F&B outlets from 18.00.
The dine-in curfew has been in place since January 2022, and industry players have warned that 5,000 restaurants may close as a result of the extension.
At press time, the 2022-2023 Budget is being delivered by Hong Kong’s financial secretary. A slew of measures and policies to boost the local economy has been announced, including a fresh round of vouchers to encourage locals to spend on domestic tourism.
The Malaysian government has revised its standard operating procedures for the Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB) recently, increasing air connectivity by allowing tourists to enter via domestic flights from klia2, in addition to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The mandatory insurance coverage for tourists has also been reduced from US$80,000 to US$50,000 for the duration of their stay in Malaysia.
Children aged 12 and below are now allowed to enter the island with their fully vaccinated parents or guardians without having to show proof of vaccination.
LITB travellers are now allowed to travel to other destinations in the country after staying four days in Langkawi, compared with the previous requirement of an eight-day stay on the island.
According to the New Straits Times, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) CEO, Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib, said the revised procedures would enable LITB arrivals to increase.
The LITB, which started as a three-month pilot project on November 15, 2021, has been extended indefinitely until the country’s borders reopen.
Last week, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin shared that a realistic target for the reopening of the country’s borders was in early 2Q2022, and that the Ministry of Health was preparing guidelines for the country’s reopening.
The guidelines would have to be presented to the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Committee, chaired by the prime minister, as well as the Covid-19 quartet ministers before being brought to the Cabinet.
An announcement on when the country will reopen its borders will eventually be made by the prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob.