Government adjusts nucleic acid testing arrangements for inbound persons
2022-11-17
The Government announced today (November 17) that the nucleic acid testing arrangements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from overseas places or Taiwan will be adjusted starting from November 21. Relevant persons will only be required to undergo nucleic acid tests on the day of arrival at Hong Kong (i.e. “test-and-go” at the airport) and on Day 2 after arrival at Hong Kong, as well as daily rapid antigen tests (RATs) after arrival until Day 7 after arrival at Hong Kong. The existing compulsory nucleic acid testing requirement on Day 4 and Day 6 after arrival at Hong Kong will be lifted.
Since the implementation of the “0+3” arrangement for inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan on September 26, there has been an increase in the number of imported cases but the ratio of confirmed cases has stabilised. During the six-week period from September 26 to November 6, the percentage of confirmed cases found among relevant inbound persons was 4.5 per cent. A vast majority of imported cases was already detected by the nucleic acid tests under “test-and-go” on the day of arrival at Hong Kong and on Day 2 after arrival at Hong Kong. The remaining confirmed cases detected by the Day 4 and Day 6 tests accounted for only 0.4 per cent and 0.1 per cent of the overall number of relevant inbound persons respectively. In other words, only 4 cases and 1 case were respectively detected per 1 000 inbound persons.
In view of the short incubation period of the Omicron virus variant, and taking into consideration the local epidemic situation and that inbound persons could move about in the community after “test-and-go” at the airport under the “0+3” arrangement, it may be more likely that confirmed cases detected by the nucleic acid tests on Day 4 and Day 6 stemmed from local infection rather than importation. These cases accounted for a relatively smaller proportion of the confirmed cases among relevant inbound persons, and were also at a relatively low level when compared to the local caseload. On the premise of proper risk management with precise measures while striking a balance between the needs of medical surveillance and reducing the impact on inbound persons, the Government considered that the nucleic acid testing requirements for relevant inbound persons can be adjusted.
The adjusted testing arrangements for inbound persons (aged three years old or above on the date of arrival at Hong Kong) arriving at Hong Kong from overseas places or Taiwan are detailed below:
- Within 24 hours prior to boarding: RAT
- Day 0 (i.e. day of arrival at Hong Kong): Nucleic acid test under “test-and-go” upon arrival at the airport
- Day 2: Nucleic acid test at a community testing centre/community testing station or an ac-hoc mobile specimen collection station, or arrange a self-paid test by professional swab sampling at a local medical testing institution recognised by the Government; and
- Day 1 to Day 7: Daily RATs. Can only leave the place of stay upon obtaining a negative result.
The handling arrangements for inbound persons tested positive align with that for local cases. Vaccine Pass of persons concerned will be switched to a Red Code. Relevant persons should provide information to the Centre for Health Protection through the online platforms (for nucleic acid tests or RATs). For further details, please refer to the webpage on Points to Note for Persons who Tested Positive.
From November 21 onwards, relevant inbound persons arriving at Hong Kong before that date will not be required to undergo the compulsory nucleic acid tests on Day 4 and Day 6 if they have already undergone the compulsory nucleic acid test on Day 2 as required. To maintain a certain extent of medical surveillance, apart from the nucleic acid tests to be done on the day of arrival and on Day 2 after arrival at Hong Kong, persons arriving at Hong Kong from overseas places or Taiwan are still required to undergo RATs on a daily basis after arrival at Hong Kong until Day 7 after arrival at Hong Kong. They can only leave the place of stay after obtaining a negative result.
As for inbound persons from the Mainland or Macao in general, the requirement of undergoing nucleic acid test on Day 2 after arrival at Hong Kong remains unchanged.
A Government spokesman said, “The Government will continue to tackle the epidemic development under the principles of science-based and targeted anti-epidemic measures, as well as the proper management of risks and citizen-focused facilitation. The Government will also adjust anti-epidemic measures as appropriate based on analyses of scientific data. It is our aim to facilitate activities and people flow essential to socio-economic recovery, so as to safeguard the well-being of citizens and protect the public healthcare system while reducing the disruption to normal social activities, with a view to achieving the greatest effect with the lowest cost. The Government adopts a prudent and stable approach in adjusting various anti-epidemic measures, in order to avoid a rebound of the epidemic situation and backtracking along the path to normalcy as far as practicable.”
The Government will gazette the relevant compulsory testing notices under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to effect the above measures.
