Coronavirus: Hong Kong cuts PCR screening requirement for incoming travellers to 2 tests
- Health official says decision to drop PCR tests on fifth and seventh day of arrival made after balancing necessities of medical surveillance and impact on travellers
- Most infections in recent arrivals were detected through first two PCR tests, official adds
The move was announced on Thursday as the city recorded 8,052 new Covid-19 infections, the highest since September 18, including 533 imported cases, as well as 12 more deaths.
Undersecretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun said the decision to drop PCR tests on Day 4 and Day 6, the fifth and seventh day after arrival, was made after balancing the need for medical surveillance and the effect on travellers.
She said statistics showed, between September 26 and November 6, 82 per cent of infected arrivals were detected through the first two PCR tests, and only 0.4 and 0.1 per cent of infections were found in later tests.
“As the Omicron subvariant has a short incubation period … we have considered the local pandemic situation and the relaxed arrangements for arrivals, which allowed them to conduct their activities in the community after conducting a PCR test at the airport,” she said.
“We cannot be sure whether the travellers were infected locally or overseas if they were found positive on days 4 and 6. We believe it is more likely that they were infected locally than overseas.”