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Hong Kong reopens
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Explainer | Hong Kong’s Covid-19 curbs were among the world’s toughest. What were their long-term effects on the city?

  • Travel bans and curbs on public gatherings were just some of the measures introduced to stop spread of virus
  • City is scrapping the last of the restrictions but some of them have left a mark on life in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong has gradually eased its Covid-related curbs, which were among the strictest in the world. Photo: Edmond So
Ng Kang-chungandEzra Cheung
Hong Kong, among the last cities in the world to scrap Covid-19 restrictions, is gradually reopening its border with mainland China starting on Sunday. The tough and protracted curbs contributed to an exodus of about 140,000 people from the city in the past two years.
In his New Year message, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said one of his primary goals was to lead Hong Kong out of the pandemic and back to normality. He said he believed Hong Kong could “shine again on the world stage” by leveraging the mainland and engaging the world.

Here is a round-up of what the city has experienced over the past three years.

1. How did Hong Kong close its doors amid the Covid panic?

In an unprecedented move, all but three border checkpoints – at Shenzhen Bay, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and Hong Kong International Airport – were closed to visitors.

On March 25, 2020, Hong Kong began to ban entry of non-locals travelling from outside mainland China, Taiwan and Macau and suspended layovers at the airport. It was the first time the international city had shut its doors to foreigners.

On August 19, 2020, authorities, citing the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation, began prohibiting airlines from entering Hong Kong when a certain number of passengers on an aircraft tested positive for Covid-19.

In December 2020, the city imposed the most stringent arrangements on visitors by requiring them to undergo 21 days of mandatory quarantine in a designated hotel. The rule lasted until August 9, 2021.

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