Businesses Cheer Easing Of Covid-19 Restrictions

Businesses cheered the government’s announcement on Tuesday that anti-epidemic measures would be eased from Friday, with some restaurants immediately reporting a surge in reservations for Mother’s Day.

After Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced in an afternoon press briefing that up to eight people would be allowed to gather in public or dine together, one restaurant in Mong Kok told RTHK calls immediately started to flood in.

A beauty parlour in Kowloon City said it was already fully booked for Friday, and, as of Tuesday evening, had just one more slot for the entire weekend.

A coalition of groups representing the beauty industry issued a statement saying thousands of shops would be adopting various protection measures, such as requiring all employees to wear face masks and use disposal equipment to avoid cross-contamination.

Both clients and staff will be required to fill out health declaration forms, it said.

However, some businesses called for a further relaxation of the anti-coronavirus initiatives.

The Hong Kong Bar and Club Association said it hopes the government could allow local bars to put tables a bit closer together than the mandated 1.5 metres, saying most establishments are too small for that.

It also called for more financial assistance for the struggling trade.

Meanwhile catering sector lawmaker Tommy Cheung, of the Liberal Party, said he was “very disappointed” at the government’s decision to keep karaoke lounges and nightclubs shut for another two weeks, accusing the administration of ignoring the hardships faced by such businesses.

Cheung said the government has not struck the right balance between preventing the spread of the coronavirus, and allowing economic activities to resume.

As for plans for the phased reopening of schools starting later this month, education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen said it’s a “reasonable” approach which most parents would welcome.

However, he expressed concerns about the authorities’ plans to start with half-day classes at first, saying older pupils may well choose to “wander around on the street” after a half day of school.

“We have to make sure that the idea of half-day school would get the desired result – to make sure that the students do not gather on the streets or in other places after school”, he cautioned.