Chance Of Another Covid Surge Is Slim: Expert Adviser

A government medical adviser, David Hui, said on Sunday that he doesn't think Hong Kong will see another surge in Covid cases, and testing of incoming travellers can be scaled back.

The respiratory medicine professor from Chinese University pointed out that the epidemic situation has been stable of late, with the daily caseload ranging from 4,000 to 5,000.

"The instantaneous effective reproductive number of the virus has been lower than one. In other words, the chances of another surge [in cases] are very slim," Hui said.

"Plus the vaccination rate has been gradually going up, so I believe the epidemic will continue to ease."

He said there is room to reduce the number of compulsory PCR tests for arrivals.

Currently, travellers have to do four PCR tests after arriving in Hong Kong, on top of several days of rapid tests.

But one measure that cannot be relaxed just yet, Hui said, is the face mask mandate.

He said the authorities should only consider relaxing mask requirements after winter, warning there may be serious outbreaks of respiratory diseases because the viruses involved haven't been circulating for more than two years.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau again rejected any further easing of Covid rules for travellers for the time being.

"We have reiterated many times, Hong Kong's epidemic policy is not based on one or two events, and not based on one or two persons' opinions. We look at different data as a whole and how the pandemic develops globally," said Lo.