Expert Urges Tighter Covid Rules For Taiwan Returnees

Infectious disease expert Leung Chi-chiu said on Monday that all Hongkongers returning from Taiwan should be quarantined for 21 days, even those who are fully vaccinated.

His suggestion is contrary to the government’s latest rules which require people who have been inoculated to be quarantined for 14 days – to be followed by a week of self-monitoring – upon returning from Taiwan where there’s been a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Those who have not been inoculated have to be quarantined for 21 days.

Leung said vaccines do not provide full protection against Covid variants and they do not shorten the incubation period either, so there should be no differential treatment between people who have had the jab and those who haven’t.

The expert said Hong Kong should learn a lesson from Taiwan's resurgence of cases and be extra careful.

He noted that the number of infections had stayed low in Taiwan, the inoculation rate there was low, and life had largely returned to normal – and said all this made internal safeguards against the virus very weak.

Leung said Hong Kong is not much better than Taiwan in terms of herd immunity, so if any travellers bring the virus into the community, it could lead to problems that will "take a long time to solve".