Govt Moves To Ban Large 'staycation' Gatherings

The government said it will beef up coronavirus restrictions to ban large gatherings of people at ‘staycations’ in local hotels and guesthouses, to stave off a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections.

However, officials said the trade would be consulted before current restrictions on gatherings in public areas are extended to cover hotels and guesthouses.

The same four-person limit would also be imposed at such venues, and authorities would have the right to search premises where such unauthorised gatherings are suspected to be taking place.

A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said in a statement that there has been an increasing trend of large, mask-less gatherings during staycations, which has been blamed for a recent coronavirus outbreak.

“The relevant health risks should not be overlooked,” he said.

Existing regulations would be amended so anyone who organises or takes part in such gatherings would be subject to ‘legal responsibility’.

“Compared with the current practice where the hotel/guesthouse operators could only appeal for the self-discipline of customers, this legislative amendment exercise will facilitate the operators to manage infection prevention and control within the premises more effectively," the spokesman said.

Current regulations would also be amended to add a legal defence for hotel operators who had taken “all reasonable steps” to comply with the regulations.

Experts have recently been warning of the dangers of hotels housing both locals on staycations, and people returning from foreign countries who are observing a mandatory quarantine.

The government says the new ban would reduce cross infection risks between such confinees and local guests.

"Since the fourth wave of outbreak could happen at any moment, the government has to implement preventive measures in a targeted manner to reduce the infectious risks brought by mask-off gatherings," the spokesman said.

The government said further details, including when the new regulations would be implemented, will be announced later following discussions with the industry.

A specialist in respiratory medicine, Dr Leung Chi-chiu, said he hopes the new measures would discourage people from going on staycations in large groups.

“Previously, these hotels rooms are taken as usual residential areas that were not covered by the ban on gatherings,” he said.

“With the listing of these hotels under the same regulations, this will allow the hotel guests to understand they are also under the relevant regulations. It will also allow hotel management to deal with those guests who violate the rules. If necessary, they can also inform the law enforcement agencies to take action,” Leung added.

“I hope that will help stop the risky gatherings inside poorly ventilated rooms at hotels and other premises that are used for those staycations.”