No Quarantine For Guangdong Returnees From Nov 23

Hong Kong residents returning to the territory from Guangdong or Macau will be exempt from undergoing quarantine from November 23, as long as they test negative for Covid-19 and register with the Hong Kong government in advance.

However, it's only a one-way arrangement and Hongkongers travelling in the opposite direction still face 14 days of quarantine on arrival after Chief Executive Carrie Lam failed to persuade mainland authorities to lift the requirement.

The "Return2HK" scheme will have a daily quota of 5,000 people, with up to 3,000 residents allowed to enter through the Shenzhen Bay border crossing and the rest via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

Tommy Yuen, director of special duties at the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, said the quota could be removed eventually to allow all eligible people to enter at will.

“Having a quota there is simply because of our wish to ensure that the boundary control points are handled or operated in an orderly manner without overcrowding or increasing the health or exposure risk in that area,” he said.

“Once the operation of this scheme is smooth and in place, technically, if the boundary control points are smooth sailing all round, there will be no need for any quota at all,” he said.

Returnees hoping to skip the quarantine requirement will be required to register online in advance, and must demonstrate that they had tested negative for coronavirus in the past three days at one of 39 recognised medical facilities in Guangdong or one of four in Macau.