Restrictions May Ease Soon: Govt Pandemic Adviser

Hong Kong could be nearing the end of its latest wave of Covid-19 infections, a government adviser on the pandemic said on Friday, paving the way for a further easing of strict social distancing restrictions.

Chinese University respiratory disease expert David Hui was speaking a day after the city reported no untraceable cases for the first time since mid-November.

But he said it would take at least another week to tell for sure whether this wave of infections was over, because of the incubation period of the virus.

"If there're no untraceable cases for seven to 10 consecutive days, then that's definitely a good sign," Hui told Commercial Radio.

The government confirmed on Friday that it planned to allow up to two-thirds of students to attend in-person classes after the Easter holiday. That’s up from the current threshold of one-third.

Hui said a further easing at other venues can be considered if the city reports no cases of unknown source for the next several days.

He said it would be reasonable to relax gathering restrictions in churches and schools, as well as other venues that do not involve eating or drinking.

But he called for vigilance against risks from the upcoming holiday period, noting that the local epidemic situation had worsened after holidays in the past.

Hui also urged high-risk venues such as restaurants and gyms to maintain good ventilation and hygiene measures to keep the virus at bay.