Editorial | Cross-border steps in right direction, but coronavirus experts need to talk

Hong Kong has marked another milestone with no local Covid-19 infections for more than 21 days. The question is when will quarantine-free travel be able to resume?

While the way forward remains unclear at this stage, the government has proposed medical experts from the city meet with mainland counterparts to hammer out conditions for the gradual reopening of the border. Hopefully, this will pave the way for a clear road map regarding travel.

Public impatience was reflected in the Legislative Council yesterday, when Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was questioned on the lack of progress over cross-border travel.

Lam said she could not answer on behalf of mainland authorities on what more the city needed to do for the border to be reopened. Beijing has been asked to establish a dialogue between medical experts on both sides of the border to spell out the necessary conditions.

With the city still recording a small number of imported infections each day, the mainland is understandably wary of easing controls at this stage. Lam has categorically ruled out the so-called living with Covid strategy adopted elsewhere, meaning restrictions for international travel will not be eased in the near future.