Coronavirus: Shenzhen’s partial easing of quarantine rules for Hongkongers gets mixed response from business community
- Those crossing border can spend part of their two-week isolation period at home provided certain conditions are met
- But while some say there is little difference between being stuck in a hotel and at home, others hail it as a step in the right direction
A decision by Shenzhen authorities to partially relax quarantine measures for Hongkongers met with a mixed response on Wednesday, despite some travellers now being allowed to spend half of their two-week isolation period at home.
The policy change across the border, which requires visitors to have a dwelling authorities deem suitable for isolation purposes, marks mainland China’s first relaxation of border restrictions with Hong Kong.
But while some hailed it as a step in the right direction, others said there was little difference between hotel and home confinement.
Previously, most visitors entering Shenzhen from Hong Kong needed to spend 14 days in centralised quarantine, and undergo medical surveillance.
In a press statement on Wednesday, the Shenzhen government’s port office said ordinary visitors entering the mainland city from Hong Kong would have to obtain a negative test result within 24 hours of arrival, undergo two weeks of quarantine and medical surveillance, as well as self-monitoring at home for the next seven days.
