International arrivals currently undergoing their seven-day hotel quarantine period in Hong Kong are eligible for early discharge, thanks to the new 3+4 arrangement that the government announced on Monday. Under the new measures, overseas travellers can spend three days in a designated quarantine hotel (DQH) and the next four days under medical surveillance, starting August 12.
Under the prevailing border control measures, Hong Kong-bound travellers must stay at a DQH for at least seven days after they arrive in the city. Those who are in the middle of this seven-day quarantine period can leave their DQH early as long as they test negative for Covid-19 on their Day 3 PCR test.
According to a government press release, for travellers “who have completed at least three nights of quarantine in DQHs before August 12, i.e., persons who arrived at Hong Kong between August 3 and 8, the government will arrange for them to leave DQHs from August 9 to 12 after confirming their negative nucleic acid test results.”
Once they leave their DQHs, these travellers will begin their medical surveillance period and will get an amber code on their LeaveHomeSafe app, in accordance with the new two-colour health code, and are prohibited from visiting certain high-risk areas. They must also take PCR tests on Days 4, 6 and 9 after their arrival in Hong Kong, as well as Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) every day till Day 10 after they land in the SAR.
| DATE OF ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG | TENTATIVE DISCHARGE DATE | PCR TESTING DATES AFTER DISCHARGE | LAST DATE OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE | LAST DATE OF COMPULSORY RAT |
| August 3 | August 9 | August 9 and August 12 | 9 am, August 10 | August 13 |
| August 4 | August 10 | August 10 and August 13 | 9 am, August 11 | August 14 |
| August 5 | August 10 | August 11 and August 14 | 9 am, August 12 | August 15 |
| August 6 | August 11 | August 12 and August 15 | 9 am, August 13 | August 16 |
| August 7 | August 11 | August 11, August 13 and August 16 | 9 am, August 14 | August 17 |
| August 8 | August 12 | August 12, August 14, and August 17 | 9 am, August 15 | August 18 |
| August 9 | August 12 | August 13, August 15, and August 18 | 9 am, August 16 | August 19 |
| August 10 | August 13 | August 14, August 16, and August 19 | 9 am, August 17 | August 20 |
| August 11 | August 14 | August 15, August 17, and August 20 | 9 am, August 18 | August 21 |
Quarantine restrictions for arrivals from the Mainland and Macau will also be eased, starting August 12. They will be subject to three days of home isolation, followed by four days of self-monitoring. Those undergoing the current seven-day home quarantine requirement who entered Hong Kong on or before August 6 can leave home starting 9 am on August 9 once they complete three days of isolation.
Those who are cleared to leave home early may remove their electronic wristbands and self-monitor their health for an additional seven days by taking their body temperature twice every day. They must also take PCR tests on Days 4 and 6 after their arrival into Hong Kong, but will not be issued an amber health code and can move around the city with no restrictions.
Header image credits: Wpcpey via Wiki Commons
