Travel easing impactful: CE

April 7, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:

The fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic has really hit us hard. Up till now, we are still adhering to the policies of preventing the importation of infected cases and at the same time through social distancing measures to reduce or avoid the spread of local infections. But that does not mean we will not continuously review the situation and make the necessary adjustments.

I made the announcement on March 21 to lift the place-specific flight suspension, in respect of the nine countries which had been imposed since January. It is not right to say that this travel easing has no impact because according to my data, since April 1, on average 1,000 or over 1,000 Hong Kong residents have returned (daily).

Prior to that, it was a daily average of 200. Many Hong Kong residents have made use of the lifting of the place-specific flight suspension and returned to Hong Kong.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government’s lifting of flight bans on nine countries on April 1 has enabled many more Hong Kong residents to return to the city, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today.

Addressing media questions in this morning's press conference, Mrs Lam said: “The fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic has really hit us hard. Up till now, we are still adhering to the policies of preventing the importation of infected cases and at the same time through social distancing measures to reduce or avoid the spread of local infections.

“But that does not mean we will not continuously review the situation and make the necessary adjustments.

“I made the announcement on March 21 to lift the place-specific flight suspension, in respect of the nine countries which had been imposed since January. It is not right to say that this travel easing has no impact because according to my data, since April 1, on average 1,000 or over 1,000 Hong Kong residents have returned (daily).

“Prior to that, it was a daily average of 200. Many Hong Kong residents have made use of the lifting of the place-specific flight suspension and returned to Hong Kong.”