HK, mainland discuss quarantine-free travel arrangements

Hong Kong and mainland authorities were to hold another meeting on Tuesday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, which is expected to hammer out details on quarantine-free cross-border travels, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lam said Chief Secretary of Administration John Lee Ka-chiu was leading the delegation for the third meeting on the border reopening.

More than 440,000 Hong Kong residents have rushed to apply for the Hong Kong health code to get themselves ready for a possible partial reopening of borders by the end of this month.

Lam said that the limited quota will also be allocated for residents with urgent and practical needs, while business needs will be prioritized. The SAR government will strive to expand the quota, she added.

Lam said that of more than 440,000 applicants for the Hong Kong health code, over 150,000 have activated their health codes.

The health code was launched on Friday to align Hong Kong’s contact-tracking with that of the mainland in order to facilitate the border reopening.

At the press conference, she also revealed that the third jab for those receiving the BioNTech vaccine will be available in early January, not limited to high-risk groups.