Hong Kong is set to remove more Covid-19 restrictions and will allow live performances and dancing to take place indoors from Thursday (Oct 20), marking another step toward regaining its reputation as a financial center.
The administration announced late Tuesday that beginning October 20, groups of up to 12 people will be permitted in public spaces. Previously, only four people were allowed.
The change aligns the rule with the group cap at restaurants, gyms, and amusement parks.
From October 20, people arriving in Hong Kong will no longer have to go into mandatory hotel quarantine, as well as the resumption of live performances and dancing.
But other rules that are still in place show how hard it is for the government to find the right balance between reopening with a world that’s living with the virus, while not going too far from the Covid Zero policy imposed in mainland China.
So far, Hong Kong’s efforts to reopen its financial sector have lagged behind those of other major financial hubs, particularly Singapore. Many foreigners have relocated to Singapore, which began relaxing its own Covid Zero restrictions in the spring.
