Glorious leader comrade Lam, she who is in charge and responsible for all things Hong Kong (except as she stated repeatedly the police..) has graciously permitted (after checking with Beijing) HongKongers to visit bars and karaokes again – those that remain open.
Be a true HongKonger and wear a mask, stay safe, have fun – and leave a cash tip for the hardworking bar staff who’ve been trapped at home unpaid for weeks
Hongkong Post today (22 August) announced that all post offices will resume their normal business hours starting from 24 August 2020.
Mail collection from posting boxes and mail delivery service (including that for Speedpost items) will also resume.
For buildings with confirmed COVID-19 cases within the past 14 days, delivery to the letterboxes in lobbies will be three times a week, but door delivery service will remain suspended until the building concerned is removed from the list of buildings with confirmed cases within the past 14 days.
For more information: www.hongkongpost.hk
As from the 18 August 2020, arrivals at Chek Lap Kok will undergo Wuhan virus testing inside the airport before passing through immigration.
No information has yet been provided from the Centre of Health Protection as to whether those testing positive will be allowed to enter Hong Kong.
For information and personal experiences of the testing procedure and lots of information about quarantining in Hong Kong check out the excellent and informative facebook group: HK Quarantine support group
Note: Information, flight requirements and procedures change regularly so check the CHP website before flying.
The Hong Kong Book Fair is by far the SAR’s largest exhibition with over a million visitors attending last year looking for a bargain or three amongst the plethora of books on sale.
This year’s fair is the first ‘big’ public event in the city post Wuhan virus, and quite simply the HKTDC seem more interested in money than the safety of HongKongers attending the event.
The hygiene and social distancing measures leave a lot to be desired and there are apparently no limits on visitor numbers at the fair. A perfect super virus incubator… with no way to track or trace those who come into contact with an infected person.
The “Reading the World • Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul” themed fair offers a bit of everything from the casual reader looking for a summer/virus page-turner to the parent looking to drag their child away from a screen. Prices are cheap, and there will be lots of special items and box sets.
The new National Security Law will cause problems for sellers, at least one publisher has already decided not to sell some books at the fair. And you can surely expect a high profile smackdown during the fair of a publisher selling books some insecure twat in Beijing finds too truthful for his liking.
We at bc love the Book Fair, but this year our advice is to stay at home the health risks just aren’t worth it.
Hong Kong Book Fair
Date: 15-21 July 2020
Venue: HK Convention and Exhibition Centre
Tickets: $25
More info:
15-16 July 2020 (Wed-Thur) – 10am-10pm
17-18 July 2020 (Fri-Sat) – 10am-midnight
19-20 July 2020 (Sun-Mon) – 10am-8pm
21 July 2020 (Tue) – 9am-5pm
photos: hkbookfair
The Hong Kong government today (6 April, 2020) extended, until further notice, the entry restrictions on non-Hong Kong residents arriving by plane.
All transit at Hong Kong International Airport will continue to be suspended until further notice.
The entry restrictions, which came into effect on the 25 March 2020, were announced by the Government on 23 March with the aim of reducing imported cases of the Wuhan virus know as COVID-19:
• All non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane will be denied entry to Hong Kong;
• Non-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan will be denied entry to Hong Kong if they have been to any overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days;
• All transit services at Hong Kong International Airport will be suspended;
• All travellers coming from Macao and Taiwan, including Hong Kong and non-Hong Kong residents, will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine, which is the same as the arrangements for people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland.
The entry restriction and suspension of transit services at the airport were at the time to be implemented tentatively for 14 days, ending on 7 April, 2020.
Exemptions to the above restrictions include:
• Crew members of aircraft who need to commute to and from foreign places in performance of necessary duties or crew members of goods vessels;
• Government officials carrying out government duties including personnel of consular posts;
• Personnel engaged in anti-epidemic work endorsed by the HKSAR Government;
• Spouses and minor children of Hong Kong residents.
All entrants to Hong Kong must complete 14-days compulsory quarantine on arrival.
Read the government press release https://t.co/WW8NKVLBqB?amp=1
More information can be found on the government’s dedicated website www.coronavirus.gov.hk
The Hong Kong government today issued a Red Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for 26 European countries. The alert warns against all non-essential travel to countries in the Shengen area, the part of Europe covered by an open-border travel arrangement.
“In view of the health risks arising from the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Europe, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (March 13) issued the Red Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) on certain European countries (Schengen Area), including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.”
The Red OTA urges members of the public planning to travel to the aforementioned countries to adjust travel plans and avoid non-essential travel.
After returning to Hong Kong travelers should consult a doctor promptly if experiencing a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, and wear a surgical mask until 14 days after returning to Hong Kong.
More information can be found on the government’s dedicated website www.coronavirus.gov.hk
When it comes to coronavirus news / COVID-19, there is a mass of misinformation and charlatans looking to profit from the suffering of others.
Many of the media sources you might trust are behind paywalls – journalism after all costs money – with limited free articles.
However because of the seriousness and global nature of the pandemic many news outlets have made their COVID-19 news free to access. Here is list of major outlets with free updates and articles:
The New York Times is offering its COVID-19 coverage for free.
The Washington Post has a free email newsletter for coronavirus-related news. All articles linked in the newsletter are free.
The Los Angeles Times coronavirus liveblog is available for free.
The Wall Street Journal has created a free section for coronavirus articles.
The Atlantic is offering all coronavirus-related articles for free.
The Star is labeling free articles related to the coronavirus with a red “free digital access” label.
The Guardian has no paywall.
BBC has no paywall
STAT, which covers health and medicine, is offering its coronavirus coverage for free.
The Department of Health announced that from 14 March compulsory quarantine orders, under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A), will be enforced against people arriving in Hong Kong who have been to Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Spain in the past 14 days, regardless of whether they are Hong Kong residents.
The new orders require people to stay in a Quarantine Centre for the duration of their quarantine.
More information can be found on the government’s dedicated website www.coronavirus.gov.hk
