Hong Kong To Mass Test Citizens, Tighten Strict Measures To Combat Fifth Wave Of COVID-19

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng announced that citizens will be tested thrice in a month with the government providing N95 masks and rapid test kits to people to screen themselves between universal tests.

Hong Kong will also extend its ban on international flights with travellers from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United States banned.

The city has brought ahead summer vacations for students from July-August to March-April. Schools and other educational institutions will serves as testing, isolation and vaccination centres.

Bars, nightclubs, gyms and hair salons will remain closed under Hong Kong's current social distancing rules.

Restaurants and diners will shutter at 6 pm with seating restricted to just two diners per table.

The Department of Health is expected to shorten the interval between the second and third doses of the vaccine in a bid to reach 90 per cent vaccination status by the end of March.

Hong Kong reported 6,211 new cases and 32 deaths with researchers at the University of Hong Kong predicting that the city could see infections peaking at 1,80,000 a day.