Minister: Hong Kong to have own Covid policies without copying mainland, quarantine-free travel possible by November with conditions

Hong Kong need not copy mainland China’s tough Covid-19 policies as it enjoys wide latitude under the “one country, two systems” principle, the new health minister has said, as he forecast that quarantine-free arrivals with conditions attached could be allowed by November in time for a global bankers summit.

In an exclusive interview, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau argued he favoured a local health code and more testing not to mimic the mainland’s approach but to better ring-fence cases and ensure the city did not have to return to tightened social measures, a move he wanted to avoid.