Thousands of people from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong crossed the border on Sunday after Beijing lifted COVID-19 quarantine requirements, despite the recent COVID-19 surge in the region.
Since early 2020, people from mainland China could not visit Hong Kong without being quarantined on arrival. Quarantine requirements also existed for travelers entering mainland China. This restriction was lifted on Jan. 8.
Instead, people who wish to travel to the other side only need to show results of a negative PCR test within 48 hours before departure. Any individual showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be required to take a rapid antigen test.
The lifting of border restrictions with Hong Kong comes as mainland China has seen an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 infections. By the end of the third week of December, up to 250 million people in the country were estimated to have been infected….