Individuals aged 12 and above must show proof of at least a single Covid-19 vaccination dose before entering restaurant, stores, and other public places

Hong Kong has deployed vaccination requirements to enter restaurants, shopping malls, and multiple public and social places as a combat strategy against fast-spreading omicron outbreak and to address the vaccine-hesitant population.

Amidst the alarming impact of the variant, businesses have set up a QR code system at the entrance obligating people to scan with a smartphone app to verify their vaccine status before allowing them entry.

The city is making it compulsory for every 12-year-old and above individual to take at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine if they wish to enter the above-mentioned places.

While the administration plans to make both doses compulsory for 18 years and above individuals starting April, some will also have to comply with mandatory booster shots from June.

Currently, the semi-autonomous Chinese city is lagging behind in implementing ‘zero-COVID strategy’- comprising of highly stringent measures- which mainland China has successfully demonstrated by curbing the spread of the virus.

After a sudden surge in omicron cases, Hong Kong suffered gravely with a shortage of hospital beds and isolation rooms- a key requirement for zero-COVID approach.

To counter the same, Mainland experts are helping the city set up temporary testing facilities and new isolation wards to perform mass testing of the 7.4 million population in the coming month, mimicking China’s standard strategy used in cities with comparatively small outbreaks.

According to the administration, 87% of the population -5.9 million people- of age 12 years and above have been encouraged to take at least one dose of vaccine.

After Wednesday’s alarming reports, approximately 45,000 people got their first dose of vaccine in the following 24 hours, whereas more than 43,000 went for a second or third dose.

Hong Kong’s vaccination requirement is applicable across social and public places such as swimming pools, gaming centers, beauty parlors, gyms, nightclubs, barbershops, fresh food markets, and department stores.

Source Credit: https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/hong-kong-starts-vaccine-requirement-for-restaurants-stores/articleshow/89796381.cms