Relaxing Curbs Could Ruin Travel Resumption: Expert

"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("

Related News Programmes

"); });

2021-04-11 HKT 11:44

Share this story

facebook

  • David Hui said it's crucial to ensure there are no more mass outbreaks, as authorities are trying to resume travel with the mainland and other places. File photo: RTHK

    David Hui said it's crucial to ensure there are no more mass outbreaks, as authorities are trying to resume travel with the mainland and other places. File photo: RTHK

A government adviser on the pandemic on Sunday urged the administration not to relax social distancing measures yet, saying any resurgence could thrash the hopes of the SAR to resume travel with the mainland and other places.

David Hui From the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said despite a drop in number of new cases in recent days, it is too early to ease anti-epidemic measures further, like the cap of four diners at the same table in restaurants.

"We are only seeing sporadic cases, but unfortunately sometimes the cases are of unknown source, and this reflects there are still cases causing community transmission. So, at this stage I think it would be very difficult to relax all the social distancing measures," he said.

"I think the government is keen to develop travel bubbles and also open the border between Hong Kong and China, so if you relax the social distancing measures at this stage, it may lead to a rebound [in infections], so I think the government needs to be more cautious," he added.

Hui again called on the public to get vaccinated, saying it's “not exactly ideal” that only around eight percent of eligible people in Hong Kong have been inoculated..

Meanwhile, Hui supported the government’s decision to put on hold plans to procure a third vaccine, as the Sinovac and BioNTech jabs Hong Kong has in stock are already enough to cover the entire population.

He said the government could reserve the money for second-generation vaccines with a higher efficacy against mutated virus strains.

Health Secretary Sophia Chan has earlier said that the government will postpone shipments of AstraZeneca vaccines – the third brand the SAR was procuring.

RECENT NEWS

StartmeupHK Festival And Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 Merge For 10th Anniversary Milestone

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced on 10 March 2025 that both of its flagship events, Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 an... Read more

Ant AI-Powered Health Insurance Processes 7.25M Claims In 2024, 55%YoY Increase

In 2024, Ant Insurance, the online insurance brokerage platform of Ant Group, processed 7.25 million health claims, mar... Read more

Ping An Talent Uses AI For Job Matching, But Can Technology Make Recruitment Fairer?

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. has launched its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment, offering over 2,000 p... Read more

HKEX Partners With CMU OmniClear To Boost Post-Trade Securities Infrastructure

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on 4 March 2025 that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding ... Read more

PAObank Secures Insurance Agency Licence, Partners With Ping An And FWD Hong Kong

PAO Bank Limited (PAObank) has received its Insurance Agency Licence from the Insurance Authority and signed strategic ... Read more

IFAST Launches Self-Service Accounts For Hong Kong Family Offices

Fintech solutions provider iFAST HK launches self-service accounts in Hong Kong, catering to the growing demand for ind... Read more