According to the latest news, Hong Kong has suspended all flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines, starting at midnight for 14 days, until May 3. All passenger flights in these three countries will be banned from landing in Hong Kong.
The government issued a statement stating that these countries will be simultaneously classified in Group A of extremely high epidemiological risk, in accordance with the provisions on disease prevention and control (regulation of cross-border traffic and passenger travel). This will limit the movement of people who are residents of the three countries and have to leave Hong Kong.
Speaking in more detail, a government official said that there are confirmed cases involving the mutant strain N501Y and that they were detected for the first time in Hong Kong. That is why the Hong Kong government has now enforced these rules and suspended all flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines.
There are confirmed cases involving the N501Y mutant strain of Covid-19 virus.
"Two passenger flights (CX906) operated by Cathay Pacific, which arrived from Manila to Hong Kong on April 14 and 17, carried passengers who were tested positive for the new strain. Meanwhile, another passenger flight (UK6397) operated by Vistara, which arrived from Mumbai to Hong Kong on Sunday, confirmed the presence of the new strain to three passengers, based on the results of an on-arrival check. said a government official.
Hong Kong has begun vaccinating residents with doses from Sinovac, from February. And in March, Hong Kong authorities began offering the alternative to the vaccine developed by BioNTech.
With the introduction of the vaccine developed by BioNTech, the vaccination rate has increased by two to three times, every day, compared to the daily vaccination rate recorded by Sinovac, according to government figures. Hong Kong residents can choose what vaccine they want. Reluctance for the Sinovac vaccine is blamed on several deaths after the vaccine, although the government has said there is no direct link between the vaccine and deaths. The former British colony has more than 11.500 cases of coronavirus, far fewer than other equally developed cities and metropolises.