HONG KONG – Hong Kong rolls out a vaccine passport on Thursday (Feb 24) that requires people aged 12 and above to have at least one COVID-19 vaccination and also tightened restrictions in a city that already has some of the most stringent rules in the world.
Residents will have to show their vaccine records to access venues including supermarkets, malls and restaurants. They will also have to wear masks for all outdoor exercise and will not be allowed to remove masks to eat or drink on public transport.
“Hong Kong is now facing a very dire epidemic situation which continues to deteriorate rapidly,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.
With bars, gyms and other businesses already closed and shopping malls deserted while many residents work from home, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday schools would break early for summer and resume the new year in August.
Many in the city are growing fatigued with the situation, as most other major cities learn to live with the virus.
