[A woman walks past empty counters of Cathay Pacific at Hong Kong International Airport following fresh measures to control coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in Hong Kong, China Jan 11, 2022. (File photo by= REUTERS/Lam Yik)]

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will cut quarantine for arriving travelers to 14 days from 21, starting from Feb 5, leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday (Jan 27), after pressure from finance executives and foreign diplomats, who said the measure was hurting competitiveness, Reuters reported.

Tough COVID-19 rules have made Hong Kong one of the world's most isolated cities, with flights down as much as 90 per cent. Residents returning from more than 160 countries are required to quarantine for 21 days in designated hotels at their own cost. Lam said that incoming travelers would have to spend 14 days in a hotel, followed by seven days of self-monitoring, with further details to be announced. She did not say which countries would be covered by the new rules.

The easing comes as the government tightens rules in the Chinese territory to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus, locking down thousands in a congested housing complex and government facilities. Lam said citywide restrictions would be extended until Feb 17, from a previous date of Feb 4. Schools will not resume face-to-face classes until Feb 21. Schools, playgrounds, gyms and most venues are shut, while tens of thousands of people must do daily coronavirus tests.