The Government today said designated quarantine hotels which can complete relevant preparatory work can start operating as a designated quarantine hotel earlier, to be effective from December 18.

The hotels must meet the Government’s infection control requirements under the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme and solely serve quarantine guests in their hotels.

Under the scheme, all travellers arriving in Hong Kong from countries outside China must be accommodated at designated quarantine hotels from midnight, December 22.

The Government has made some changes after some designated hotels indicated that they would be able to complete their preparatory work and start operating as a designated quarantine hotel earlier.

Apart from the December 18 arrangement, the Government will, starting from December 18, arrange designated transportation to send travellers from the airport and the Holding Centre for Test Result at the Rambler Garden Hotel to the 36 designated quarantine hotels.

For travellers arriving in Hong Kong on December 21, they should reserve hotel booking at a designated quarantine hotel before departure, otherwise they will be refused to board the flight.

The Government explained that the December 21 rule is set to avoid confusion as a traveller arriving on December 21 may not be able to check into hotels on the same day owing to flight delay or time required for having the test result.      

It will announce the relevant information on the thematic website when the number of designated hotels that can start operating as quarantine hotels earlier is confirmed.

The Government said the scheme’s full implementation date still remains December 22 and that by then all 36 designated quarantine hotels should solely be serving guests under quarantine.