Home Quarantine to Begin For Close Contacts of COVID-19 Patients

Authorities in Hong Kong will now begin allowing close contacts of COVID-19 positive patients to quarantine at home, under new rules drafted in government that begin today.

With infections rising in the city, the government has opened a new community isolation centre in Penny’s Bay providing 600 individual units in the first phase today, housing COVID-19 patients with no or mild symptoms.

“The numbers do not look good. We hope citizens will cooperate in anti-epidemic measures,” Centre of Health Protection controller Edwin Tsui Lok-kin said, suggesting that over 800 cases could be reported today.

Previously, all close contacts of patients are sent to Penny's Bay. From today, however, they will receive assessments to quarantine at their home. Close contacts of patients will be quarantined for 14 days, while family members of close contacts will only need to quarantine for four days.

Only those whose homes are fitting for isolation will be allowed to undergo home quarantine. Tsui said those who share toilets with their neighbours, for example, will continue to be sent to Penny's Bay for quarantine.

Close contacts fit for home quarantine will be given a compulsory electronic bracelet to track their movement, an information packet, testing kits, and a thermometer. Once they test positive for COVID-19, they will be sent to hospitals for further tests.