that were due to expire on Thursday will continue until at least April, while others will be tightened. Only two people will be allowed per table in restaurants at lunchtime and mask exemptions for outdoor activities cut back. Residents stranded in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United States will not be able to return until April 20 after the flight ban on the nine countries was extended.
In the short term, these measures will inevitably damage Hong Kong’s status as a global financial hub and fuel brain drainGordon Yau Yick-chung, from the Asian Academy for Sports and Fitness Professionals, said that the two-month closure was a big blow to the industry. Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business honorary president Joe Chau Kwok-ming said he believed universal testing would meet the objectives of flattening the fifth wave, along with Beijing’s support.
Michael Gazeley, the founder and CEO of cybersecurity provider Network Box, said he was worried about the local economic situation as many of the company’s clients were suffering, especially in the travel, hotel and retail sectors.