Context: Hong Kong is one of the last few places in the world that is still following a stringent ‘zero COVID’ policy.
About the Zero Covid Policy
It’s the point where Covid-19 has been driven down as close as possible to zero through strict control measures. This strategy has led to toughest quarantine and testing measures worldwide.
This zero Covid strategy involves strict lockdowns (even after the detection of just one or a handful of cases) and extensive testing, heavily controlled or closed borders, as well as robust contact tracing systems and quarantine mandates.
The objective of this strategy is to keep transmission of the virus as close to zero as possible and ultimately to eliminate it entirely from particular geographical areas.
About Hong Kong’s “Zero-covid” strategy
While the new Omicron variant has renewed anxiety around the world, leading some countries to tighten travel curbs, Hong Kong and mainland China remain among the few places sticking to a zero-tolerance policy on any coronavirus infections.
Impact:International business groups have repeatedly warned that the city could lose talent and investment due to its travel restrictions, which can involve up to three weeks in mandatory quarantine. Now recruiters and relocation firms say an outflow of talent is well under way.