Hong Kong’s 3-step plan to lift restrictions on gatherings in restaurants and bars.

Yesterday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the Hong Kong governments 3-step plan on lifting the restrictions on restaurants and bars in Hong Kong. The new measures are expected to come in force on April 29th, and then in stages after that.

The first stage will allow diners at restaurants to be 6 per table (up from the present 4), and they can stay until midnight, whereas now restaurants have to close at 10 PM. All diners must use the government issued contract tracing app (today you have the choice between using the app or filling out contract information on a form), plus all staff at the restaurant must have had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The second stage requires all staff at restaurants to be fully vaccinated and customers to have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The table limit will now be increased to 8, and opening hours extended until 2 am.

For the 3rd and final stage (for now) all staff and customers must be fully vaccinated, and the table limit will be increased to 12.

Bars will also be allowed to re-open, provided that all staff members and customers have had at least 1 dose of the vaccine, and all customers must use the contact tracing app. The rule of using the app will be in force until all staff and customers are fully vaccinated.