Eased Covid rules see happy faces back for dim sum gatherings

Happy faces can be seen at the city's dim sum joints this morning with the easing of a table cap on diners from two to four amid a wider relaxation of social distancing curbs from today.

Restaurants will be able to stay open for dining-in until 10pm, and can have up to four people per table starting Thursday (Apr 21). Gyms, museums and cinemas can re-open, while bars will stay shut. 

The city will also lift a ban on private gatherings of more than two households and allow four people to congregate in public, up from two people currently. Beaches and pools will remain closed for now.

Elderlies arrived early at a Mong Kok Chinese restaurant this morning, with most of them in groups of three or four.

They were required to register their stay using the LeaveHomeSafe app and have their vaccination record checked before entering the restaurant.

One customer noted it has been months since he last had dim sum breakfast with his friends.

“When I found out we could finally have four at a table, I immediately ask my friends out for this dim sum gathering,” he said, adding that the eased Covid curbs could allow people to relax a bit more after fighting Covid for such a long time.

Another customer said he would use the government’s consumption voucher to come back later with his kids for the long-awaited evening dine-in.