Border clogged in race for new year

Thousands of Hong Kong residents flooded the Shenzhen Bay Port in long queues waiting to cross into the mainland - more than a month before the Lunar New Year rush -- despite the 14-day quarantine requirement.

People with masks on were seen waiting to enter Shenzhen carrying heavy luggage.

Some said they were returning to the mainland a month before Lunar New Year - which starts on February 12 - due to the mandatory quarantine measures.

A man, Chu, said he decided to go earlier than last year because of the quarantine and his relative in the mainland was ill.

A woman, Chow, who is going back with two sons, said she decided to go back to her hometown in Guangdong because the area where she lives in Tuen Mun has too many Covid cases.

Her kids do not have to return to school -they can attend classes online in a quarantine hotel.

An elderly woman, Ngai, decided to return before Tuesday to avoid the trouble of a new Shenzhen travel rule. She made the return earlier than last year because she thinks the epidemic situation in the mainland is safer than Hong Kong.

Shenzhen announced last week that from tomorrow people crossing via Shenzhen Bay Port are required to present a hotel reservation confirmation for the 14-day quarantine. The public are also required to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test result issued within 24 hours by one of the testing institutions recognized by Guangdong.

The Immigration Department said the number of departures from Shenzhen Bay control point had increased by close to 60 percent since the new rule was announced - from 1,894 people on December 29 to 2,988 on January 2.

Some people posted their entrance journey on social media Weibo. A user wrote she started to queue at Shenzhen Bay Port at 12.45 pm but due to the long queue, she was only able to complete the procedures at 8 pm.

Lawmaker Alice Mak Mei-kuen said this year people have decided to go back to the mainland earlier because the public have lose confidence in the government launching the health code.

She added many families did not visit their families in the mainland last year and so people will go back earlier for the quarantine.

Shenzhen Disease Prevention and Control Center also announced a "14 + 7" health control measure last Wednesday - meaning that those entering Shenzhen including Hongkongers are subjected to 14 days of quarantine and an extra seven days restricted from group gatherings.