Rules tweaks on cards for provisional vaccine passes

Authorities are expected to tighten a provisional vaccine pass arrangement that allows unjabbed mainland travelers to enter high-risk premises, including restaurants, after criticism that mainlanders enjoy privileges.

At a daily Covid briefing yesterday, the Centre for Health Protection's head of communicable disease branch, Chuang Shuk-kwan, said: "As far as I understand, senior government officials are reviewing adjustments to the provisional vaccine pass and details will be announced in due course."

Authorities are said to be looking at additional requirements before a vaccine pass is given to Guangdong residents visiting Hong Kong via the Come2HK scheme - or to revise the exemptions for the issuance of a temporary vaccine pass.

The issue was brought to light after a mainland resident posted on social media Xiaohongshu that without any vaccination or exemption documents, she was issued a temporary vaccine pass effective for 180 days after arriving in Hong Kong through the Come2HK scheme last month.

The provisional pass generated a blue code for her, granting her access to all regulated premises including dine-in restaurants and bars, which overseas arrivals - who are yellow-code holders - are barred from entering.

Asked about the double standards before the Executive Council on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the policy not requiring mainland travelers in Hong Kong to be vaccinated has been in place for a long time.

The arrangement had attracted criticism from lawmakers and health experts, with Roundtable's Michael Tien Puk-sun saying it is unconvincing that Hongkongers can only enter regulated venues with three jabs, while mainlanders can do so without even one dose.

He said mainlanders who come from low-risk regions could still be infected in Hong Kong, especially if they are unvaccinated.

He also pointed out that unvaccinated locals can be given the 180-day exemption as long as they go to the mainland and return to the SAR, adding he had urged authorities to change the system.

Health expert Joseph Tsang Kay-yan said the practice of issuing provisional vaccine passes to unvaxxed mainland travelers goes against China's policy of encouraging people to get jabbed.