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Hong Kong social distancing
Hong KongHong Kong economy

Coronavirus Hong Kong: influx of bookings, but businesses face manpower crunch ahead of relaxed Covid-19 social distancing

  • Many operators have had employees change jobs or switch industries during coronavirus shutdown
  • First phase of relaxed curbs from April 21 will allow extension in dine-in hours and up to four per table

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An employee at a spa massage parlour in Tsim Sha Tsui disinfects the premises on Wednesday ahead of the relaxation of Covid-19 social-distancing restrictions. Photo: Sam Tsang
Rachel Yeo,Lo Hoi-yingandTiffany Liang
Hong Kong business operators have been taking bookings and cleaning their premises ahead of the relaxation of Covid-19 social-distancing restrictions, but some operators face teething issues due to insufficient manpower.
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Some firms said they could only resume business partially after employees changed jobs or left their industries altogether.

Under the first phase of the easing that takes effect on Thursday, restaurants can offer dine-in services until 10pm, with up to four people per table, while other premises such as gyms, beauty and massage parlours, cinemas, game centres, theme parks and places of worship can reopen for the first time since the curbs were imposed on January 7.

Consumers and staff are subject to the existing vaccine pass scheme, which requires them to be vaccinated with at least one jab. But the requirement will be increased to two shots between April 30 and May 30, and three shots on May 31.

Covid-19 infections rebounded slightly in Hong Kong after steadily declining for more than a week, but the increase was within the range of what authorities expected on a daily basis.

Health officials reported 668 cases on Wednesday after confirming 600 the day before, along with 10 deaths related to the virus. But a senior health official cautioned it was still too early to discern any trend in infection numbers.

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“There is a fluctuation in the number of cases every day. A fluctuation under 100 is within expectation,” said Dr Albert Au Ka-wing from the Centre for Health Protection, adding that determining a trend based on a single figure would be difficult. “We will closely monitor the situation.”

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