HK to ban foreign visitors, mulls end to alcohol sales in restaurants, bars

The decision came amid growing pressure from both sides of the political aisle to close entry to non-Hong Kong residents.
Lam also announced an entry ban on travellers from mainland China, Macau and Taiwan, as well as Hong Kong residents, if they have been to a foreign country in the past 14 days.

Additionally, the government has proposed amending laws to prohibit 8,600 restaurants and bars with alcohol licences from selling alcohol in an effort to promote social distancing, she said.

Lam appeared emotional as she expressed her “deepest respect” for frontline medical workers, saying that they have “fought persistently for more than two months.”

She urged members of the public to do their part to tackle the pandemic: “If a community outbreak occurs due to a small group of people who deliberately violate our home quarantine rules to go out to play and eat, how can these people face our frontline medics?”
Lam said the government is willing to bring back overseas Hongkongers, including students studying in the UK, the US, passengers on the Diamond Princess Cruise in Japan, and those stranded in Hubei province. But returnees should abide by the government’s compulsory home quarantine rules, she added.

“I urge anyone who plans to violate the home quarantine rules and anyone who insists on going out, to please think seriously. Can you not wait and restrain yourself for a longer period of time? Please let Hong Kong have a chance at conquering this battle.”

First detected in China’s Hubei province, Covid-19 has infected more than 339,000 people and led to more than 14,700 deaths across at least 167 countries and regions. Hong Kong reported 317 infections as of 4 pm on Sunday, with the majority of newly-confirmed cases having travelled abroad during the incubation periods.