HK to ease Covid rules further from Thursday
Beaches and swimming pools are to be allowed to reopen from May 5 and restaurants will be able to seat up to eight customers per table, while people exercising outdoors will no longer need to wear masks. The relaxation in pandemic restrictions was announced on Tuesday by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, as Hong Kong's Omicron outbreak eases. "Considering the stabilising Covid situation and people's wishes, I'm announcing the relaxation of three measures two weeks ahead of schedule," she said.    Lam said water parks can also reopen and people won't have to wear masks in country parks. The CE said more rules will be eased on May 19, when bars will be allowed to reopen, seat up to four customers per table, and operate until 2am. Restaurants will then be allowed to stay open until midnight and host banquets of up to 120 people, while other places, including bathhouses, karaokes and mahjong parlours, can also resume business. Also from May 19, cinemas will be allowed to operate at 85 percent of their capacity and people can eat and drink while watching the films. The mask rule for indoor exercising will also be dropped, Lam said. But she stressed that as the government relaxes Covid rules, it will also step up enforcement of the vaccine pass scheme.  By the end of May, everyone aged 12 or above will need to have received three doses of vaccine to enter various venues, unless they have a medical exemption. Lam said since schools resumed in-person classes two weeks ago, 50 students have tested positive for Covid and the requirement for daily tests will remain in place for now. "It is not time yet to review the relevance of this measure because it's still proven to be very reassuring for the schools and also for the parents," she said.