Six more designated quarantine hotels enlisted

     The Government announced today (May 17) the addition of six designated quarantine hotels (DQHs). These six hotels will start accepting room bookings from this week and commence service from late May onwards. They are expected to provide about 2 000 additional rooms.
 
     As announced earlier by the Government, the inbound control measures were suitably adjusted according to risk-based principles from May 1 onwards. In anticipation of the continuously increasing number of inbound travellers, the Government issued letters to hotels and guesthouses with valid licences on April 25 to invite applications for enlisting as DQHs in the current cycle (i.e. the seventh cycle), with a view to increasing the supply of rooms in DQHs. Interested hotels must pass the inspection conducted by the Food and Health Bureau and relevant departments (including the Buildings Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Department of Health) to ensure that the design, facilities and workflow of the hotels fulfil the infection control requirements.
 
     A Government spokesman said, "A total of six hotels can join as DQHs after assessment. They will commence service till the end of the current cycle at the end of July."
 
     The six additional DQHs are as follows:
 

• Empire Hotel Kowloon．Tsim Sha Tsui
• Hotel Alexandra
• Hotel COZi‧Harbour View
• Hotel COZi‧Oasis
• Novotel Century Hong Kong
• Royal View Hotel
   

     The spokesman added, "The Government is still conducting assessments on other hotels applying for joining this cycle of DQHs. We will make a further announcement when relevant work is completed."
 
     Another 11 hotels, which had initially been used as community isolation facilities and were converted as DQHs, have applied to formally join the current cycle of the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme. These hotels will have their services extended till the end of July.
 
     The Government will update regularly the list of DQHs and their booking status on the thematic website www.designatedhotel.gov.hk.
 
     The Government fully implemented the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme on December 22, 2020, requiring all arrivals from specified places to undergo compulsory quarantine at DQHs with a view to further preventing the importation of COVID-19 cases and reducing contact between arrivals and the local community. The current cycle of the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme lasts for five months, starting from March 1 to July 31 this year. As at today, there are 62 DQHs in Hong Kong, providing around 22 000 rooms.