Hong Kong may extend Covid isolation until 2024, risking business exodus

The European Chamber of Commerce said that Hong Kong may not reopen until China rolls out its mRNA vaccine across its 1.4 billion population, which could take until late 2023 or early 2024

Hong Kong may only reopen in early 2024 because of its stringent Covid-19 policies, which could trigger an exodus of foreign firms and staff and jeopardise its role as a financial hub, the city's European Chamber of Commerce said in a draft report.

The limited effectiveness of locally developed vaccines is forcing mainland China to maintain tight restrictions on travel, the chamber said in the draft which was reviewed by Reuters but has not been made public. The European Chamber of Commerce declined to comment on the report.

The most likely scenario for Hong Kong would be that it would