​Regarding whether young children aged under three are required to present a negative result proof of a nucleic acid test when travelling across Hong Kong and the Mainland, a Government spokesman today (January 10) gave the following response:

     Under the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, all persons entering the Mainland from Hong Kong must possess a negative result of a COVID-19 nucleic acid test conducted within 48 hours prior to the journey. Under the relevant nucleic acid testing requirement for entering the Mainland, there is no specified exemption for any group of persons, including young children aged under three. Therefore, for young children aged under three, they are also required to possess a negative result proof of a nucleic acid test if they intend to travel northbound for entering the Mainland.

     As for the nucleic acid testing conducted in Hong Kong for the purpose of travelling to the Mainland, it should meet the following criteria: 

* The test must be conducted within 48 hours before the scheduled flight departure time (for those entering the Mainland via airport) or arrival time (for those entering the Mainland via other boundary control points);
* The test specimen must be throat swab, nasopharyngeal swab or combined nasal and throat swab collected by dedicated staff; and
* The test result must be negative, and the test report must be issued by local COVID-19 testing institutions recognised by the HKSAR Government for conducting reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing (including community testing centres/community testing stations (CTC/CTSs) in various districts).

     Starting from today, members of the public can bring young children aged under three to the CTC/CTSs where professionals will collect throat swab specimen from the young children for undergoing self-paid nucleic acid tests.

     For young children aged under three coming to Hong Kong from the Mainland and any other places, the HKSAR Government has already exempted them from the relevant requirement. In other words, children aged under three can still come to Hong Kong from the Mainland without undergoing any nucleic acid test before entering Hong Kong.

Ends/Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Issued at HKT 7:25

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