Department of Health - Health Control Measures for travellers at airport, seaport and land boundary control points

Health Control Measures for travellers at airport, seaport and land boundary control points

 

Airport

Arriving

  • All incoming travellers at the Hong Kong International Airport are required to complete a health declaration form (since 29 March) which is distributed by airlines.
  • The following questions are asked in the health declaration form:
    1. The countries and cities that you have visited within the last 10 days before arrival
    2. The presence of fever, cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulty.
  • Medical posts have been set up to cater for travellers displaying symptoms of SARS. Travellers showing symptoms of SARS will be assessed by a doctor. Those suspected of having SARS will be referred to hospitals for further management.
  • Health alert cards with advice on SARS are distributed to all in-bound passengers
  • All people arriving at Hong Kong International Airport, including transit passengers, are required to have their temperature checked (since April 24). Those who have fever will be assessed by a doctor. Suspected SARS case will be referred to hospital for further management.
  • Transit passengers at the Sky Pier (in operation since September 29) are also required to have their temperature checks.

Departure

  • Departing air travellers checking in at the airport are asked to give information concerning history of contact with SARS case and the presence of fever (since 29 March).
  • Travellers who have history of contact with SARS case or fever will be assessed by a doctor. Those suspected of SARS will be referred to hospitals for further management.
  • The following categories of people have been barred from leaving Hong Kong (since 14 April):
    1. Household contacts of both suspected and confirmed SARS cases during the home confinement period.
    2. People suspected of suffering from SARS upon screening at the airport.
  • Departing air travellers checking in at the airport are also required to have their body temperature checked (since 17 April). Those who have fever will not be allowed to board unless cleared by a medical practitioner.
  • With effect from 14 June, departing passengers are required to complete a health declaration form instead of being asked by airlines during check-in. The following questions are asked in the form:
    1. The countries and cities that had been visited in the past 10 days
    2. Any contact with people with SARS in the past 10 days?
    3. The presence of fever, cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulty.
  • Passengers are required to sign the form and to declare that all the information given is true and correct.
  • The health declaration form fulfils the requirement of the China-ASEAN Agreement on control of SARS, signed on 1 June.

 

Seaport

Arrival

  • All incoming travellers are required to complete a health declaration (since 29 March). Ferry companies are handing out declaration forms to passengers arriving by sea.
  • The following questions are asked in the health declaration form:
    1. The countries and cities that had been visited within the last 10 days before arrival
    2. The presence of fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulty.
  • Medical posts have been set up to watch for travellers displaying symptoms of SARS. Those suspected of having SARS will be referred to hospitals for further management.
  • Arriving passengers are subject to temperature screening in addition to health declaration (since 26 April). Suspected SARS case will be referred to hospital for further management.

Departure

  • Departing travellers checking in at the seaport are asked to give information concerning history of contact with SARS case and the presence of fever. Passengers who have history of contact with SARS case of fever will be referred to hospitals for further management.
  • The following categories of people have been barred from leaving Hong Kong (since 14 April):
    1. Household contacts of both suspected and confirmed SARS cases during the home confinement period.
    2. People suspected of suffering from SARS upon screening at the seaports.
  • Departing passengers from the Macao Ferry Terminal and the China Ferry Terminal are required to undergo temperature checks before leaving Hong Kong (since 16 May). Suspected SARS case will be referred to hospital for further management.

 

Land Control Points

Arrival

  • All incoming travellers are required to complete a health declaration (since 29 March). The train company and cross-boundary bus companies also help to distribute the forms to through-train passengers and bus passengers.
  • The following question is asked in the health declaration form:
    • The presence of fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulty.
  • Medical posts have been set up to cater for travellers displaying symptoms of SARS. Those suspected of having SARS will be referred to hospitals for further management.
  • All arrivals by rail at Hung Hom and Lo Wu will be required to have their body temperature checked (since April 24).
  • All arrivals at land border control points in Sha Tau Kok, Man Kam To, and Lok Ma Chau will be required to have their body temperature checked (since April 26). Suspected SARS case will be referred to hospital for further management.
  • To minimize the duplication of work and streamline the procedure, relevant authorities of Hong Kong and Shenzhen have agreed to implement synchronized temperature screening procedure for arriving passengers crossing the land border control points at Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok.

Departure

  • The following categories of people have been barred from leaving Hong Kong (since 14 April):
    1. Household contacts of both suspected and confirmed SARS cases during the home confinement period.
    2. People suspected of suffering from SARS upon screening at all land border control points.
  • Departing passengers from the Hung Hom Station by rail are required to undergo temperature checks before leaving Hong Kong (since 21 May). Suspected SARS case will be referred to hospital for further management.

 

To avoid delay, travellers with signs and symptoms suspicious of SARS (e.g. fever, cough, breathing difficulty) should seek medical advice as early as possible before travel.

Travellers seeking further information may call Port Health Travel Health Centre at 2961 8840 or 2150 7235.

For Hong Kong residents who encounter entry or exit difficulties on quarantine grounds while abroad, they can call Port Health 24-hour hotline (852) 8103 1717 for assistance.

Port Health Office
Department of Health
11 October 2003