Under the new arrangements, travellers to the mainland and Macau will be exempted from pre-departure testing at immigration control points, and only need to present a negative result of a nucleic acid test which is within 48 hours before the travel.

However, travellers from overseas to Hong Kong will still need to undergo PCR tests on arrival and on day two, Lo said.

Residents and tourists will also need to show proof of vaccination at certain venues, including restaurants, and a ban on more than 12 people gathering in public is still in place.

He also said local infected people isolating at home would no longer be required to wear an electronic tag restricting them to their residence.

The government will also gradually reduce issuing the compulsory Covid test notice to residential buildings which reported confirmed cases.

Daily antigen tests for school children will remain compulsory alongside the wearing of masks, including for outdoors.

“I must stress again that we must still wear masks, especially because it's winter," he said, “This is a season when the Covid-19 virus is more active and also it is the seasonal flu period.”

He added the Vaccine Pass will not expire anytime soon in response to the government's announcement this morning for abolishing the amber health code and the requirement for citizens to scan LeaveHomeSafe when entering specific venues.