<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Hong Kong is dropping almost all its Covid restrictions this week, following a similar move by mainland China.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>From Thursday, people arriving in the city - a special administrative region of China - will no longer have to do mandatory PCR tests.</div><div><br></div><div>The vaccine pass system will also be scrapped - but compulsory masks in public places will continue.</div><div><br></div><div>It is a dramatic move by the city, which once had some of the toughest restrictions in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Also being scrapped from Thursday is the rule that limits the number of people allowed to gather outside to 12.</div><div><br></div><div>This was increased from four people in October as part of measures to begin reopening the city.</div><div><br></div><div>Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, cited high vaccine rates as one of the reasons for lifting restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>According to government figures, 93% of the population have had two vaccine does, while more than 83% have received three.</div><div><br></div><div>Unlike mainland China, which has developed its own vaccines, Hong Kong has also used mRNA vaccines - including the BioNTech jab made in Germany - that have been shown to be more effective.</div><div><br></div><div>"Hong Kong has a sufficient amount of medicine to fight Covid, and healthcare workers have gained rich experience in facing the pandemic," Mr Lee said on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>"The society has established a relatively extensive and overall anti-epidemic barrier."</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Lee added that instead of the vaccine pass, which has limited access to public places for unvaccinated since it was introduced in February, the city would take "more targeted measures" - including promoting vaccination for the elderly and children.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 11,000 people have died with Covid in Hong Kong, according to official numbers, from more than 2.5m cases. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>