One in seven people in Hong Kong have received four doses of Covid-19 vaccines, an official has revealed, while the Post has learned that a restriction requiring those infected with the virus to isolate could be dropped by the end of this month.

Health officials on Wednesday also announced that, from Thursday, children aged three and younger entering mainland China from Hong Kong would no longer be required to present a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result conducted within 48 hours of departure.

Civil service minister Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on social media more than 1 million Hongkongers had received their fourth Covid jab. “To facilitate the return to normality, getting sufficient jabs in a timely manner is a key factor to build a strong immunity barrier against the virus.”

Yeung thanked residents for their efforts and urged children and the elderly to get their shots as soon as possible to protect themselves from the winter influenza season.

Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong have continued to drop, with authorities on Wednesday reporting 3,793 new cases, including 109 imported ones, and 56 additional deaths. The city’s coronavirus tally stood at 2,844,006 infections and 12,965 fatalities.

As the city paves its return to normality after three years of Covid-19 curbs, a source said the government was planning to lift a five-day isolation requirement for those infected with the virus after the Lunar New Year holiday and by the end of January.

Since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic in Hong Kong three years ago, anyone who tests positive for the virus is required to isolate in either hospitals, government facilities or their homes until they have recovered.