The Latest: Hong Kong, Singapore plan 'air travel bubble'

The Latest: Hong Kong, Singapore plan 'air travel bubble'Hong Kong and Singapore will establish an “air travel bubble” Nov. 22 allowing travelers from the two cities to visit the other without having to serve quarantine in a first step to stimulate tourism amid the pandemic

By The Associated Press

November 11, 2020, 4:51 AM

• 11 min read

A women places Canadian flags among the 37,500 flags on the eve of Remembrance Day at Sunnybrook Veterans Centre as part of its annual Remembrance Day campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. The town declared a state of emergency regarding the issue. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

HONG KONG — Hong Kong and Singapore will establish an "air travel bubble" Nov. 22 allowing travelers from the two cities to visit the other without having to serve quarantine in a first step to stimulate tourism amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the plan, tourists from either city must take nucleic acid tests before their flight, after arrival and before their return to prove they do not have the coronavirus.

They will also have to take designated flights that will carry only passengers travelling within the bubble, with a maximum of 200 travelers. Initially, there will be one flight a day to each city, increasing to two flights after Dec. 7.

Officials say the system will be suspended for two weeks if either Hong Kong or Singapore reports a seven-day moving average of more than five untraceable coronavirus infections.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— US to allow limited supplies of new antibody drug

— Doctors, nurses may be better prepared for US virus surge

— Norway gives quarantine exemption to 2020 Nobel winners

— Intensive care space is dwindling across Europe as beds fill again with coronavirus patients

— A safe Thanksgiving is possible, though health experts know their advice about avoiding the risks are tough to swallow

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— Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

BEIJING — A leading Chinese health official is expressing confidence that the country may avoid a second wave of coronavirus infections this winter if it maintains the precautions currently in place.

Feng Zijian is deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and tells the financial magazine Caixin that China “will very likely prevent” a new round of infections given present trends and preventive measures.

China has largely eliminated new local outbreaks by requiring masks to be worn indoors and on public transport. It also requires two-week quarantines for those entering the country and bans some foreign travelers entirely.

Authorities have quickly moved to address local outbreaks by tracing potential contacts, carrying out widespread testing and sometimes locking down entire communities.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s central bank is increasing its monetary stimulus as it tries to counter the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Reserve Bank says that beginning in December, it will provide retail banks with lower funding costs, allowing them to lower borrowing rates for companies and households. That comesplan in addition to a large asset-buying program already introduced by the central bank.

The bank also announced Wednesday that it is keeping its benchmark interest rate at a record low 0.25% and is considering lowering it to zero or to a negative rate next year. But the bank also says it is considering reintroducing mortgage restrictions in March due to concerns about an increase in house prices and high-risk lending to housing investors.

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