The Hong Kong Jockey Club has tightened the vaccination paperwork it accepts at its premises. Under its Conditions of Entry to Club Premises, overseas vaccination records without a declaration record issued at border control points or designated post offices will not be accepted from 1 September 20221. The conditions took effect on 12 August 20221.
The rule sits in the notes to the Club's Vaccine Pass requirement, which applies to anyone entering Club premises. A vaccination record counts if it is a record issued under the Government's COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, a declaration record of a non-local vaccination record issued at border control points or designated post offices, or a COVID-19 recovery record, which since 1 July 2022 must contain a QR code1. People aged 12 or above who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons must show a COVID-19 Vaccination Medical Exemption Certificate in the Government's specified form with a QR code1.
The Club states the change in its own words:
"From 1 September 2022, overseas vaccination record without a declaration record issued at border control points or designated post offices will not be accepted."
The conditions bar entry to anyone who, in the seven days before a visit, had common COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, or skin rash; anyone who has tested positive or preliminary positive by PCR or rapid antigen test unless they meet the discharge criteria; anyone under a government isolation or quarantine order; anyone the Club deems a close contact; anyone living with a person who has traveled outside Hong Kong and is under compulsory quarantine or home quarantine; anyone required to test under a compulsory testing notice who has not been confirmed negative; and anyone who does not meet the prevailing Vaccine Pass requirement or holds a Red Code or Amber Code1.
Close contacts who have had at least two vaccine doses and test negative by rapid antigen test on two successive days, Days 6 and 7, may visit Club premises. Those who have not had two doses may only use Club premises if they test negative by rapid antigen test on Day 141. Visitors must report to the Club immediately if they test positive by PCR or rapid antigen test within three days after a visit, and the Club may take disciplinary or other action against those who do not comply1.
What it means for players
The rule affects racecourse and betting venue access for people holding vaccination records issued outside Hong Kong. A visitor or expat whose only proof of vaccination is a foreign record, without the declaration record from a border control point or designated post office, will not satisfy the Vaccine Pass requirement at Club premises from 1 September 20221. The Club's conditions cover entry to Club premises generally, and the same Vaccine Pass requirement applies to holders of Red Code or Amber Code QR codes1. The conditions do not set out separate betting-specific rules, and no further detail on how the change is enforced at individual venues has been reported.
What happens next
The change takes effect on 1 September 20221. The Club has not stated any further steps beyond that date in the conditions.
Sources1 sources
- Conditions of Entry, corporate.hkjc.com
