Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday stressed that rules on wearing face masks and the vaccine pass health code system are here to stay, but added that authorities will make special arrangements to allow some activities and events to take place.

His comments came after certain rules were waived for last week's Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit and the Hong Kong Sevens.

“For activities, particularly large-scale [ones] with economic elements, and also international events, we will, while controlling the risk, allow them to happen with specific plans,” Lee said ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting.

The government announced on Monday that inbound tour groups will soon be allowed to visit attractions and eat at designated restaurants as soon as they arrive in the SAR, despite the three-day amber health code for arrivals which usually bans such activities.

Lee was asked when individuals coming to the territory will also be able to eat out and enter various venues in their first few days here.

“As we go through more and more activities, we can of course review the experience, and then look at the data, so that we can have more measures designed, so as to allow activities to proceed with the maximum of freedom,” he said.

But the CE said some Covid measures must remain in place as safeguards: “Masks will stay on, because I think all experts have indicated that masks are important to control the spread of the disease.”

“After all, we have to be conscious of some of the uncertainties of Covid. First of all, we know every now and then, there will be variants. And we also know that with winter coming, the attack of the flu will add to the risk of Covid,” he said.

Lee added that the health code system is necessary to control risks.