An adviser to the government on the pandemic, Ivan Hung, said on Saturday that officials could consider scrapping rules that force Covid patients to self-isolate, if a recent downward trend in cases continues after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Speaking on a radio programme, the University of Hong Kong professor noted a rapid drop in the number of infections over the past few days, even after quarantine-free travel with the mainland resumed on Sunday.

He said the SAR should follow neighbouring Macau, which announced last week that it would now consider Covid-19 to be an endemic disease and further loosened restrictions. However Hung said a requirement that people wear masks in public should stay for now.

“If the overall situation is very stable, and the number of cases continues to go down, I believe that there is room for relaxation further, especially in terms of the isolation order that could be scrapped after the Chinese New Year,” he said.

“Other measures including the need for testing, for example, at schools, hospitals or elderly homes, could be scrapped.”

But Hung reminded the public, especially elderly people and children, to get their Covid jabs and booster shots.

The SAR reported 8,260 new infections on Friday. The daily infection tally reached more than 20,000 earlier this month.