Hong Kong grants quarantine exemption to Nicole Kidman

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s government said Thursday that it has granted a quarantine exemption to an individual to perform “designated professional work” following reports that Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman did not have to spend time in quarantine when she arrived in the city to film a TV series.

“The case in discussion has been granted permission to travel to Hong Kong with a quarantine exemption for the purpose of performing designated professional work, taking into account that it is conducive to maintaining the necessary operation and development of Hong Kong’s economy,” the government said in a statement, without identifying Kidman by name.

It said people granted such exemptions must comply with disease prevention measures to minimize transmission risks and contact with the public.

Kidman, who reportedly flew into Hong Kong from virus-hit Sydney, Australia, was spotted out and about in the city this week. She is here to film a new Amazon Prime Video series called Expats.

Her quarantine exemption comes as Hong Kong tightened entry restrictions, requiring those arriving from high-risk countries such as the U.S. to spend 21 days in quarantine and fully vaccinated travelers from medium-risk countries to spend 14 days starting Friday.

The city previously allowed travelers from medium-risk countries to stay just seven days in quarantine at designated hotels if they are fully vaccinated and had a positive antibodies test.