Daniel Moss, Columnist

The Hong Kong-Singapore Travel Bubble Has Burst

Caution is understandable, but carries great economic risks.

November 23, 2020 at 12:05 AM UTC

Daniel Moss is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian economies. Previously, he was executive editor for economics at Bloomberg News.

All dressed up and nowhere to go.
Photographer: David Gray/Bloomberg

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How much risk will a vital hub of global commerce entertain to open an important chunk of the economy? None, appears to be the answer, judging by the suspension of the Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble on the eve of its debut.

The two finance and transport centers hit pause on what would have been the world’s first quarantine-free bubble Saturday evening, citing a spike in Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong. After seeming to suppress the disease, the city witnessed a jump in infections last week, prompting new social curbs. Singapore says the travel lane will be reviewed in two weeks.