Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. The city's gross domestic product fell by 3.5% last year. Your email address will not be published. In February, the Japanese government announced that on March 13, it will start to ease restrictions on mask-wearing including in public transportation and schools. Read more:Hong Kong announces further easing of COVID-19 curbs. Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, Southern India. Although Hong Kong seemed like an outlier with its far-reaching mask mandate, there are still a number of countries that require masks onboard public transport and on commercial aircraft. "We know that also because children are relatively at lower risk from severe illness that schools can be safe places for children. South Korea ended its indoor mask rule on January 30, 2023, but still recommends wearing masks, including in public transportation. While most countries across the globe opened up in a phased manner with the majority relaxing the mask mandate much earlier, Hong Kong continued to follow the line set by Beijing. Hong Kong largely avoided mass outbreaks in the first two years of the pandemic by imposing tight border controls and social distancing policies, in an attempt to bring its caseload as close to zero as possible. Singapore has been lauded as highly effective in its management of containing COVID-19 with a very low number of cases from the virus. That compares with 77% for Singapore. South African Airways requires that children over 5 and adults must have a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure for all international flights, and must complete a "Traveler Health Questionnaire" on arrival, asking such things as, "Did you change your seat during the trip?". "We think this is the best timing to make this decision. In a statement, the airline said it will respect anyones decision to choose whether to wear a mask or not after the mandate was finally lifted on Wednesday after more than 950 days. Speaking truth to power requires allies like you. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. However, after China dropped several of its stringent policies in December 2022 and Hong Kong followed suit, it led to a surge of cases not seen since March 2022, according to Our World in Data, which uses data from Johns Hopkins University. Because the truth is worth it.). Iceland Iceland was one of the first countries in 2022 to remove all their internal covid-related restrictions, as well as their entry requirements, returning to a pre-pandemic normal. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. LinkedIn has officially entered its cringe era, and its working. The removal of the mask mandate may help stimulate interest in Hong Kong, along with the ticket giveaway. According to the Brazilian report, the governor of Sao Paulo city, Joao Doria tweeted, "Finally without masks. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas What's he waiting for? Everyone can show their smiles and say, Hello, Hong Kong, he said, repeating the citys new tourism slogan. Indoor venues, such as casinos, can set requirements at their discretion. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical virologist at the University of Hong Kong, noted that when the virus began spreading in the city in early 2020, its residents almost universally wore masks, even before they became mandatory. More than 70% of Americans should be able to remove their masks indoors, including inside schools, under new metrics outlined Friday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that represent a seismic shift in how the public health agency plans to measure COVID-19 risk. The National Authority for Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management (NCEMA) has announced face covers to be optional. Masks however, are still required for everyone, onboard all domestic flights. In 2019, the US was home to more than four million Filipinos. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. The omicron wave, which infected a vast majority of the country, also boosted the nation's immunity from prior infection for the timebeing. Masking up is still a requirement with a number of airlines: Air France, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, South African Airways and Malaysian, to name a few. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. They still use shields and gloves. With the improvement of the COVID-19 situation, Indonesia has scrapped indoor mask mandates and removed all the remaining restrictions when entering buildings in 2022. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. While most countries across the globe opened up in a phased manner with the majority relaxing the mask mandate much earlier, Hong Kong continued to follow the line set by Beijing. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. France French residents and citizens do not have We are witnessing the Great Unmasking, with masks mandates falling faster, even, than plummeting Omicron caseloads. However, the government has suggested that face coverings be worn in: France has stated that face masks would no longer be compulsory in public places that require vaccination passes. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. Hong Kong will stop requiring masks to be worn in public places from Wednesday, drawing to a close the prolonged Covid era that damaged its economy and standing in the world. After much criticism, the Hong Kong authorities in December last year decided to lift its contentious "amber code," which forced residents to use an app to enter any venue. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. As of April 2022, masks are required to be worn at all times when leaving the home, mandatory testing and quarantine centers have been reopened, and many schools and non-essential businesses have been temporarily closed again. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. All Rights Reserved. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. In the same month, further easing of the city's social distancing rules was announced and the previously mandatory negative COVID-19 RAT ( rapid antigen test) result requirement was also scrapped. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. 3. In January, passenger volumes at the Norman Foster-designed airport were a third of the level four years earlier. Visitors wearing protective face masks walk under decorations for the New Year at Nakamise Street leading to Senso-ji Temple at the Asakusa district, in Tokyo on January 9, 2023. Read about our approach to external linking. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. The Hang Seng Tech index The rule was first enforced on July 29, 2020, and directed individuals to wear masks in all public places. Heres where. Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. Rappler.com. Although Hong Kong seemed like an outlier with its far-reaching mask mandate, there are still a number of countries that require masks onboard public transport and on commercial aircraft. Hong Kongs leader said on Tuesday that the city You can find her on twitter @kamal_t, Here's why you might still want to wear masks on public transport, are required to wear medical surgical, KN95 or N95 masks, the value of gloves as a pandemic measure has been debated and basically debunked, children over 5 and adults must have a negative PCR test. Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd., which sells beauty products, climbed as much as 6.4%. In a press conference Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee said residents and tourists will not be required to wear masks indoors, outdoors or on public transportation for the first time in nearly three years. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. "And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. "Persons with a medical condition who cannot wear a face mask or cannot wear it safely due to the medical condition must send a medical certificate or the MEDIF form through our Contact Form at least 48 hours before the scheduled flight.". Taken together, an area to be "high," "medium" or "low" risk. Many people have stopped wearing masks but others are still opting to keep theirs on. Hong Kong to scrap almost all its Covid rules, Hong Kong shortens Covid hotel quarantine, Station master arrested after dozens killed in Greece train crash, Survivors describe 'nightmarish seconds' as trains crashed, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had, earlier last week, released new guidelines suggesting that 70 percent of Americans no longer needed to wear masks and needn't avoid crowded spaces. Despite relaxing border rules late last year, Hong Kongs government had been reluctant to lift the mask mandate amidst calls from various medical professionals to keep the mandate in force for the foreseeable future. Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. The US is one of the countries severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the early stages of the outbreak with a recorded 103 million cases. But in the wake of the plummeting numbers and the soaring pandemic fatigue throughout the country, 49 states have announced plans to end their indoor mask mandates. What are the CDC guidelines? Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. A mask can be the cheapest, simplest tool to protect you from infections in these situations.". The Japanese government has said it will ease mask-wearing guidelines on 13 March, recommending masks only on trains and buses during rush hour, or where public transportation is particularly congested. A sign on the door of a coffee shop in Manhattan ask for proof of vaccination and the wearing of a mask on the day that a mask mandate went into effect in New York Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. Although Hong Kong seemed like an outlier with its far-reaching mask mandate, there are still a number of countries that require masks onboard public Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Accordingly, the CDC now says individuals at high-risk of COVID-19 complications should consider taking precautions, such as avoiding crowds and wearing a high-quality mask. With the removal of the mask mandate, Hong Kong will return to normal all around, and in this year and the coming year will go all out for the economy and development at full speed, Mr. Lee said. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Places where social distancing is not followed. Read about our approach to external linking. April 20, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC. Accordingly, the CDC would no longer recommend that these communities insist on indoor masking. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. At one stage, masks were required even when exercising. In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. Tourists along the promenade in the Tsim Sha Tsui area in Hong Kong, on Feb. 28, 2023. This is definitely the most welcome news to us, not only for us being in Hong Kong, living in Hong Kong but also for us running the airline, Mandy Ng, chief executive officer of low-cost carrier Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd., told Bloomberg Television. Your body temperature is measured when you enter an airport and again before boarding the plane. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Terms & Conditions. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for example. It also got the highest ranking in COVID-19 resilience by Bloomberg. However, Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing on Tuesday, February 8, that Filipinos are still willing to wear face masks despite the ease of restrictions. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. Vietnam made face masks compulsory for people to wear in public on March 16. Despite its proximity to China, the epicenter of COVID-19, Taiwan has been praised for its highly effective COVID-19 response, having had only less than 500 cases in the first few months of the pandemic. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 Filipino travelers visited Thailand. "It's not a good time to drop the interventions that we know have been effective. Some criticised the rule's duration and its sudden scrapping - amid wider criticism of the city's pandemic policies for the past three years. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. Mask rules are changing yet again, this time on public transit. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. 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Masks are But even as mask mandates for public transportation are debated and sometimes dropped many global health experts support them. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. The following are the CDC guidelines in the USA for areas of: Wear if in contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, Masks required indoors and in public places. Most previous work focused on mask mandates; we study the effect of mask wearing directly. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded just 96 COVID-19 cases, according to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection. Masks have never been mandatory in Japan, but most people have been wearing them. Learn how your comment data is processed. LATAM airline, based in Santiago, Chile, has a lengthy mask dissertation: "No passenger may board the aircraft without a mask, or without its proper use. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Authorities claiming that the virus is no longer considered a 'critical threat'. But for local health officials and school boards, the CDC suggests a community consider three factors: new COVID-19 hospitalizations; hospital capacity; and new COVID-19 cases. hide caption. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. Nevertheless, face masks should still be worn in: As the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain continues to decline, the country recently removed the mandate for wearing masks in outdoor settings. Failing to comply with the rules could see authorities slapping a fine of up to $1,275 (HK$ 10,000). People deserve choice in terms of how they are protecting themselves, and they have been doing this since the very first days of the pandemic, and they are going to continue to do that., Hong Kong, One of Worlds Last Holdouts, Ends Its Mask Mandate, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/27/world/asia/hong-kong-mask-mandate.html. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. But some remain - primary and secondary school students still need to test daily for Covid, although some reports say this measure could be lifted later this month. There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. It was only a year ago that some Americans were FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. However, government officials have explicitly stated that plans could change as new data and/or disease cases emerge. The move comes as the government seeks to attract tourists and overseas workers to revitalize the finance hub. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. By last year, most European countries that had imposed mask rules had scaled them back everywhere except on planes and some metros. Now, Berlin and Brandenburg are the first of Germany's 16 federal states considering a reintroduction of mandatory masks for indoor public spaces, at least in retail. Additionally, Hong Kong's population shrunk dramatically during the Covid period. However many locals could be seen still wearing masks on Wednesday, local media reported. In 2022, the country lifted the mandatory face mask and relaxed rules of wearing it in public places. He added that while well-fitting masks were highly effective in hospital settings, they were often removed in crowded restaurants and at home, limiting the protection they provided when community transmission was widespread. 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On the no-no list: Fabric or reusable masks on flights within Chile. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. "In this year and the coming year, we will go all out for the economy and development at full speed.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy, Lee said. 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