Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism. 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. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. Heres where. Heres where. 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. If those risk factors climbed, putting a community at "high" risk, the CDC recommends that a community urges its residents to return to masks and step up other precautions. "With the masking requirement removed, we are starting to resume to normalcy comprehensively and that will be very beneficial to the economic development, our international competitiveness, as well as our activities which involve everyone in Hong Kong," Lee said. Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images Wearing a mask both indoors and outside was mandated in Italy throughout much of the pandemic. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. She also noted that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to it should continue to mask, regardless of what risk-level their community has. France only requires masks in health care facilities. 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. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. While mask mandates and restrictions had started to relax in China in late 2021, the Omicron variant caused a resurgence in both COVID-19 cases and the addendant restrictions that accompany them in early 2022. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Harrelson Here are some countries mostly frequented by Filipinos that have eased or lifted the mandatory face mask protocol: Japan is one of the countries that controlled the spread of COVID-19 and has not seen a massive outbreak of the virus until 2021. It, however, experienced a surge in April 2021. Authorities claiming that the virus is no longer considered a 'critical threat'. Most states either don't have a statewide mask mandate in place or have announced plans to drop their mandates soon. 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. 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. At one stage, masks were required even when exercising. Once a saver, always a saver: Warren Buffett says generational wealth isnt what it used to be in his annual letter Its bigger than the housing crisis: An influential economist just blamed NIMBYs for American decline, and Elon Musk CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The only exception is for children under 2 years of age and between 2 and 11 years old, for whom there is flexibility in the use of the mask. By last year, most European countries that had imposed mask rules had scaled them back everywhere except on planes and some metros. Most previous work focused on mask mandates; we study the effect of mask wearing directly. Starting Wednesday, people in Hong Kong will no longer be required to wear masks indoors, outdoors or on public transportation, though facilities like hospitals and nursing homes can still require them, Mr. Lee said. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. Which other countries have lifted the mask mandate? Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. A federal judge in "With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy," Mr Lee said on Tuesday. By Sarah Jacoby. All Rights Reserved. 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. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. For business its a game changer, said Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Ltd. Before, a lot of people would stay away from Hong Kong because the mask was showing that we were still stuck in the Covid days.. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. 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. Next month will see Hong Kong host the biggest series of international events since often-violent protests in 2019shut downmuch of the city, including a music festival, Art Basel and the Rugby Sevens tournament. What's he waiting for? According to Tourism Malaysia, 396,000 Filipino tourists visited the Southeast Asian country in 2018. However, masks must be worn at indoor places and public transport, where a vaccination pass is not needed. El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces. 2022. Thailand was able to keep the number of COVID-19 cases low in the early stages of the pandemic in 2020 due to its early lockdown and effective contact tracing strategy. It is a clear message to show Hong Kong is resuming normalcy," Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told Reuters. The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. "We think this is the best timing to make this decision. No spam, just a weekly roundup of the best aviation news that you don't want to miss. It also got the highest ranking in COVID-19 resilience by Bloomberg. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. It still poses an ongoing risk of international spread and requires coordinated international response so we are still in a public health emergency of international concern. Read more:Hong Kong announces further easing of COVID-19 curbs. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. Offers may be subject to change without notice. It was only a year ago that some Americans were talking about wearing masks forever, becoming a society where it is normal to wear face coverings when we shop for groceries or go the gym, even after the urgent threat of COVID-19 was While the updated guidance drops the recommendation of universal masking in schools, the CDC said it is still reviewing a federal requirement that individuals wear masks on public transportation, including on airplanes. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. 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 2023 BBC. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. The removal of the mask mandate may help stimulate interest in Hong Kong, along with the ticket giveaway. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. England has lifted the legal mandate on face coverings. Hong Kong was one of the world's last masking holdouts. Malaysia experienced two waves of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, but the political crisis doomed its COVID-19 response. We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when our levels are low, and then have the ability to reach for them again if things get worse in the future.". Read about our approach to external linking. At least now tourists dont have to worry about being fined for not wearing a mask in the street, said Pamela Mak, president of Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association. Evidence shows that the coronavirus is under control in Hong Kong, without major signs of rebound, Chief Executive John Lee said at a news briefing. 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. Many residents and business owners have said such tough rules damaged Hong Kong's economy and international standing. As the world continues to live and adapt to the pandemic, several countries, including the Philippines, have lifted the face mask requirement. Masks were still required on public transportation and in health care facilities, but not in restaurants, sports stadiums, movie theaters, and other public places. This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. In January, passenger volumes at the Norman Foster-designed airport were a third of the level four years earlier. The omicron wave, which infected a vast majority of the country, also boosted the nation's immunity from prior infection for the timebeing. Mexico removed all entry requirements, including the mandatory health form, on January 1, 2022. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for Notify me of follow-up comments by email. However, the situation is still in flux, with mandates often lifted or reinstated on a day-to-day basis as cases surge or wane in a given country or new COVID-19 variants emerge. The majority of the country would now be considered low-to-medium risk. In case of refusal to use it before or during the flight, you will be reported as an unruly passenger to the respective authorities. South Korea is also one of the major tourist destinations of Filipinos with 450,000 Filipino visitors in 2017. According to the Brazilian report, the governor of Sao Paulo city, Joao Doria tweeted, "Finally without masks. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. 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. 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. As of April 2022, the emergence of COVID-19 vaccinnes (as well as increased availability of treatment) has enabled many countries to relax their mask mandates. But as the pandemic situation continued to get better, the US government announced in 2022 that wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory. Now to Shares of companies linked to tourism gained. Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. For much of the pandemic, Hong Kong has followed mainland China's so-called "zero COVID" policy, enforcing harsh restrictions -- such as universal masking -- in an attempt to prevent outbreaks. In late January, South Korea rolled back face covering requirements for most indoor places. 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. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. Instead of heavily relying on the number of COVID-19 cases to gauge mask effectiveness, the CDC is assessing local hospital capacity and rate of hospitalisation to formulate key measures in the USA. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. For impactful stories you just cant miss, By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. Checking with any international carrier before heading to the airport is still critical, says Wu. The CDC guidance is an acknowledgement that hospitalization rates in recent weeks have fallen dramatically and that highly vaccinated communities would be able to withstand an uptick in cases without overwhelming their local hospital systems. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for Hong Kong will end its mask mandate for indoors and outdoors on Wednesday, March 1 its Chief Executive John Lee said in a briefing. 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In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. The only places where masks are still required include hospitals and public transit. COLUMBUS, Ohio Masks will no longer be required for anyone on school buses, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. 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. "After looking at all the data, the trends and the fact that the winter surge [of influenza] is nearing the end, in order to give people a very clear message that Hong Kong is resuming to normalcy, I think this is the right time to make the decision," Lee said. Hong Kongs tough Covid controls, which until last year also included limits on group gatherings, flight bans and long hotel quarantines, were criticized by business leaders and others, who said they were needlessly damaging peoples livelihoods, as well as the citys status as a finance center and a tourist destination. While mask rules vary by park, they are still required on all forms of enclosed public transportation, the NPS noted. From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy, Lee said. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 Filipino travelers visited Thailand. Hong Kong was one of last places on Earth to mandate mask-wearing. Walensky said that a review of that requirement is ongoing and a decision will be made in the weeks ahead. Although many indoor mask mandates are implemented at the city and county level, six states still have mandates in place: California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, South Korea ended its indoor mask rule on January 30, 2023, but still recommends wearing masks, including in public transportation. 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. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. 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. 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. Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. In a bid to woo foreign visitors, the Hong Kong government has announced plans to give away half a million air tickets - beginning on Wednesday. China's airlines have become a bit less strict than in the early days of the pandemic when in-flight announcements would urge passengers not to chitchat during the flight. "People who wear a high-quality mask are well-protected, even if others around you are not masking," Massetti said. 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. Under Cap 599I Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation, the government legislation that covers the mandate, residents have been The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. 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. Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd., which sells beauty products, climbed as much as 6.4%. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. India Dot Com Private Limited. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 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. In 2022, the country lifted the mandatory face mask and relaxed rules of wearing it in public places. Researchers found city-level vaccine mandates to have, at most, a negligible effect on Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask. We use the largest wearing survey (n = 20 million) and obtain our estimates from regions across six Estonia has no mask rules at this time. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. 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. CDC has previously recommended wearing a high-quality mask, such as a tight-fitting N95 version and avoiding areas with low vaccination levels. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. Overall, Hong Kongs economy contracted by 6.1 percent in 2020; it rebounded in 2021, but shrank again in 2022. 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