Lo Chung-mau, director of the Medical and Health Bureau, said at the press conference that he expects cases of respiratory viruses, such he expects the peak to be short and that it will have very little impact on public health systems. Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. In 2019, half a million Filipino tourists visited the country. 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. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. Based on that risk level, which could fluctuate, a community could opt to remove mask recommendations indoors or pull back on other mitigation measures, such as surveillance testing. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. Masks have never been mandatory in Japan, but most people have been wearing them. Tourism numbers remain low. Miss a day, miss a lot. South Korea rolled back face covering requirements, people will not be required to wear mask outdoors, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, most of the world's countries mandated the use of surgical-type masks in an effort to slow the spread of the disease. Read more:Hong Kong's population declines for a third consecutive year; Chinese influence to be blamed, China spending billions on spreading disinformation about Ukraine war, says US special envoy, 'Hello Hong Kong' mission kicks off with half a million free air tickets on offer, Zero to 100 in under 5 minutes: Redmi unveils 300W fastest charger. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday. As the world continues to live and adapt to the pandemic, several countries, including the Philippines, have lifted the face mask requirement. The only places where masks are still required include hospitals and public transit. However, government officials have explicitly stated that plans could change as new data and/or disease cases emerge. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. India Dot Com Private Limited. With more than 92% of its population of 67+ million people vaccinated, France chose to lift the majority of its COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022. 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. Most of these curbs were rolled back at the end of last year. Wearing face covers in open spaces is no longer a mandate in UAE. 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. Masks will still be required in health care settings. For impactful stories you just cant miss, By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. 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. Cases have been declining for weeks. The guidance also is intended to give local officials a roadmap to re-imposing restrictions if another variant pops up, which health experts warn is a possibility. This move seeks to relax public health measures for economic and social activities. "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. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. 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. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. Heres where. Under the mandate, which took effect in July 2020, people who failed to wear masks in public could be fined about $635. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. However, as the vaccination rate increased and the country gained confidence in its health care network's ability to combat the virus, restrictions have been gradually eased. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. 2023 BBC. A requirement to wear masks outdoors in public spaces was lifted in February 2022, and the government is expected to lift most or all remaining mask requirements and other COVID-related restrictions by mid-June 2022. Most states either don't have a statewide mask Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake, What we've learned from Alex Murdaugh murder trial. 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. China has a zero-COVID policy. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as Additionally, Hong Kong's population shrunk dramatically during the Covid period. Hungary no longer requires masks anywhere. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for ), Two United Airlines Pilots Sent For Additional Training After Boeing 777 Plunges 1,425 Feet Within Seconds Just After Takeoff, The Super Bowl Has United Airlines Flight Attendants On The Look Out For Human Traffickers Ahead of Mega Event, Emirates Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2021, Emirates Cabin Crew Recruitment The Complete Guide And Step-By-Step Process 2021, The Emirates Cheat Sheet for the Cabin Crew Open Day & Assessment Day 2018, Etihad Airways Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2020, Etihad Cabin Crew Recruitment Step by Step Process 2021, British Airways Cabin Crew Recruitment Step by Step Process 2022, NEW & UPDATED: British Airways Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2020, The British Airways Cheat Sheet for the Cabin Crew Assessment Day, The Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Open Day and Assessment Day: What Really Happens? The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. They still use shields and gloves. The one for schools expired on March 1. 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. Here is a list. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). Hong Kong had one of the worlds longest and strictest mask mandates which required people to wear a face mask in nearly all public settings, including outside in the open air. Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March. The airline is, however, aware that many Hong Kongers may feel nervous about being around unmasked passengers or crew members for long periods in these cases, the airline has asked nervous passengers not to fly until they feel comfortable around unmasked seatmates. It, however, still recommends wearing masks indoors and in crowded places. In 2022, there were 126,900 Filipinos who visited the country. Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access. But even as mask mandates for public transportation are debated and sometimes dropped many global health experts support them. Because many locations are allowed to determine their own mandates on masks, some outbreaks have occurred. Masks however, are still required for everyone, onboard all domestic flights. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for a well-known European airline. Earlier this month, the tourism board launched the "Hello Hong Kong" campaign, giving away 500,000 free airline tickets in an attempt to lure international travelers. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. 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. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. 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. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. In February, Spain became the last country in Europe to drop its airplane mask mandate, while Japan will only relax mask recommendations from March 13. 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. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Before Wednesday, people living in Hong Kong had to wear a mask in any public area. 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. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. 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. We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. According to the Brazilian report, the governor of Sao Paulo city, Joao Doria tweeted, "Finally without masks. In the end, the government gave little more than a days notice that the mandate would be scrapped seemingly in response to a similar policy shift from the autonomous region of Macau which is also able to set various policies independently of Beijing. Face masks must still be worn in closed spaces. 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 VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. A federal judge in The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images "We think this is the best timing to make this decision. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. France French residents and citizens do not have 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 2019, the US was home to more than four million Filipinos. It was only a year ago that some Americans were As the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain continues to decline, the country recently removed the mandate for wearing masks in outdoor settings. But Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that restrictions there would gradually lift with mask and remote work mandates easing early next month and 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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