2023 BBC. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). Masks have never been mandatory in Japan, but most people have been wearing them. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. Read about our approach to external linking. Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. 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. The Hang Seng Tech index 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 however, are still required for everyone, onboard all domestic flights. Almost 70 percent of the population in the USA are in areas of low or medium risk. But that approach didn't take into account that vaccinations are now widely available to people over age 5 and that most vaccinated people who tested positive during the omicron and delta waves experienced mostly mild symptoms that did not require hospitalization. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. 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. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. Under Cap 599I Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation, the government legislation that covers the mandate, residents have been She reports on global health, science, and development, and her work has been published in the New York Times, The British Medical Journal, BBC, The Guardian and other outlets. Because the truth is worth it.). 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. Add your comment to start the conversation. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 Filipino travelers visited Thailand. In January, passenger volumes at the Norman Foster-designed airport were a third of the level four years earlier. Many people have stopped wearing masks but others are still opting to keep theirs on. 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. According to reports, the country saw an exodus of 187,000 people in the last three years as residents escaped to safer pastures. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. As the COVID-19 situation improved, the Thai government lifted its mask mandate in 2022 and allowed bars and other night venues to operate for longer hours. Hong Kongs leader said on Tuesday that the city 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.". Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. - Masks4All, Europe Travel: No Masks Needed In These EU Countries - Forbes, Countries That Have Removed All Internal Covid Restrictions - Travel Off Path, Some countries in Latin America end face mask rules - AA. What's he waiting for? Vietnam logged more than 100,000 Filipino visitors prior to the pandemic. 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 is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. Tourism numbers remain low. 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. Most of these curbs were rolled back at the end of last year. However many locals could be seen still wearing masks on Wednesday, local media reported. 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. 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. 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. What are the CDC guidelines? S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. 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. But even as mask mandates for public transportation are debated and sometimes dropped many global health experts support them. 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 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. Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access. Finland is entirely free of mask-related rules. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. In fact, he thinks masking is more important than ever because governments may be relying on people to be responsible, self-test and not fly if they test positive for COVID. Hoping to revive tourism, the city recently announced plans to give away half a million plane tickets to foreign visitors, and the authorities have continued to roll back the remaining restrictions. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded just 96 COVID-19 cases, according to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection. Harrelson conducted the interview to promote his new film Champions, but things took a turn when he was asked about his perspective on the movie business evolution since the 1990s. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. In 2019, half a million Filipino tourists visited the country. 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. Sign up here. South Korea ended its indoor mask rule on January 30, 2023, but still recommends wearing masks, including in public transportation. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Hong Kong has lifted its mask mandate, marking an end to one of the world's longest-running Covid restrictions. The number of destinations on the list is slowly increasing, including plenty in Europe. Mall landlords Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. and New World Development Co. rose more than 1.4%. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. Which other countries have lifted the mask mandate? "After looking at all the data, the trends 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. Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask. "And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. 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. For impactful stories you just cant miss, By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. 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. This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. The only places where masks are still required include hospitals and public transit. There were almost 500,000 Filipino tourists who arrived in Singapore in 2022. By Sarah Jacoby. Masks are The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Wearing face covers in open spaces is no longer a mandate in UAE. Feb. 28, 2022, 12:34 PM PST / Updated April 21, 2022, 6:15 AM PDT. 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 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 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). A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. 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.. MANILA, Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted all countries worldwide to impose lockdown measures and travel restrictions to avoid spreading the virus. (The authorities see gloves as a deterrent to infection even though the value of gloves as a pandemic measure has been debated and basically debunked). At one stage, masks were required even when exercising. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. Harrelson conducted the interview to promote his new film Champions, but things took a turn when he was asked about his perspective on the movie business evolution since the 1990s. Masks will still be required in health care settings. However, the Malaysian government imposed key responses such as expanding its testing capacity for COVID-19. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. unlikely to reach the United States market anytime soon, will end its aggressive but contentious vaccine mandate. All rights reserved. Mask requirements may be a thing of the Denmark People in Denmark can be exempted from wearing face masks everywhere, except public transports. 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. 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. While mask rules vary by park, they are still required on all forms of enclosed public transportation, the NPS noted. The United Kingdom removed its mask restrictions for travelers in 2022. The omicron wave, which infected a vast majority of the country, also boosted the nation's immunity from prior infection for the timebeing. 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. France With more than 92% of its population of 67+ million people vaccinated, France chose to lift the majority of its COVID-19 restrictions in Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. 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. 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 no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). Heres where. Additionally, Hong Kong's population shrunk dramatically during the Covid period. 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. We are witnessing the Great Unmasking, with masks mandates falling faster, even, than plummeting Omicron caseloads. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Mexico removed all entry requirements, including the mandatory health form, on January 1, 2022. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. Places where social distancing is not followed. Singapore has been lauded as highly effective in its management of containing COVID-19 with a very low number of cases from the virus. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. 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