With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. 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 improvement of the COVID-19 situation, Indonesia has scrapped indoor mask mandates and removed all the remaining restrictions when entering buildings in 2022. Hungary no longer requires masks anywhere. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Your email address will not be published. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. Accordingly, the CDC would no longer recommend that these communities insist on indoor masking. El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces. Several other countries and territories in Asia have been rolling back COVID-19 restrictions as leaders look to shift to an endemic phase. There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. In late January, South Korea rolled back face covering requirements for most indoor places. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. 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?". 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. 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. We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). Researchers found city-level vaccine mandates to have, at most, a negligible effect on Almost 70 percent of the population in the USA are in areas of low or medium risk. People have beenrequiredto wear masks in all public places, including outdoors, from July 29, 2020. Almost 100,000 Filipino tourists arrived in Indonesia before the pandemic. The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. The rule is enforceable byfinesof up to HK$10,000 ($1,275), with police regularly handing out HK$5,000 penalties on the spot for transgressors. According to reports, the country saw an exodus of 187,000 people in the last three years as residents escaped to safer pastures. 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. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. Read about our approach to external linking. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). However, masks must be worn at indoor places and public transport, where a vaccination pass is not needed. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. In case of refusal to use it before or during the flight, you will be reported as an unruly passenger to the respective authorities. Indoor venues, such as casinos, can set requirements at their discretion. The removal of the mask mandate may help stimulate interest in Hong Kong, along with the ticket giveaway. According to Tourism Malaysia, 396,000 Filipino Failing to comply with the rules could see authorities slapping a fine of up to $1,275 (HK$ 10,000). SIGHTSEEING SPOT. 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. Most of these curbs were rolled back at the end of last year. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. 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. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. What's he waiting for? At one stage, masks were required even when exercising. This is an indication that Filipinos have found value in wearing a mask and would really want to protect themselves and their families, Vergeire said. LinkedIn has officially entered its cringe era, and its working. As it reopened its borders, Singapore dropped mandatory mask requirements, both indoors and outdoors, in August 2022. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. It also got the highest ranking in COVID-19 resilience by Bloomberg. The number of destinations on the list is slowly increasing, including plenty in Europe. 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. 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. hide caption. France French residents and citizens do not have 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. The majority of the country would now be considered low-to-medium risk. Now to 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. Walensky said that a review of that requirement is ongoing and a decision will be made in the weeks ahead. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism. Two new studies on the effectiveness of mask mandates and city-level COVID-19 vaccine mandates concluded the policies failed to achieve their promised objectives.. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. 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. 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. Mask rules are changing yet again, this time on public transit. The move will come into effect from March 1 and suggests that the administration is looking to restore some semblance of normalcy. Singapore has been lauded as highly effective in its management of containing COVID-19 with a very low number of cases from the virus. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. "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.". 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. Other Covid curbs in Hong Kong included strict quarantine rules, limitations on the number of people gathering in public places, as well as restricting visitors in nursing homes. 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. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded just 96 COVID-19 cases, according to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Most states either don't have a statewide mask mandate in place or have announced plans to drop their mandates soon. April 20, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC. Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. But as the pandemic situation continued to get better, the US government announced in 2022 that wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory. Hong Kong has lifted its mask mandate, marking an end to one of the world's longest-running Covid restrictions. South Korea rolled back face covering requirements, people will not be required to wear mask outdoors, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access. In 2022, there were 126,900 Filipinos who visited the country. The new recommendations are a major change in how the federal government is approaching pandemic guidance. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Places where social distancing is not followed. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. Because many locations are allowed to determine their own mandates on masks, some outbreaks have occurred. 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. Heres where. Already have Rappler+? The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. "It's not a good time to drop the interventions that we know have been effective. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. 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. Photo/Matthew Busch/The New York Times / Various masks hang at a home in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 20, 2022. The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. After long 959 days or three years, the city of Hong Kong has finally bid adieu to the controversial COVID-19 mask mandate that was brought in to prevent the spread of the virus. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio Masks will no longer be required for anyone on school buses, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday. They still use shields and gloves. In January, passenger volumes at the Norman Foster-designed airport were a third of the level four years earlier. A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. 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. Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. 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. Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. Flight crews have been subject to even more demanding requirements than passengers in many places. 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. Shares of companies linked to tourism gained. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. 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The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. That compares with 77% for Singapore. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. 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. But Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that restrictions there would gradually lift with mask and remote work mandates easing early next month and Because the truth is worth it.). Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. 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. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as "We know that also because children are relatively at lower risk from severe illness that schools can be safe places for children. 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 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. 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. Hong Kongs leader said on Tuesday that the city would lift its mask mandate, one of the last such policies in the world, effectively ending what had been one of the pandemics strictest Covid regimes. The National Authority for Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management (NCEMA) has announced face covers to be optional. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas Updated: 11:07 PM EST February 25, 2022. 2023 BBC. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. "We look forward to a better tomorrow, which is the 1st of March so that we can all put a smile on our faces say, 'Hello, Hong Kong,'" he said, according to Hong Kong Free Press. 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