In a press call with reporters, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky cautioned that COVID was unpredictable and that these conditions could change that put hospitals at risk of once again being overloaded. MANILA, Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted all countries worldwide to impose lockdown measures and travel restrictions to avoid spreading the virus. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. 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. From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy, Lee said. 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. Hong Kong is ending its mask mandate Wednesday, becoming one of the world's last cities to drop rules demanding face coverings. In a press conference on April 20, the director of the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Carissa Etienne, noted: "The WHO's emergency committee last week declared that the COVID health pandemic still constitutes an extraordinary event that continues to adversely affect the health of populations around the world. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. 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. 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 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. Why is it important to subscribe? 2023 BBC. For the most part, people have followed the government's recommendations, and many private businesses require masks for customers. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Malaysia experienced two waves of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, but the political crisis doomed its COVID-19 response. 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. However, Mexico still has various internal restrictionsincluding mandatory masks in most indoor spaces, social distancing rules, and self-isolation rules. April 20, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC. Video, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, Ruling party wins Nigeria's presidential election, Uranium particles enriched to 83.7% found in Iran, Finland starts construction of Russia border fence, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case, Daily walk prevents one in 10 early deaths - study, Pictures show devastation after Greece train disaster. 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. "It's not a good time to drop the interventions that we know have been effective. 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 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. 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. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. "And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. 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. Hawaii An indoor mask mandate, the final statewide The government has stated it will review its rules on outdoor mask wearing after a two-week trial period, which would place the decision sometime in early May 2022, but added that indoor mask requirements would be "unavoidable for a considerable time. It, however, experienced a surge in April 2021. 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. Now to Schools were closed for months on end, residents of nursing homes were denied visitors, and restaurants and bars saw their hours restricted or had to shut entirely. The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Masks however, are still required for everyone, onboard all domestic flights. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. 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 Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. People wear face masks in the MTR station, a day before government gets rid of the mask rule in Hong Kong, Feb. 28, 2023. Most previous work focused on mask mandates; we study the effect of mask wearing directly. Read about our approach to external linking. - 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. 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. 2022. Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. 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. Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, Southern India. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. 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. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 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. Cases have been declining for weeks. What are the CDC guidelines? 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. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday. It, however, still recommends wearing masks indoors and in crowded places. 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. 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. Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. In 2019, the US was home to more than four million Filipinos. 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. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. Speaking truth to power requires allies like you. Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access. The Hang Seng Tech index 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. By last year, most European countries that had imposed mask rules had scaled them back everywhere except on planes and some metros. Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. However, the Malaysian government imposed key responses such as expanding its testing capacity for COVID-19. 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. 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. Authorities claiming that the virus is no longer considered a 'critical threat'. The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. But those measures could not contain the spread of the more contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus as 2022 began. (At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. And there are still some inflight announcements about infection prevention for instance, reminding passengers not to touch their face, In China and other countries you'll also need medical documents in order to fly. In 2022, there were 126,900 Filipinos who visited the country. Everyone can show their smiles and say, Hello, Hong Kong, he said, repeating the citys new tourism slogan. Taken together, an area to be "high," "medium" or "low" risk. 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. 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Many analysts view the relaxation of mask mandates as the next logical step. The progress of vaccination and drop in hospitalizations and deaths allow us to take this measure.". Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. Here is a list. According to the Brazilian report, the governor of Sao Paulo city, Joao Doria tweeted, "Finally without masks. But as the pandemic situation continued to get better, the US government announced in 2022 that wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). 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. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. Singapore has been lauded as highly effective in its management of containing COVID-19 with a very low number of cases from the virus. For impactful stories you just cant miss, By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). 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. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. No spam, just a weekly roundup of the best aviation news that you don't want to miss. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. Hong Kong was one of the world's last masking holdouts. Hong Kong has largely followed mainland China's lead in efforts to tackle the virus, including attempts to eliminate it with a "zero-Covid" strategy. Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. "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. 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio Masks will no longer be required for anyone on school buses, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday. 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. Many people have stopped wearing masks but others are still opting to keep theirs on. It's too premature," says Mike Toole, a founding member of Medicins sans Frontiers in Australia and an associate research fellow at Burnet Institute whose work revolves around infectious diseases and international health. The severe covid restrictions had a negative effect on Hong Kong's economy. 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, 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. Add your comment to start the conversation. In South Korea, for instance, they are still required on public transportation, as well as in hospitals and pharmacies. Walensky said that a review of that requirement is ongoing and a decision will be made in the weeks ahead. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Before Wednesday, people living in Hong Kong had to wear a mask in any public area. 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. 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.. ABC News' Britt Clennett contributed to this report. What's he waiting for? 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. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. "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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There were almost 500,000 Filipino tourists who arrived in Singapore in 2022. 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. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. Tourists along the promenade in the Tsim Sha Tsui area in Hong Kong, on Feb. 28, 2023. 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. 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?". The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. Overall, Hong Kongs economy contracted by 6.1 percent in 2020; it rebounded in 2021, but shrank again in 2022. 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. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. Sign up here. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. "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. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The states masking rule for businesses and workplaces expired on Feb. 11. 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. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for example. It is a clear message to show Hong Kong is resuming normalcy," Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told Reuters. 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.". A mask can be the cheapest, simplest tool to protect you from infections in these situations.". Rappler.com. 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. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. 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. 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. We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. 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. The number of destinations on the list is slowly increasing, including plenty in Europe. Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. A child acting as hallway monitor watches as children move about a hallway wearing COVID-19 protective masks at Carter Traditional Elementary School in Louisville, Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. Wearing face covers in open spaces is no longer a mandate in UAE. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. 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. That compares with 77% for Singapore. Shares of companies linked to tourism gained. 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 The Defender's Top News of the Day.It's free. Photo/Matthew Busch/The New York Times / Various masks hang at a home in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 20, 2022. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. 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