Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. LinkedIn has officially entered its cringe era, and its working. 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. Photo/Matthew Busch/The New York Times / Various masks hang at a home in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 20, 2022. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Still, the new benchmarks could be used by local leaders, school boards and public health officials who are facing vastly different versions of the pandemic even within the same state. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. 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. 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. Taken together, an area to be "high," "medium" or "low" risk. While Germany had seemed at times to have much of the virus under control, mask mandates and restrictions tightened in January 2021. Almost 100,000 Filipino tourists arrived in Indonesia before the pandemic. 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. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the Brazilian report, the governor of Sao Paulo city, Joao Doria tweeted, "Finally without masks. 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. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. Harrelson 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. Indonesia is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that was greatly affected by the pandemic and had experienced surges of cases since 2020. We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). 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 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. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. 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. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. But those measures could not contain the spread of the more contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus as 2022 began. A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. The mask mandate for domestic U.S. flights has been lifted although it might come back. Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. In case of refusal to use it before or during the flight, you will be reported as an unruly passenger to the respective authorities. By Sarah Jacoby. Masks however, are still required for everyone, onboard all domestic flights. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. 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. Cathay Pacific has told passengers who are nervous or uncomfortable around seatmates who choose not to wear a face mask on one of the airlines flights to postpone their travel plans after Hong Kong lifted its years-long mask mandate. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. South Korea rolled back face covering requirements, people will not be required to wear mask outdoors, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Taiwan announced in February that it has lifted the indoor mask mandate and has eased other restrictions. 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But like Mr. Lee, he said the end of the mandate signified a return to normalcy. Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask. Updated: 11:07 PM EST February 25, 2022. 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. Additionally, Hong Kong's population shrunk dramatically during the Covid period. Here is a list. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Read about our approach to external linking. It is a clear message to show Hong Kong is resuming normalcy," Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told Reuters. People have beenrequiredto wear masks in all public places, including outdoors, from July 29, 2020. El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces. 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. 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. The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. Hong Kong has lifted its mask mandate, marking an end to one of the world's longest-running Covid restrictions. Many analysts view the relaxation of mask mandates as the next logical step. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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 removal of the mask mandate may help stimulate interest in Hong Kong, along with the ticket giveaway. 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. 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.". Checking with any international carrier before heading to the airport is still critical, says Wu. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. The rule was first enforced on July 29, 2020, and directed individuals to wear masks in all public places. Philadelphia: Masks are currently required at the Philadelphia International Airport and in many of the citys indoor spaces, like restaurants, museums, sporting areas Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. DeSantis won't say he's running. The states masking rule for businesses and workplaces expired on Feb. 11. MANILA, Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted all countries worldwide to impose lockdown measures and travel restrictions to avoid spreading the virus. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 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. Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd., which sells beauty products, climbed as much as 6.4%. 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. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. We use the largest wearing survey (n = 20 million) and obtain our estimates from regions across six Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. However, masks will still be required in health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas Mask mandates are still in effect in a small number of places. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. 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. In addition to masks, passengers are asked to bring their own gloves as an optional additional precautionary measure. People wear face masks in the MTR station, a day before government gets rid of the mask rule in Hong Kong, Feb. 28, 2023. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. Hong Kong had dropped most other pandemic restrictions by earlier this year. Some criticised the rule's duration and its sudden scrapping - amid wider criticism of the city's pandemic policies for the past three years. Already have Rappler+? 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 Hawaii An indoor mask mandate, the final statewide 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. Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March. As the world continues to live and adapt to the pandemic, several countries, including the Philippines, have lifted the face mask requirement. Why is it important to subscribe? Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. 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. As the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain continues to decline, the country recently removed the mandate for wearing masks in outdoor settings. As of Wednesday, the city will no longer require people to wear masks indoors, outdoors or on public transportation. 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. Vietnam logged more than 100,000 Filipino visitors prior to the pandemic. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. There are no comments yet. On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded just 96 COVID-19 cases, according to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection. Masks have never been mandatory in Japan, but most people have been wearing them. In 2019, the US was home to more than four million Filipinos. Tourists along the promenade in the Tsim Sha Tsui area in Hong Kong, on Feb. 28, 2023. Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for The one for schools expired on March 1. In recent days, officials announced that visitors to hospitals and nursing homes would no longer have to show PCR test results, and that starting in March, students would not be required to take daily rapid antigen tests before attending school. We are witnessing the Great Unmasking, with masks mandates falling faster, even, than plummeting Omicron caseloads. It was only a year ago that some Americans were Hong Kong will end its mask mandate for indoors and outdoors on Wednesday, March 1 its Chief Executive John Lee said in a briefing. 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. Heres where. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. 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 virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. 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. However, the Malaysian government imposed key responses such as expanding its testing capacity for COVID-19. Read more:Hong Kong announces further easing of COVID-19 curbs. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday. Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. 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?". According to reports, the country saw an exodus of 187,000 people in the last three years as residents escaped to safer pastures. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. Masks will still be required in health care settings. Authorities claiming that the virus is no longer considered a 'critical threat'. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Although Cathay Pacific is free to enforce its own mandate, the airline has chosen to follow the lead of the Hong Kong government and lift masking rules from March 1. At one stage, masks were required even when exercising. 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, ", What Countries Require Masks in Public or Recommend Masks? 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. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. Now to Although masks were not required in outdoor settings where social distancing was possible. Everyone can show their smiles and say, Hello, Hong Kong, he said, repeating the citys new tourism slogan. "It's not a good time to drop the interventions that we know have been effective. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. Japan has been one of the main travel destinations of Filipinos in the past years. CDC has previously recommended wearing a high-quality mask, such as a tight-fitting N95 version and avoiding areas with low vaccination levels. 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. 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. hide caption. Miss a day, miss a lot. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. Because the truth is worth it.). 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. 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. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. However, in light of the current vaccination reates and relatively low virus prevalence, the South Korean government announced in April 2022 that it would be lifting all social distancing rules. 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. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. "People who wear a high-quality mask are well-protected, even if others around you are not masking," Massetti said. Learn how your comment data is processed. Passengers are required to wear medical surgical, KN95 or N95 masks from the time of check-in at the airport through the duration of the flight and until you leave the airport. 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 National Authority for Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management (NCEMA) has announced face covers to be optional. Feb. 28, 2022, 12:34 PM PST / Updated April 21, 2022, 6:15 AM PDT. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Your body temperature is measured when you enter an airport and again before boarding the plane. Mask requirements may be a thing of the They still use shields and gloves. Mask rules are changing yet again, this time on public transit. From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy, Lee said. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. England has lifted the legal mandate on face coverings. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. 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 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. 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. Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. 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. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Under the new metrics, more than half of U.S. counties, which make up about three-fourths of where Americans live, are now considered to be at "low" or "medium" risk because of a reduced number of new COVID-19 hospitalizations and adequate hospital space. 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. (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). In India, for example, the Ministry of Civil Aviation set regulations as of May 2020 that all flight crew were required to be in PPE a full protective body suit, (similar to the kind medical professionals wear) with masks, gloves and face shield. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. 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. ABC News' Britt Clennett contributed to this report. WATCH |Why Hong Kong residents are rushing to get Covid-19 vaccination? 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. The United Kingdom removed its mask restrictions for travelers in 2022. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. Indoor locations and public transportation required a mask, and people could be fined for failing to follow the rules. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. For the most part, people have followed the government's recommendations, and many private businesses require masks for customers. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. Singapore has been lauded as highly effective in its management of containing COVID-19 with a very low number of cases from the virus. Additionally, last week, the gambling hub of Macao said people will not be required to wear mask outdoors but will still be required in elderly care homes, hospitals and public transit. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical virologist at the University of Hong Kong, noted that when the virus began spreading in the city in early 2020, its residents almost universally wore masks, even before they became mandatory. The Hang Seng Tech index 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. Health Secretary Chung-mau Lo said the government would recommend that people who are immunocompromised or have upper respiratory issues continue to wear masks. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Learn more. 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. There were almost 500,000 Filipino tourists who arrived in Singapore in 2022. Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. April 20, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC. 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 Under the mandate, which took effect in July 2020, people who failed to wear masks in public could be fined about $635. India Dot Com Private Limited. Masks are The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Masks were still required on public transportation and in health care facilities, but not in restaurants, sports stadiums, movie theaters, and other public 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. 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. Indoor venues, such as casinos, can set requirements at their discretion. "We think this is the best timing to make this decision. The move comes as the government seeks to attract tourists and overseas workers to revitalize the finance hub. But as the pandemic situation continued to get better, the US government announced in 2022 that wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory. 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. And not just any mask will do. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. 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. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism. The same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for example. However, government officials have explicitly stated that plans could change as new data and/or disease cases emerge. 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