Tourism numbers remain low. 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?". Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. By Sarah Jacoby. Feb. 28, 2022, 12:34 PM PST / Updated April 21, 2022, 6:15 AM PDT. "None of us know what the future holds for us and for this virus," Walensky said. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. 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 Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines. Already have Rappler+? Some criticised the rule's duration and its sudden scrapping - amid wider criticism of the city's pandemic policies for the past three years. 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. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. However, masks must be worn at indoor places and public transport, where a vaccination pass is not needed. CDC has previously recommended wearing a high-quality mask, such as a tight-fitting N95 version and avoiding areas with low vaccination levels. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. Indoor venues, such as casinos, can set requirements at their discretion. People wear face masks in the MTR station, a day before government gets rid of the mask rule in Hong Kong, Feb. 28, 2023. Which other countries have lifted the mask mandate? Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. 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. 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. We find that population mask wearing notably reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission (mean mask-wearing levels corresponding to a 19% decrease in R). 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. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. 2022. Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. Wearing face covers in open spaces is no longer a mandate in UAE. The updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. Denmark became the first European country to lift the mask mandate. hide caption. Hector Retamal /AFP via Getty Images 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. There were almost 500,000 Filipino tourists who arrived in Singapore in 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. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. 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. Masks will still be required in health care settings. However, Mexico still has various internal restrictionsincluding mandatory masks in most indoor spaces, social distancing rules, and self-isolation rules. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for France French residents and citizens do not have This move seeks to relax public health measures for economic and social activities. But like Mr. Lee, he said the end of the mandate signified a return to normalcy. Speaking truth to power requires allies like you. Although masks were not required in outdoor settings where social distancing was possible. What's he waiting for? 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. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. It, however, still recommends wearing masks indoors and in crowded places. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. 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. 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. 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Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask. ", What Countries Require Masks in Public or Recommend Masks? 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. 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. However, the Malaysian government imposed key responses such as expanding its testing capacity for COVID-19. 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. "And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. 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. 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. Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd., which sells beauty products, climbed as much as 6.4%. The rule was first enforced on July 29, 2020, and directed individuals to wear masks in all public places. 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. Harrelson The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. England has lifted the legal mandate on face coverings. Indoor locations and public transportation required a mask, and people could be fined for failing to follow the rules. 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. 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. Before Wednesday, people living in Hong Kong had to wear a mask in any public area. In case of refusal to use it before or during the flight, you will be reported as an unruly passenger to the respective authorities. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. France only requires masks in health care facilities. The mask mandate for domestic U.S. flights has been lifted although it might come back. However, masks will still be required in health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. So what does the global mask scene mean for American fliers? When asked why it dropped its universal masking recommendation for schools, the CDC said the lower risk of serious COVID-19 illness in kids was a factor. 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. And so for that reason, we're recommending that schools use the same guidance that we are recommending in general community settings, which is that we're recommending people where a mask in high levels of COVID-19" risk, said Dr. Greta Massetti, a senior CDC official. "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. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. 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. 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. MANILA, Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted all countries worldwide to impose lockdown measures and travel restrictions to avoid spreading the virus. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. 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. However many locals could be seen still wearing masks on Wednesday, local media reported. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. 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. Taken together, an area to be "high," "medium" or "low" risk. 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. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Health Secretary Chung-mau Lo said the government would recommend that people who are immunocompromised or have upper respiratory issues continue to wear masks. But in mid-March the rules were revised; PPEs are no longer required for cabin crew onboard. 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. It, however, experienced a surge in April 2021. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. 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. BY Tristan Bove. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. There are no comments yet. 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. 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 The severe covid restrictions had a negative effect on Hong Kong's economy. Anyone can read what you share. Most states either don't have a statewide mask 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. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. Hong Kongs tough Covid controls, which until last year also included limits on group gatherings, flight bans and long hotel quarantines, were criticized by business leaders and others, who said they were needlessly damaging peoples livelihoods, as well as the citys status as a finance center and a tourist destination. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. 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. For the most part, people have followed the government's recommendations, and many private businesses require masks for customers. What are the CDC guidelines? The Omicron surge in late 2021/early 2022 convinced several prefectures to institute restrictions on some businesses, especially bars and eateries, but those restrictions have since been lifted. 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. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. We are witnessing the Great Unmasking, with masks mandates falling faster, even, than plummeting Omicron caseloads. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. 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 While mask rules vary by park, they are still required on all forms of enclosed public transportation, the NPS noted. Most of these curbs were rolled back at the end of last year. On Tuesday, Hong Kong recorded just 96 COVID-19 cases, according to Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. 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. There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. 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. A federal judge in Rappler.com. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. 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. 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