Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. South Korea is also one of the major tourist destinations of Filipinos with 450,000 Filipino visitors in 2017. The removal of the mask mandate may help stimulate interest in Hong Kong, along with the ticket giveaway. What's he waiting for? China has a zero-COVID policy. Japan has been one of the main travel destinations of Filipinos in the past years. 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. Many analysts view the relaxation of mask mandates as the next logical step. In case of refusal to use it before or during the flight, you will be reported as an unruly passenger to the respective authorities. That compares with 77% for Singapore. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. Why is it important to subscribe? Estonia has no mask rules at this time. 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. Hungary no longer requires masks anywhere. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The majority of the country would now be considered low-to-medium risk. "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. Mask rules are changing yet again, this time on public transit. In 2022, there were 126,900 Filipinos who visited the country. Health Secretary Chung-mau Lo said the government would recommend that people who are immunocompromised or have upper respiratory issues continue to wear masks. Most states either don't have a statewide mask Offers may be subject to change without notice. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. 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. 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 past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. 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. The city's gross domestic product fell by 3.5% last year. Walensky said that a review of that requirement is ongoing and a decision will be made in the weeks ahead. Thepopulationhas fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. 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. The new recommendations are a major change in how the federal government is approaching pandemic guidance. 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. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). 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. Terms & Conditions. 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. BY Tristan Bove. 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. 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 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. Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism. 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. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. "After looking at all the data, the trends "We know that also because children are relatively at lower risk from severe illness that schools can be safe places for children. Although masks were not required in outdoor settings where social distancing was possible. And not just any mask will do. 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. Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, Southern India. 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. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. 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. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks during a Senate hearing on the COVID-19 response, March 18, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. Because many locations are allowed to determine their own mandates on masks, some outbreaks have occurred. According to reports, the country saw an exodus of 187,000 people in the last three years as residents escaped to safer pastures. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. 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. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. DeSantis won't say he's running. 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 Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. 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. Feb. 28, 2022, 12:34 PM PST / Updated April 21, 2022, 6:15 AM PDT. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Under Cap 599I Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation, the government legislation that covers the mandate, residents have been 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. This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. 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. "People who wear a high-quality mask are well-protected, even if others around you are not masking," Massetti said. Here is a list. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 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. Finland is entirely free of mask-related rules. From tomorrow we are completely returning to normalcy, Lee said. 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. 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. Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. Denmark People in Denmark can be exempted from wearing face masks everywhere, except public transports. As the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain continues to decline, the country recently removed the mandate for wearing masks in outdoor settings. WATCH | Why Hong Kong residents are rushing to get Covid-19 vaccination? Add your comment to start the conversation. As it reopened its borders, Singapore dropped mandatory mask requirements, both indoors and outdoors, in August 2022. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. ABC News' Britt Clennett contributed to this report. In South Korea, for instance, they are still required on public transportation, as well as in hospitals and pharmacies. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. The omicron wave, which infected a vast majority of the country, also boosted the nation's immunity from prior infection for the timebeing. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. The move comes as the government seeks to attract tourists and overseas workers to revitalize the finance hub. The progress of vaccination and drop in hospitalizations and deaths allow us to take this measure.". 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. 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. Hong Kong was one of last places on Earth to mandate mask-wearing. 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. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. 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. Many people have stopped wearing masks but others are still opting to keep theirs on. 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. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for In 2019, the US was home to more than four million Filipinos. 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 authorities see gloves as a deterrent to infection even though the value of gloves as a pandemic measure has been debated and basically debunked). Most states either don't have a statewide mask mandate in place or have announced plans to drop their mandates soon. "You must wear your mask at all times throughout the flight, except when eating or drinking," is Egyptair's position. "We think this is the best timing to make this decision. Hong Kong is ending its mask mandate Wednesday, becoming one of the world's last cities to drop rules demanding face coverings. 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 population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as Hong Kong's Asian rival Singapore scrapped indoor face coverings in August, while South Korea did the same in January this year. 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. 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. Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. ), Two United Airlines Pilots Sent For Additional Training After Boeing 777 Plunges 1,425 Feet Within Seconds Just After Takeoff, The Super Bowl Has United Airlines Flight Attendants On The Look Out For Human Traffickers Ahead of Mega Event, Emirates Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2021, Emirates Cabin Crew Recruitment The Complete Guide And Step-By-Step Process 2021, The Emirates Cheat Sheet for the Cabin Crew Open Day & Assessment Day 2018, Etihad Airways Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2020, Etihad Cabin Crew Recruitment Step by Step Process 2021, British Airways Cabin Crew Recruitment Step by Step Process 2022, NEW & UPDATED: British Airways Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2020, The British Airways Cheat Sheet for the Cabin Crew Assessment Day, The Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Open Day and Assessment Day: What Really Happens? 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. On the no-no list: Fabric or reusable masks on flights within Chile. So what does the global mask scene mean for American fliers? We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. All rights reserved. Because the truth is worth it.). Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. 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. Wearing a mask both indoors and outside was mandated in Italy throughout much of the pandemic. This other country in East Asia is also one of the major success stories in containing COVID-19 and has never experienced massive lockdowns like any other country. We use the largest wearing survey (n = 20 million) and obtain our estimates from regions across six 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. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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