Several other countries and territories in Asia have been rolling back COVID-19 restrictions as leaders look to shift to an endemic phase. So what does the global mask scene mean for American fliers? Under the mandate, which took effect in July 2020, people who failed to wear masks in public could be fined about $635. The omicron wave, which infected a vast majority of the country, also boosted the nation's immunity from prior infection for the timebeing. Miss a day, miss a lot. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. Taiwan announced in February that it has lifted the indoor mask mandate and has eased other restrictions. Read about our approach to external linking. Which other countries have lifted the mask mandate? Shares of companies linked to tourism gained. In addition to masks, passengers are asked to bring their own gloves as an optional additional precautionary measure. 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?". This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. 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. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. 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. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. Hong Kongs mask mandate has been in effect since July 2020. Indoor locations and public transportation required a mask, and people could be fined for failing to follow the rules. But even as mask mandates for public transportation are debated and sometimes dropped many global health experts support them. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. Wearing a mask both indoors and outside was mandated in Italy throughout much of the pandemic. Places where social distancing is not followed. For much of the pandemic, Hong Kong has followed mainland China's so-called "zero COVID" policy, enforcing harsh restrictions -- such as universal masking -- in an attempt to prevent outbreaks. The National Authority for Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management (NCEMA) has announced face covers to be optional. "After looking at all the data, the trends 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. 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. 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. He added that while well-fitting masks were highly effective in hospital settings, they were often removed in crowded restaurants and at home, limiting the protection they provided when community transmission was widespread. 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. As the world continues to live and adapt to the pandemic, several countries, including the Philippines, have lifted the face mask requirement. Indoor venues, such as casinos, can set requirements at their discretion. 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. Masks will still be required in health care settings. 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. 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. 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. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. The new metrics will place the majority of the country in low to medium COVID-19 risk. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask. 3. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). WATCH | Why Hong Kong residents are rushing to get Covid-19 vaccination? 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Hong Kong was one of last places on Earth to mandate mask-wearing. Vietnam logged more than 100,000 Filipino visitors prior to the pandemic. Hong Kong was one of the world's last masking holdouts. 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. 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. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. Many analysts view the relaxation of mask mandates as the next logical step. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. While mask rules vary by park, they are still required on all forms of enclosed public transportation, the NPS noted. (At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. "None of us know what the future holds for us and for this virus," Walensky said. 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. Hong Kong has lifted its mask mandate, marking an end to one of the world's longest-running Covid restrictions. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. However, the situation is still in flux, with mandates often lifted or reinstated on a day-to-day basis as cases surge or wane in a given country or new COVID-19 variants emerge. The only places where masks are still required include hospitals and public transit. While Germany had seemed at times to have much of the virus under control, mask mandates and restrictions tightened in January 2021. 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. The United Kingdom is home to an estimated 200,000 Filipinos. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 Filipino travelers visited Thailand. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. hide caption. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. Mask mandates stretching for years on end are going to run out of steam in terms of how effective they are, Dr. Sridhar said. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. That compares with 77% for Singapore. 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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. Read more:Hong Kong announces further easing of COVID-19 curbs. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. As the number of COVID-19 infections in Spain continues to decline, the country recently removed the mandate for wearing masks in outdoor settings. 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. MANILA, Philippines The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted all countries worldwide to impose lockdown measures and travel restrictions to avoid spreading the virus. El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces. Rappler.com. Wearing face covers in open spaces is no longer a mandate in UAE. Mall landlords Wharf Real Estate Investment Co. and New World Development Co. rose more than 1.4%. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. 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. The population has fallen by a net 187,000 in the three years through 2022 as residents fled for other cities. 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. Many people have stopped wearing masks but others are still opting to keep theirs on. 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. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. For impactful stories you just cant miss, By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. 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. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Taken together, an area to be "high," "medium" or "low" risk. Some criticised the rule's duration and its sudden scrapping - amid wider criticism of the city's pandemic policies for the past three years. The new recommendations are a major change in how the federal government is approaching pandemic guidance. Mask requirements may be a thing of the Thousands died, many of them seniors who had not been vaccinated. Flight crews have been subject to even more demanding requirements than passengers in many places. Malaysia experienced two waves of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, but the political crisis doomed its COVID-19 response. 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 All Rights Reserved. South Korea has mandated mask-wearing in both indoor and outdoor public locations since the beginning of the pandemic. Masking up is still a requirement with a number of airlines: Air France, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, South African Airways and Malaysian, to name a few. Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. 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. 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