Flight crews have been subject to even more demanding requirements than passengers in many places. 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. 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?". 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. 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. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. All Federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a high-quality mask inside of Federal buildings in areas 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. "You must wear your mask at all times throughout the flight, except when eating or drinking," is Egyptair's position. 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. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant. Already have Rappler+? 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. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful. 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. "And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next. "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. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Switzerland removed its indoor mask mandate on February 17, 2022. The majority of the country would now be considered low-to-medium risk. They still use shields and gloves. CDC has previously recommended wearing a high-quality mask, such as a tight-fitting N95 version and avoiding areas with low vaccination levels. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. 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. There are other precautionary measures for air travelers in China. 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. And not just any mask will do. 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 new recommendations are a major change in how the federal government is approaching pandemic guidance. The Hang Seng Tech index 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 Which other countries have lifted the mask mandate? ABC News' Britt Clennett contributed to this report. Masks are 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. By Sarah Jacoby. "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. Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March. (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). 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Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. SIGHTSEEING SPOT. We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. While Germany had seemed at times to have much of the virus under control, mask mandates and restrictions tightened in January 2021. All rights reserved. ", That's a position endorsed by Henry Wu, director of Emory TravelWell Center and an associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine: "Airports see the greatest influx of people around the world. Several other countries and territories in Asia have been rolling back COVID-19 restrictions as leaders look to shift to an endemic phase. Cloth masks were deemed no longer acceptable, and people were required to wear medical-grade masks. 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. Despite its proximity to China, the epicenter of COVID-19, Taiwan has been praised for its highly effective COVID-19 response, having had only less than 500 cases in the first few months of the pandemic. Before the pandemic, almost 500,000 Filipino travelers visited Thailand. 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. 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 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. The number of destinations on the list is slowly increasing, including plenty in Europe. Most of these curbs were rolled back at the end of last year. Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd., which sells beauty products, climbed as much as 6.4%. 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. The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. In South Korea, for instance, they are still required on public transportation, as well as in hospitals and pharmacies. India Dot Com Private Limited. A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. WATCH | Why Hong Kong residents are rushing to get Covid-19 vaccination? Ky., Jan. 24, 2022. The past three years of global isolation have weighed heavily on the citys economy and reputation. Denmark People in Denmark can be exempted from wearing face masks everywhere, except public transports. 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. Failing to comply with the rules could see authorities slapping a fine of up to $1,275 (HK$ 10,000). 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. 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. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport in Hong Kong Photograph:(Reuters). 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 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. According to Tourism Malaysia, 396,000 Filipino Vietnam made face masks compulsory for people to wear in public on March 16. Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. 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. Japan has been one of the main travel destinations of Filipinos in the past years. 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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 only places where masks are still required include hospitals and public transit. 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. However many locals could be seen still wearing masks on Wednesday, local media reported. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. Face coverings or masks were required at all shops, offices, and hairdressers. Estonia has no mask rules at this time. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. 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. Terms & Conditions. Checking with any international carrier before heading to the airport is still critical, says Wu. Here is a list. People have beenrequiredto wear masks in all public places, including outdoors, from July 29, 2020. Heres where. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. South Korea ended its indoor mask rule on January 30, 2023, but still recommends wearing masks, including in public transportation. The severe covid restrictions had a negative effect on Hong Kong's economy. Hong Kong is one of the last cities globally to still have a mask mandate. We are witnessing the Great Unmasking, with masks mandates falling faster, even, than plummeting Omicron caseloads. Gross domestic product shrank 3.5% in 2022, contracting for the third time in four years. Masks will no longer be needed outdoors, indoors or on public transport, Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday. And because case counts remained high, the public health agency had stuck to its recommendation of indoor masking, including inside 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.. As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign, the city is giving away more thanhalf a millionairline tickets starting from Wednesday. However, Mexico still has various internal restrictionsincluding mandatory masks in most indoor spaces, social distancing rules, and self-isolation rules. Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. 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. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. What's he waiting for? Researchers found city-level vaccine mandates to have, at most, a negligible effect on Rappler.com. 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 rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. France French residents and citizens do not have The mandate, which went into effect in mid-July 2020, imposed a more than $600 fine to those who didn't follow mask rules. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. Speaking truth to power requires allies like you. 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. Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. No spam, just a weekly roundup of the best aviation news that you don't want to miss. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. As of Wednesday, the city will no longer require people to wear masks indoors, outdoors or on public transportation. The rationale behind mask 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. 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, 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 updated guidance comes after weeks of pressure from governors and state officials who asked for a clear roadmap at the national level. It, however, still recommends wearing face masks indoors, and in public transportation, including airplanes and trains. The rule was first enforced on July 29, 2020, and directed individuals to wear masks in all public places. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times. Photo/Matthew Busch/The New York Times / Various masks hang at a home in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 20, 2022. 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