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. Vietnam is cited as one of the success stories in its fight against COVID-19 and has fared better economically than many other countries. Speaking truth to power requires allies like you. Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March. 2022. By last year, most European countries that had imposed mask rules had scaled them back everywhere except on planes and some metros. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Mexico removed all entry requirements, including the mandatory health form, on January 1, 2022. Cases have been declining for weeks. Although there is no legal mask mandate covering the entire country of Japan, there are strong recommendations to wear a mask in public. 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 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. Accordingly, the CDC would no longer recommend that these communities insist on indoor masking. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. As the country continued to curb the cases in 2022, Malaysia lifted the indoor mask mandate in most public areas. Many residents and business owners have said such tough rules damaged Hong Kong's economy and international standing. Under previous rules, the CDC primarily considered COVID-19 case counts to determine risk. Here is a list. On the no-no list: Fabric or reusable masks on flights within Chile. In 2022, there were 126,900 Filipinos who visited the country. This year and the next year, we will focus on the economy and development.. The Hang Seng index fell 0.69% as Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee announced to drop its mask mandate starting March 1. Sign up here. However, masks will still be required in health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "After looking at all the data, the trends 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. 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. 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. Feb. 28, 2022, 12:34 PM PST / Updated April 21, 2022, 6:15 AM PDT. Masks were still required on public transportation and in health care facilities, but not in restaurants, sports stadiums, movie theaters, and other public places. The rule increasingly jarred with Hong Kongs push to move beyond the pandemic and lure visitors. 3. It, however, still recommends wearing masks indoors and in crowded places. The severe covid restrictions had a negative effect on Hong Kong's economy. "With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy," Mr Lee said on Tuesday. Researchers found city-level vaccine mandates to have, at most, a negligible effect on 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. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The states masking rule for businesses and workplaces expired on Feb. 11. Then in February 2022, all states dropped mask mandates. These interventions made travel safer and possible, especially for senior citizens during the pandemic, says Toole, who is age 75. The controls, which changed frequently and with little warning, came at a heavy cost to residents and contributed to an exodus from the city. Almost 100,000 Filipino tourists arrived in Indonesia before the pandemic. That compares with 77% for Singapore. What's he waiting for? 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. 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. The strongest predictor of how the places did were vaccination rates. WATCH | Why Hong Kong residents are rushing to get Covid-19 vaccination? People wear face masks in the MTR station, a day before government gets rid of the mask rule in Hong Kong, Feb. 28, 2023. 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 In Italy, face masks are no longer required in public places. 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. April 20, 2022, 10:00 AM UTC. But those measures could not contain the spread of the more contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus as 2022 began. Masks are still worn in several countries in Asia. In 2022, the country lifted the mandatory face mask and relaxed rules of wearing it in public places. A young woman wears a KN95 mask in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 26, 2022. There will no longer be a need to wear a mask on Cathay Pacific flights or in its airport lounges. 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. Many analysts view the relaxation of mask mandates as the next logical step. 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. The U.S. isn't the only country to have dropped mask requirements. The Hang Seng Tech index The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, the city's leader John Lee said. The Hang Seng Tech index meanwhile, fell 1.42%. The move will come into effect from March 1 and suggests that the administration is looking to restore some semblance of normalcy. 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 same thing has happened in some countries in Latin America: Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, for 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. Taiwan announced in February that it has lifted the indoor mask mandate and has eased other restrictions. Now to 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. Macau, the nearby gambling hub, which like Hong Kong is a Chinese territory, ended its outdoor mask mandate on Monday. Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access. Already have Rappler+? Leaders in Hong Kong hope the easing of requirements will help bring back tourists and businesses. 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. Compared to other countries, vaccinations in Japan have been slow to roll out to the public. Japan has been one of the main travel destinations of Filipinos in the past years. Subscribe to The Defender's Top News of the Day.It's free. However, government officials have explicitly stated that plans could change as new data and/or disease cases emerge. India Dot Com Private Limited. This move seeks to relax public health measures for economic and social activities. Masks are just one protective measure for these airline passengers arriving in Shanghai from Paris. In addition to masks, passengers are asked to bring their own gloves as an optional additional precautionary measure. 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. 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. 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. But Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that restrictions there would gradually lift with mask and remote work mandates easing early next month and ), 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? Updated: 11:07 PM EST February 25, 2022. 2023 BBC. We didnt see that major difference with transmissions. Health Secretary Chung-mau Lo said the government would recommend that people who are immunocompromised or have upper respiratory issues continue to wear masks. 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. South Korea rolled back face covering requirements, people will not be required to wear mask outdoors, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. All Rights Reserved. But testing isn't 100% accurate and people aren't always 100% responsible for self-testing. Under Cap 599I Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation, the government legislation that covers the mandate, residents have been For the most part, people have followed the government's recommendations, and many private businesses require masks for customers. Because the truth is worth it.). 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. Add your comment to start the conversation. As of April 2022, many of these restrictions have been lifted, with masks required only in stores and on public transport. All rights reserved. Under the mandate, which began in July 2020 and lasted for 945 days, people could be fined up to HK$5,000 (530; $640). 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. The new guidance recommends that people who are at high-risk of COVID-19 complications should talk to their doctor about how to stay safe in a community that might have moderate risk levels. Wearing a mask both indoors and outside was mandated in Italy throughout much of the pandemic. 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. Actor Woody Harrelson held nothing back during a February interview with The New York Times where he blasted mandates and COVID-19 protocols. New York state's school masking mandate will be lifted Wednesday, Gov. She also noted that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to it should continue to mask, regardless of what risk-level their community has. Many countries have also implemented mask mandates in fact, more than the number of countries that have imposed vaccine mandates. 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. On social media, many residents expressed elation and relief that the day of unmasking had "finally" come. But like Mr. Lee, he said the end of the mandate signified a return to normalcy. With more than 92% of its population of 67+ million people vaccinated, France chose to lift the majority of its COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022. Other Covid curbs in Hong Kong included strict quarantine rules, limitations on the number of people gathering in public places, as well as restricting visitors in nursing homes. 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. 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. For business its a game changer, said Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Ltd. 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