Hong Kong lifts its mask mandate after 945 days

• Hong Kong has removed the mask requirement for the Covid virus.
• But many locals still wear them in public settings.
• Although wearing a mask has never been required in Japan, most individuals do.

One of the longest-standing Covid restrictions worldwide has been eliminated with Hong Kong‘s removal of the mask requirement.

According to John Lee, the mayor of the city, the virus is under control in Hong Kong with no significant evidence of a resurgence.

Anyone might be penalized up to HK$5,000 (£530; $640) under the mandate, which started in July 2020 and lasted 945 days.

“With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy,” Mr. Lee said on Tuesday.

“In this year and the coming year, we will go all out for the economy and development at full speed.”

Before Wednesday, residents of Hong Kong were required to cover their faces in any public setting.

Several locals rejoiced and felt relieved on social media that the day of unmasking had “finally” arrived.

In addition to criticism of the city’s pandemic policies over the previous three years, some criticized the duration of the rule and its abrupt repeal.

On Wednesday, though, many locals were still seen wearing masks, according to local media.

In terms of combating the virus, Hong Kong has generally followed mainland China’s example, including attempts to eradicate it via a “zero-Covid” strategy.

Additional Covid restrictions in Hong Kong included stringent quarantine guidelines, caps on crowd size in public areas, and restrictions on visitors to elderly homes.

At the conclusion of the previous year, most of these curbs were rolled back. However, some still need to be done; for example, Covid tests for primary and secondary school pupils are still required everyday, despite occasional reports to the contrary.

Several locals and company owners claim that Hong Kong’s economy and reputation abroad were harmed by such strict regulations. Last year, the city’s gross domestic product decreased by 3.5%.

The Hong Kong administration has stated that it will start giving away 500,000 plane tickets on Wednesday in an effort to attract tourists from abroad.

In many Asian nations, masks are still worn. For instance, they are still necessary in South Korea on public transit, as well as in hospitals and pharmacies.

On March 13, the Japanese government said that it would relax the rules on mask use, merely advising people to wear them on trains and buses during rush hour or in other situations where public transit is very crowded.

Although wearing a mask has never been required in Japan, most individuals do.

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