One of the world’s oldest Covid limitations has come to an end with Hong Kong’s lifting of its mask requirement.
According to John Lee, the mayor of Hong Kong, the virus is under control and showing no significant symptoms of a comeback.
Anyone could get fines of up to HK$5,000 (£530; $640) under the 945-day requirement, which started in July 2020.
Before Wednesday, residents of Hong Kong had to wear masks whenever they went outside or into any public space.
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.
Towards the end of last year, the majority of these limits were rolled back.
These strict regulations, according to some locals and business owners, hurt Hong Kong’s economy and reputation abroad. The city’s GDP decreased by 3.5% in the previous year.
In recent weeks, Hong Kong revealed plans to give away 500,000 airline tickets, beginning on Wednesday, to attract tourists from abroad.
Many Asian nations still allow the wearing of masks. For instance, in South Korea, they are still needed in pharmacies, hospitals, and on public transit.
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.
