Hong Kong scraps mask mandate after almost 1,000 days / Photo: Peter PARKS - AFP
-
Putellas wants to bring 'winning culture and mentality' to London City
-
Furious Fury says row between rival promoters could scupper Joshua bout
-
Rare Italian opera returns to Moscow after nearly 120-year hiatus
-
'Invincible' 223cm teen basketball player stars as China win bronze
-
Pope to celebrate giant Paris mass after 'peace' appeal
-
Tenth woman found dead in South Africa's string of killings
-
Homes flooded, roads submerged: Bangkok declares disaster over heavy rains
-
Japan schoolboy, 11, wins gold while empty seats blight Asian Games
-
Ahead of Paris mass, pope urges life together in 'dignity and peace'
-
Japan organisers 'not satisfied' as empty seats blight Asian Games
-
Austria 'ghetto' language classes leave children to repeat school
-
Canals full, roads submerged as Bangkok declares flood disaster
-
S.African women runners arm themselves after string of killings
-
China, US to open AI 'communication channel' after summit
-
'I felt embarrassed': Japan eSports whizz-kid, 11, wins Games gold
-
Nepal tunnel survivor wants to help post-flood rebuild
-
Indonesia fires threatens critically-endangered orangutan: IUCN
-
New China sprint star, 17, vows 'no limits' after Asian Games gold
-
Bangkok declares flood disaster across city
-
Japanese 11-year-old wins Asian Games eSports gold
-
'World records not enough': North Korea weightlifters target Olympic gold rush
-
TikTok agrees to teen limits in US settlement following Meta
-
Iran proposes Hormuz plan, Trump reportedly refuses
-
Venezuela's oil cradle pins hopes on US energy deals
-
El Nino rewrites the menu in the world's top restaurants
-
US, China buy time with trade truce as pressure builds
-
Pope to hold giant mass on Champs-Elysees
-
'Leo, Leo': Young Catholics give pope rockstar welcome in France
-
TikTok to pay Alabama $100 mn under pre-trial settlement
-
Lula bans sports betting days ahead of Brazil's election
-
Internationals take 7-3 Presidents Cup lead after foursomes sweep
-
Guatemala ensures survival of vulnerable 'fossil' fish
-
Brazil team returns to Colombian site of doomed jet crash
-
Mancini finds positives in Italy loss, accepts fans' jeers
-
Mbappe injured as Zidane wins on France debut, Italy lose on Mancini return
-
Alcaraz helps Europe into Laver Cup lead
-
Senegal draw in Vieira debut, Nigeria survive scare as Cape Verde crash
-
Six missing after building collapses in historic Athens district
-
U2 performs surprise 50th anniversary gigs in Dublin
-
Mbappe scores but suffers knee injury as Zidane gets debut France win
-
Pope calls worshippers 'saints of France' after AI warning
-
Mancini's Italy return spoiled by Belgium defeat
-
US court sides with Pentagon in Anthropic AI ban
-
Rodri confident in Man City innocence despite reported charges
-
Wall Street stocks rise, greeting optimism over possible US-Iran deal
-
Jay-Z rape accuser says she made 'false accusations'
-
NFL players chief raises concerns over pitch for Maracana game
-
Senegal draw first match under Vieira and Nigeria survive scare
-
Daytime Russian attacks kill seven in Kyiv
-
Trump, Xi end summit long on pomp, but short on progress
Hong Kong scraps mask mandate after almost 1,000 days
Hong Kong is scrapping its mask mandate from Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee announced, ending the financial hub's last major Covid curb as it seeks to emerge from the pandemic.
The city was one of the last places in the world to require face coverings in virtually all public settings, with everyone over the age of two required to wear one or face a fine of up to HK$10,000 ($1,275).
"I announce that the masking requirement will be completely cancelled starting tomorrow, March 1, including for indoors, outdoors and (on) public transportation," Lee said at a brief press conference on Tuesday.
He added that hospitals and elderly homes can impose their own restrictions.
The mask mandate was imposed three years ago, and had remained in place for nearly 1,000 days.
Hong Kong's lifting of its restrictions comes after the neighbouring Chinese territory of Macau relaxed its own mask rules on Monday, dropping the measure except for high-risk public areas, such as hospitals.
O.Ortiz--AT
