After 959 days Honk Kong is no longer imposing $1,000 fines for not wearing a mask - Agency Report
One of the last major international cities requiring face coverings on Tuesday announced it will end its controversial Covid mask mandate nearly three years after it was enacted to prevent the spread of the virus.
Hong Kong’s mandate, enforced through fines that could reach more than $1,000, had required facial coverings in all public spaces.
The rule came into effect for public transport on July 15, 2020 and was expanded two weeks later to include indoor and outdoor areas – though the vast majority of people in the city had begun wearing masks months earlier as reports of coronavirus infections spread, leading to panic buying and shortages as early as January that year.
The mandate will be fully lifted on Wednesday, the city’s leader John Lee said at a news briefing Tuesday – 959 days since the transport rule was imposed.
“We are now returning to normalcy,” Lee said, as the Asian financial hub launches a major push to welcome back business travelers and tourists.
Hong Kong has rolled back several other major controls in recent months, most notably mandatory quarantine for all international arrivals, a move celebrated by travel-starved residents, overseas family members and struggling local businesses.
