"I am announcing that the mask obligation will be completely abolished from tomorrow March 1, including indoors, outdoors and on public transport", the head of the Hong Kong executive John Lee. This decision marks the lifting of the ultimate health restriction imposed during the pandemic and still in force. The Chinese metropolis was one of the last places in the world to require the wearing of a mask in almost all public places, for anyone over the age of 2, under penalty of a fine of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (1 200 euros).
John Lee added that hospitals and nursing homes could put in place their own restrictions, during a brief press briefing on Tuesday.
Wearing a mask was imposed three years ago in Hong Kong, and was maintained for nearly 1,000 days.
The lifting of this final restriction in Hong Kong comes after an identical decision on Monday February 27 in the neighboring Chinese territory of Macao, which maintains the wearing of masks only in risk areas such as hospitals.
