Hong Kong’s Leader Hopes to End Mandatory Mask Wearing This Year
Hong Kong’s chief John Lee is constructive he can take away the final pandemic curbs together with masks dressed in this 12 months.
“My hope in 2023 is to take away all Covid restrictions,” Lee mentioned in an interview with Hong Kong Commercial Daily. He mentioned he hopes “all issues might be resolved within the first quarter,” in keeping with the record printed Tuesday.
The masks mandate is likely one of the most effective primary curbs left ultimate from town’s Covid Zero days, together with an isolation order for sure circumstances. Failure to abide via the guideline, which used to be imposed in July 2020, dangers a HK$5,000 ($640) superb. Hong Kong gave up maximum different restrictions in December after China unexpectedly deserted its strict option to controlling the virus. The town’s border with the mainland reopened this month for the primary time in 3 years.
Lee mentioned final month the masks mandate would most likely be the final measure the federal government gets rid of as it’s efficient in opposition to Covid and different breathing sicknesses. The town’s pandemic restrictions undermined the economic system, which most likely shriveled in 2022 for the 3rd time in 4 years.
“A complete go back to standard has at all times been my function,” Lee advised the newspaper. “Of path, I’m hoping that there might be no Covid-19 curbs, together with masks orders.”
—With the aid of Kari Lindberg.
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