After almost 1000 days, mask mandate is lifted

After 945 days, Hong Kong has lifted laws mandating the wearing of masks in public.

Compulsory mask wearing was introduced in 2020 when the Covid pandemic began to hit, with HK$5,000 (almost $AU950) fines imposed for non-compliance.

“With the removal of the mandate, Hong Kong will return to normalcy,” the city state's chief executive John Lee-Ka chiu said.

Until the law was scrapped, everyone was required to wear masks in public areas, Travel Mole reported.

Following mainland China protocols, the Hong Kong mask mandate and other Covid rules were among the most stringent in the world.

The rule change comes as the badly-hit tourism industry bounces back.

The virus is under control in Hong Kong with no major signs of a rebound, Lee said.

Local media outlets, however, reported that many Hong Kong residents are continuing to wear masks in public places.   

Americans have the freedom to spread diseases

 Americans love their God-given freedoms. 

The freedom to bear arms despite almost daily mass shootings. The freedom to invade other nations to save them from communism.

And now the freedom to spread disease with the greatest of ease. 

Now a federal judge in Florida, an appointee of deluded dunce Donald Trump, has ruled that a US Government mask mandate on public transportation is unlawful, overturning a Biden administration effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

US health officials last week extended by 15 days the mandate requiring travellers to wear masks on aeroplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs. 

But US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled the mandate unconstitutional.

A win for freedom. Americans are now free to sit in close proximity to complete strangers who may, or may not, have Covid. And to share their air.

US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said: “The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travellers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of Covid.

“We also continue to urge the administration to immediately end pre-departure testing for vaccinated inbound international passengers, which discourages travel and provides limited public health benefits.” 

They are among us. 

Fortunately, sensible folk have not yet been banned from wearing masks should they choose to do.

# The US Travel Association is a national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry. See ustravel.org