Hong Kong, one of many final locations on the planet to impose tight Covid-19 restrictions on face coverings, will drop its masks mandate from Wednesday.

John Lee, the Chinese language territory’s chief and former prime cop, mentioned necessities to put on a masks indoors, outside and on public transport can be scrapped.

“With the lifting of the masks mandate, we have now now formally eliminated all anti-epidemic restrictions. Hong Kong has totally returned to normalcy,” mentioned well being minister Lo Chung-mau. “We will all put a smile on our faces.”

Japan didn’t have a masks mandate however eased tips on masks carrying earlier in February.

Macau, one other Chinese language territory adjoining to Hong Kong, dropped its out of doors and indoor masks mandate on Monday, whereas Taiwan halted its indoor masks mandate in February, having earlier lifted an out of doors requirement on face coverings.

Hong Kong’s financial system was crippled after town was compelled to comply with China in imposing tight pandemic restrictions together with at factors a weeks lengthy quarantine and a ban on vacationers.

Together with a tricky safety crackdown which adopted 2019’s pro-democracy protests, the foundations undermined town’s standing as a monetary hub.

Lee mentioned town would now try and rebuild. “We’ll give attention to our financial system and town’s growth this yr and the following after resuming normalcy,” he mentioned on Tuesday.