Mask-wearing is no longer mandatory in Hong Kong: March 2023 update

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Citizens are no longer required to wear masks on board a public transport carrier, in both indoor and outdoor areas, or in scheduled premises.

Having assessed the latest epidemic development, the HKSAR government has lifted all mandatory mask-wearing requirements with effect from 1 March 2023. The suspension of the relevant specification and directions issued under Cap. 599F and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) will also be gazetted.

In other words, citizens are no longer required to wear masks mandatorily on board a public transport carrier, within an MTR-paid area, in both indoor and outdoor areas, or in scheduled premises.

To protect the high-risk groups in healthcare settings, all patients, visitors, and staff are required to wear a surgical mask while entering hospitals or healthcare facilities, said the Hospital Authority. Visitors do not have to perform any nucleic acid tests. However, they are required to perform a COVID-19 rapid antigen test within 24 hours prior to the visit and obtain a negative result.

Meanwhile, no prior appointment is required for visitors and there is no limit on the number of visitors. Visitors can take turns to visit but only two persons are allowed to enter the ward at the same time. Citizens entering residential care homes for the elderly or residential care homes for persons with disabilities also need to follow the administrative mask-wearing requirement.

The Government appealed to the public to wear a mask when having respiratory symptoms. Persons with weakened immunity or chronic disease(s) should also wear a mask when they are present in a poorly ventilated place.

At a media session before the Executive Council meeting on 28 February 2023, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee said the decision has been made after an overall assessment of all the factors, and this is the right time to enable society to resume normalcy in full.

"With the masking requirement removed, we are starting to resume to normalcy comprehensively, and that will be very beneficial to economic development, our international competitiveness as well as our activities which involve everyone in Hong Kong," he added.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong's anti-epidemic measures adjusted: Voluntary isolation, vaccination and nucleic acid testing

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