Ever since COVID began, nearly every person living in a developed country around the world has had their opinion of wearing a mask. Some, like those in several Asian countries, had already tended to embrace masking for nearly a century before the coronavirus pandemic (here’s why). Others, like some people in the United States, turned masks into a political statement instead of an issue of public health. Still, others didn’t make them political but just didn’t think they worked. (I’ll throw in right now that if you want to comment about how awful or ineffective masks are, be aware that your comment won’t be approved. Here’s why.)
The leaders of the world’s countries are just as human as their constituents (despite what some of those world leaders may think of themselves. Their poop still stinks, y’know what I mean?) so different countries have had different rules about masking at different times. Some made their mask rules based on a mixture of science and the waxing and waning of the virus, others by a need for financial gain through tourism, and still others for their own reasons (i.e., pseudoscience).
With the generally less deadly Omicron variant, mixed with their constituents’ exhaustion with “all things COVID,” on top of trying to “live with the virus,” more and more countries have begun removing mask mandates.
Note: Of course, regardless of any country’s rules or mandates, if you feel you have symptoms of COVID, and/or have tested positive for the virus, you should isolate yourself. If that’s not possible, you should at least wear an N95 or KN95 mask, to help decrease your spreading to those who have medical conditions that put them at risk for complications, including hospitalization or death, if they catch the virus from you. Those would include friends, family and strangers who:
- are not vaccinated
or, as per the medical community, have medical conditions such as:
- cancer
- chronic kidney, liver or lung disease
- dementia
- diabetes 1 or 2
- Down syndrome
- heart conditions
- HIV
- a weak immune system
- mental health conditions
- overweight and obesity
- physical inactivity
- pregnancy
- sickle cell disease or thalassemia
- smoker (current or former)
- organ or blood stem cell transplant
- stroke or cerebrovascular disease
- substance abuse disorder
- tuberculosis
because even if they are fully vaccinated, because of their other medical issues, they could still have significant complications if they catch COVID from you (and even if they’re wearing a mask, the chances of their catching it lessens even more if you are wearing one, as well).
Here are the countries that, as of this writing, have no (or very few, only for specific places) mask mandates in place:
- Aruba requires mask use in airports. They’re “optional” in indoor settings, and are not required anywhere else.
- Bulgaria no longer requires masks anywhere.
- Some (but not all) parts of Canada no longer require face masks. Alberta only requires them in hospitals. British Columbia only requires them in doctors’ offices, patient contact areas and federal buildings.
- Croatia has no rules for mask use anymore.
- Czech Republic no longer has any rules for mask use.
- Denmark recommends but doesn’t require people to wear face masks.
- Dominican Republic has no rules for wearing a mask.
- El Salvador no longer requires masks in public spaces.
- Estonia has no mask rules at this time.
- Finland is entirely free of mask-related rules.
- France only requires masks in health care facilities.
- Hungary no longer requires masks anywhere.
- Iceland‘s official government site specifically states “masks are not mandatory anywhere.”
- Ireland no longer legally requires people to wear masks in public places. However they still recommend same, especially if you’ve tested positive or are visiting a healthcare facility.
- Jamaica no longer requires indoor masking (the rules for outdoor masking had already been removed)
- Latvia only requires masks on public transit and in high-risk places (i.e. health care facilities)
- Maldives continues to require masks in hospitals, but those are the only places you have to wear one.
- Not all, but some (Baja California Sur, Baja California, Mexico City, Quintana Roo, Tamaulipas and Nuevo León) states in Mexico have made masks optional.
- Namibia ended the requirement of wearing masks in March.
- Netherlands does not require masks anywhere, except at the airport, after security.
- Norway recommends that people wear masks when indoors. However it’s not required.
- Poland only requires mask use at health care facilities.
- Portugal no longer has mandatory mask rules, except for 2 places: places frequented by vulnerable people such as in nursing homes and hospitals, as well as in locations that are difficult to air out and that have a high level of utilization such as public transport.
- Romania is entirely free of masks.
- Slovenia no longer requires masks anywhere.
- Spain only requires masks on public transportation and in health centers, nursing homes and pharmacies.
- Sweden recommends that people wear masks in all indoor or crowded spaces. However it’s not a mandate.
- Switzerland still requires masks in hospitals and on public transit. That’s all.
- United Kingdom recommends wearing a mask in crowded places, but there are no mandates in place for mask wearing, except the following:
— Wales: masks must still be worn in shops, gyms, salons, etc. - United States has always had a patchwork of mandates, since each state could usually make its own rules. Currently, most states recommend wearing a mask indoors. Some states, or certain establishments within a state may have their own rules (i.e., masks are still required for public transportation in some cities, may be required in healthcare settings in certain states, etc.).
Keep in mind that as COVID waxes and wanes, and different variants arise, so do the requirements of certain countries. Required mask use could be re-started at any time. But as of this writing, the above countries have few-to-no COVID-specific requirements for masking.
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