Hong Kong is set to resume international flights from nine countries, the government said Monday.
In January, authorities quickly put in place flight bans from eight countries deemed high-risk -- Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain and the United States -- and in February added a ninth, Nepal.
But infections climbed rapidly, with Hong Kong recording more than a million cases and 5,600 deaths.
On Monday, city leader Carrie Lam said starting April 1, Hong Kong will lift flight bans -- referred to as a "circuit-breaker" -- for the nine countries.
The quarantine period for vaccinated arrivals will also be reduced to seven days in a hotel, followed by seven days of at-home monitoring -- though Lam did not say when the change will begin.