Students return to school in Daegu, the Republic of Korea, on March 2, 2022. (Photo: Yonhap/VNA)

Following new guidelines, the Pentagon on Wednesday lifted its mask requirement inside the building and increased the maximum occupancy rate for offices from 25% to 50%. Last week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its mask guidance, allowing people to ditch their masks as long as Covid-19 hospitalizations in their community remain low.

Turkish authorities have lifted numerous safety protocols in public spaces. The Ministry of Health said vaccines are super critical to its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entry requirements for Laos were eased on Wednesday, and a new online portal will allow foreign tourists and Lao citizens returning from abroad to apply for visas online.

In the Republic of Korea, schools have reopened for in-person learning.

In India, markets in Gujarat have resumed operation after a long hiatus. Life there is gradually returning to normal. Indians have returned to their office, streets are crowded, and cinema attendance is soaring.