'Drop Mask-wearing Except In Healthcare Centres'

A medical expert has strongly recommended Hong Kong drop its mask mandate everywhere, except in healthcare centres.

Vijay Dhanasekaran, an associate professor from the University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health, told RTHK the population here now had enough immunity to Covid-19 from vaccinations and previous infections.

"It's been going on for way too long," he said. "I've been recommending that we need to stop many of the measures, and I would like to see it happen quickly. I see no harm to health care in doing so."

On masking, specifically, he added: "Masks work well for situations when you need to protect yourself if there's a big outbreak, but we don't need it – masks are not the primary thing preventing a big wave. Immunity in the population is what prevents it."

Relaxing the mandate outdoors should be the top priority, Dhanasekaran said, but ultimately he believes people should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to wear a mask, indoors or out.

"At the start of the pandemic, people automatically wore masks if they wanted to, so we can decide for ourselves," he said. "We should drop compulsory mask-wearing everywhere except in healthcare centres where there are vulnerable and elderly people. That's how it has always been."