Letters | Coronavirus crisis: stop racist and divisive debate over wearing face masks, ask the important questions

Whether you choose to wear a mask or not, there is expert advice to support your decision. The more important thing is to focus on cooperation and good habits against infection, and not add to the divisions in Hong Kong

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Children play together at the Victoria Park playground in Causeway Bay on March 13. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 7:00am, 19 Mar 2020Updated: 7:00am, 19 Mar 2020

It is disappointing to see this newspaper join the ranks of lesser mainstream media and social media in attaching a racial/cultural superiority element to the debate over the use of surgical masks. Given the divisiveness that last year’s events brought to Hong Kong, what possible good does this bring to the cause of getting Hong Kong back on track, and bridging the divides that have wrought such havoc on our society to take this approach to the issue of protective actions against Covid-19?

It is quite easy in Hong Kong to find expert advice for both sides of the argument on the use of surgical masks, all based on scientific evidence and data-based studies. Pick a side – whether you are Chinese, Western or a member of the ethnic minorities – and it is easy to find expert evidence for your views.

Inevitably, some important and useful data is missing. For example, of those in our community who became infected, how many had been wearing face masks? Of those in the vicinity of an infected person who infected others, and who were not wearing face masks themselves, how many subsequently did not become infected? Of those who infected others, what percentage did so despite wearing face masks? We do not have answers to any of these questions, it seems, and so speculation and ‘culturally-superior views’ rush to fill the void.

I will admit my position has shifted in favour of wearing masks, as the reality of asymptomatic transmission becomes more evident. On balance, it is better to wear one in close quarters, to protect others around us and possibly ourselves too. Whether they or we be Eastern, Western or any point in between.

Let us not make this a racist and divisive issue, but rather, focus our efforts on maintaining the right habits that will serve us best to keep the infection at bay, so we can get on to restoring life and the economy in our sadly divided home.

Graham Barkus, Central

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Coronavirus crisis: stop racist and divisive debate over wearing face masks, ask the important questions

Letters | Coronavirus crisis: stop racist and divisive debate over wearing face masks, ask the important questions