Letters | With Hong Kong’s new mask rule, city has as good as banned exercise

Coronavirus pandemic

Letters

Published: 6:45am, 29 Jul 2020

Why you can trust SCMP

I totally agree that we should all wear masks when in proximity to other people, indoors or out, but there should be exemptions for people doing serious exercise in the countryside, for the simple reason that it is impossible to run or cycle with any kind of decent effort while wearing a mask (“Record 145 Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong trigger toughest preventive steps yet”, July 27).

Masks cut down oxygen uptake by 20 per cent when they are dry but, in the Hong Kong summer, a mask will be sopping wet with sweat in 10 minutes, then it will be completely impossible to breathe through.

You might as well just ban all exercise, which of course would be really stupid, and would have a negative effect on the general health of the population.

The simple fact is that infections occur in crowded urban settings – the MTR, buses, restaurants, packed streets and offices – not on empty trails in the countryside. So shut offices and transport before banning exercise.

Bert Young, Chai Wan

Working out outdoors in a mask is an impossible idea

Your Explainer yesterday stated – exercise indoors or not at all. Yet obesity is a big co-morbidity factor for Covid-19 and exercise is a good way of both managing obesity and generally keeping the immune system in good shape. Not to mention the benefits to mental health in these trying times.

Exercising outside in a mask in Hong Kong is impossible: the WHO advises against mask-wearing while exercising; masks get wet and impossible to breathe through.

Few people in Hong Kong have room to exercise indoors (particularly with all the gyms and sports facilities shut). What is the government thinking?

While I have generally agreed with most policies enacted, this one is clearly utterly bizarre and counter-productive. I do hope common sense prevails.

Sarah Fairhurst, Tuen Mun

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