Letters | First in, last out: why can’t Hong Kong move on from masks already?
- Readers discuss why Hongkongers don’t need a mask mandate, and wonder about not-so-healthy habits in the city
With second-dose and third-dose vaccination rates of 93 per cent and 83 per cent respectively, the city’s population is well protected against Covid. For most people in Hong Kong, all the mask mandate does is create more waste on our endangered planet.
For those, like me, who have travelled abroad recently, being able to wander the streets without a mask felt fresh and exciting, but it also served as a reminder of how far our beloved city is from returning to normal. Upon landing in Hong Kong, travellers are requested to keep their masks on. Anti-epidemic measures, which included PCR tests until yesterday, have made coming to Asia’s world city feel like entering the apocalypse – an alternative travel experience indeed.
It is understandable that some people still fear the virus, especially the unvaccinated elderly and chronically ill. But they account for just a tiny proportion of our population. It is also true that masks are useful for preventing the spread of the virus. However, given our high vaccination rates and the objective of normalising life in Hong Kong, Covid-19 should not be considered a threat to our public health system. Mask-wearing should be a personal choice and should no longer be made mandatory by the government.