Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. It never ceases to amaze me to see people putting on their mask when going outdoors and removing it indoors at home, and in the office, restaurants and bars, when outdoors is a significantly lower-risk setting for Covid-19 transmission compared to indoors. While virus transmission does occur outdoors, especially among people in proximity, the costs and benefits of a mandatory mask-wearing policy warrant examination. The Hong Kong government recently scrapped mandatory isolation for those who have tested positive for the coronavirus, a decision made on the basis of a “very sound barrier of immunity”, which I understand to be due to both the high vaccination rate and a large number of people already having contracted the virus in the past. Therefore, I wonder, how sound is it to keep the mask mandate, especially when Hong Kong has already started its global campaign to reaffirm itself as an international business hub? Most jurisdictions currently take the approach of only applying mask mandates on public transport and health facilities, but trust individuals and companies to make their own decisions otherwise. Moreover, if masks were really that effective, how could one explain the widespread outbreak in March last year in Hong Kong? Finally, there is the pollution angle. Single-use masks contain plastic that can take hundreds of years to break down. A study published in 2021 found mask mandates caused the amount of litter classified as “mask” to go from zero to 6 per cent. That should give Hong Kong, which aims to become more environment-friendly, pause. Ultimately, another second with this policy is a moment lost towards normality. Jose Alvares, Macau With effort, we could communicate better post-pandemic One of the most significant changes during the pandemic has been our relationship with others. Lockdowns and quarantine forced people to live in close confines with other people for extended periods of time, even as social distancing measures kept people apart. Even when people were not legally required to stay away from one another, fear of being infected led some people to shun large gatherings and even going out. The closure of entertainment facilities and the need to use a vaccine pass have changed our lifestyles. Many people turned to technology to communicate, but the lack of in-person communication can be inhibiting. However, advances in technology do allow us to explore other means of communication. We need not limit ourselves to texts, but could also use multimedia, such as photographs and videos, to share our lives on social media platforms, building on mutual interests. The use of masks has also been a barrier to communication. With half our face covered, misunderstandings could occur. We thus need to make more of an effort to communicate clearly, perhaps using body language in addition to words. Finally, spending extended periods of time at home led to conflicts between family members, many of whom were not used to seeing each other for an entire day. However, perhaps, this could have been an opportunity to show more concern for and attention to our family members. Taking the time to really talk to each other, and offering a listening ear in addition to sharing our feelings, could help, and even lead to stronger bonds. Christine Lee, Happy Valley