What the doctors are saying

'It is time you can probably put down your mask - Sars is not transmitted casually by walking down the street. It is not necessary from an epidemiological point of view [to wear masks in public places] although it may reassure people and they may prefer to wear them'

WHO executive director of communicable disease Dr David Heymann

'We can now have more detailed discussions with people on the use of the masks. Like outdoors when walking through the MacLehose Trail, you need not wear masks. Inside very crowded public transport like the MTR, people should still wear masks'

Lo Wing-lok, president of Hong Kong Medical Association and infectious disease specialist

'There should be a strong recommendation for people to wear masks if they are in close space with other people, if they are at close quarters and in places of entertainment like cinemas and theatres and on public transport'

Anthony Hedley, professor in community medicine, University of Hong Kong

'Maybe it is too early to take away the masks. The lesson to be learned is that the more we are taking precautions on Sars the more we can get rid of the disease'

Kwok Ka-ki, convener, Action Group on Medical Poilcy

'In areas of high risk - public transport, crowded places, theatres, malls, crowded restaurants, hospitals, and buildings with previous known Sars cases - there is a need to put masks on. In open space we do not need to wear masks'

Gabriel Choi Kin, chairman of the Public Estate Doctor's Association