Face Off: Should Hong Kong scrap the mask mandate once and for all?

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  • Each week, two of our readers debate a hot topic in a showdown that does not necessarily reflect their personal viewpoints
  • This round, students discuss whether masks are still needed to protect against Covid-19 in the city
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Wearing masks in most public areas has been required in Hong Kong since July 2020. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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For: Hong Kong should scrap the mask mandate

Calissa Poon, 11, Diocesan Girls’ Junior School

Photo: Calissa Poon

Hong Kong has finally taken big steps towards normalcy by lifting most anti-Covid measures, and it should also scrap the mask mandate.

Despite Covid-19 constantly mutating to be more contagious, its variants are evolving to become less virulent. There is evidence that the severity and mortality of Omicron are similar to, if not less than, flu. Data from Japan’s health ministry revealed that among people aged 80 or over, 1.86 per cent of infections in July and August last year developed into severe cases and 1.69 per cent were deadly compared to 2.17 per cent and 1.73 per cent of seasonal influenza cases, respectively.

Last month, China’s National Health Commission changed the official Chinese name of Covid-19 from “novel coronavirus pneumonia” to “novel coronavirus infection” to reflect the milder nature of Omicron, now the dominant strain of Covid-19. If the government didn’t mandate mask-wearing during peak flu seasons, why should it do so now?

Moreover, masking and social distancing during the pandemic have left children vulnerable to other infections. Regular contact with common pathogens strengthens our immune systems.

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Last month, UK health officials reported it had seen a higher number of Group A strep cases in 2022 than usual. Some believe this could be a result of the lack of exposure to bacteria during the pandemic. Last November, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases surged in the US as children returned without masks to schools, where germs were spreading. These kids were more vulnerable as they had less built-up immunity.

Hong Kong’s vaccination rate is relatively high, and a significant proportion of the population has already been infected. With the high level of immunity, the value of masks is limited.

Last but not least, global face mask pollution has surged due to Covid-19. This plastic waste will threaten many generations of wildlife.

It is high time we scrap the mask mandate to restore normalcy in Hong Kong.

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Against: Wearing masks protects the most vulnerable

Grace Lam, 14, Diocesan Girls’ School

Photo: Grace Lam

As Hong Kong lifts social-distancing rules, the mask mandate remains unchanged. Although many people believe that this regulation should be lifted, it is of the utmost importance for the mask mandate to stay in place to safeguard our lives.

First and foremost, wearing masks protects ourselves and others. Catching Covid-19 might now be common, especially after the city’s fifth wave of the outbreak, but that doesn’t mean we can give in. According to most health experts, Covid-19 spreads more easily than the flu, and people can also spread the virus without experiencing any symptoms. Hence, masks remain crucial in reducing the spread of disease in the community.

Hong Kong does have high vaccination rates, specifically about 93 per cent of the population has received their second jab and 84 per cent has a booster shot. Given these numbers, many people might think that wearing masks should now be a personal choice and that it should no longer be compulsory.

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However, we should always consider the most vulnerable groups in society. Young children and the elderly tend to have weaker immune systems, and they risk developing dangerous symptoms, even death, when infected. Those who are immunocompromised similarly face dangerous consequences if people are not wearing masks.

Hong Kong’s Covid death rate is higher than anywhere else in the world. Of some 9,000 people who died during the city’s fifth wave of Covid-19, as many as 70 per cent were the unvaccinated elderly. If we think about the most vulnerable in our community, the mask mandate should not be scrapped.

Hong Kong’s healthcare system will continue to be overstretched and overcrowded with every wave of Covid-19. This also affects people who need basic medical services – if the wards are filled with people who have severe Covid-19 symptoms, it will make it tougher for anyone else to get the medical attention they need.

For the sake of our health, as well as the healthcare system, the mask mandate in Hong Kong should not be scrapped.

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