Macau ditches outdoor masks as HK dithers

Macau residents and tourists can go mask-free in outdoor areas from today with masks only required when taking public transport and in medical institutions and care homes.

That leaves Hong Kong as one of the last jurisdictions with the mask mandate still intact after authorities extended the policy to March 8.

But local health experts and residents cannot wait to return to maskless interactions.

Macau's Covid coordination center said that the change is made with reference to antiepidemic adjustments worldwide, after outbreaks in the casino hub have been put under control for the past two months.

For private venues and transportation, organizers can decide - according to their own needs - whether to require masks.

Toddlers below three will be exempted from masks in all premises. And students will no longer be required to wear masks in class.

"Ditching masks will help with students' physical and psychological growth," Macau's Education and Youth Affairs Bureau said. "Especially for early childhood and language education."

From Wednesday, parents and toddlers attending admission interviews for the next school year - starting September - can also ditch masks.

However, the Covid coordination center warned that the mask mandate may return if Covid outbreaks reoccur and advised the public to keep a sufficient supply.

In Hong Kong, government Covid advisers Lau Yu-lung and Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, both from the University of Hong Kong, said the SAR can consider lifting the mask mandate next month.

Lau said authorities can cancel the outdoor mask mandate in the initial stage, followed by indoor venues and public transportation after two weeks and at hospitals and care homes after two months.

Hung shared similar views but advised people to keep their masks on in hospitals, clinics and care homes.

"For public transportation and public examination venues, citizens can choose whether to wear masks," Hung added.

HKU clinical virologist Siddharth Sridhar reiterated the recommendation. He said the SAR "had a winning formula and responsible masking was part of it."

But he added: "Omicron brutally exposed the weakness of masks. One of the reasons is that we can't wear masks all the time."

He said Hong Kong has already achieved a high level of hybrid immunity against Covid and as spring approaches, the warm weather will offer an additional guard against transmission.

People echoed the experts' comments, with many saying they can no longer tolerate facial coverings in the coming summer.

One person, who had recovered from Covid twice, does not see the point of extending the mask mandate when millions of Hongkongers have already been infected. "And that's just the number on record," he said. "It's pointless to wear masks while we take them off to eat and chat in restaurants and bars anyway."

jane.cheung@singtaonewscorp.com