Wearing masks is no longer mandatory on the subway in this city, but experts remind you: three types of people cannot take them off yet!

On March 29, according to a report by Southern Metropolis Daily’s “N Video”, it was found that for some passengers who entered the Guangzhou Metro without wearing masks, staff would remind them to wear masks. However, some passengers still did not wear masks when riding the subway. Many citizens believe that the subway is crowded and confined, and they still need to consciously wear masks and take good personal protection.

Subway staff said: We encourage everyone to wear masks on the subway, but it is not a mandatory requirement. [1]

Weibo screenshot

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced on February 28 that the "mask order" for all places in Hong Kong will be lifted from March 1, and masks will no longer be required indoors, outdoors, or on public transportation. Prior to this, the Macau SAR government announced the cancellation of the outdoor mask order on February 27.

Photo by Cao Zihao, Health Times

Many experts said:

Mask-wearing requirements can be adjusted

Zhang Wenhong: Wearing a mask can be a non-mandatory measure

Zhang Wenhong, director of the infectious department of Huashan Hospital affiliated to the National Center for Infectious Diseases and Fudan University, was invited to attend the 2023 Asian Youth Leaders Forum in Guangzhou on March 25. He said: "Humanity has fully established an immune barrier against the new coronavirus epidemic. We should not be far from the time point of getting out of the public health emergency."

Zhang Wenhong believes that at this stage of the epidemic, wearing masks can become a non-mandatory measure. “The World Health Organization has also sent a signal to end the new crown as a public health emergency.” [2]

Lin Bingliang: Mask wearing requirements can be adjusted and optimized

"The 'mask order' is a requirement for the novel coronavirus during the 'Class B and Class A control' period. After the peak period of novel coronavirus infection in December 2022, the immune barrier of the Chinese population has become relatively strong, and the possibility of secondary infection within half a year is low. From this perspective, the mask wearing requirements can indeed be adjusted and optimized." Lin Bingliang, deputy director and chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, said in an interview with Health Times on February 28. [3]

Wang Weibing: Most areas have met the conditions for removing masks

Professor Wang Weibing, director of the Epidemiology Teaching and Research Section at the School of Public Health at Fudan University, also said in an interview with Health Times, "The new coronavirus has now returned to Category B control. my country's new coronavirus epidemic is at a low-level epidemic stage. Now most areas have indeed met the conditions for 'removing masks'." [3]

WHO predicts:

The COVID-19 pandemic will end the public health emergency this year

After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization predicted this month that the COVID-19 pandemic will end the public health emergency (PHEIC) status this year.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on March 17: "The world is certainly in a much better position now than at any time during the pandemic. I am confident that this year we will be able to end the new crown as a public health emergency of international concern."

However, Tedros stressed that we are not there yet. According to WHO data, more than 5,000 deaths from COVID-19 were still reported worldwide in the week ending March 6. [2]

Not mandatory.

But it is recommended that these three groups of people continue to wear masks

Lin Bingliang, deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, and Wang Weibing, director of the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health of Fudan University, both emphasized that since we are currently in the high incidence period of infectious respiratory diseases in spring, such as influenza A, wearing masks is still a very effective self-protection measure. It is recommended that the following three groups of people still wear masks:

1. Elderly people who are not infected with COVID-19

2. Young children

3. People with weakened immune system

"Although the immune barrier against the new coronavirus has been basically established, there are certain differences in each person's immunity. In the short term, we still need to remain vigilant to prevent infection from similar infectious respiratory diseases," said Professor Lin Bingliang.

Wang Weibing suggested that the mainland could refer to Hong Kong's operations, that is, relax the regulations on wearing masks, but still require continued wearing of masks in nursing homes, hospitals and other institutions, especially in some areas with poor medical accessibility. It is recommended to conduct specific assessments based on local conditions, maintain flexibility, and dynamically adjust the "mask order" in a timely manner according to the development of the epidemic prevention and control situation.

Lin Bingliang also pointed out that individuals can choose whether to wear a mask based on their own health conditions and the prevalence of infectious respiratory diseases in their area, especially in confined spaces. From the perspective of personal hygiene, wearing a mask during the season change is for the sake of yourself and others, and you should be the first person responsible for your own health [3].

This article is compiled from:

[1] 2023-03-29N video Weibo: "Guangzhou Metro does not require wearing masks"

[2] 2023-03-28 China Business Network, “Zhang Wenhong says wearing masks can be a non-mandatory measure”

[3] 2023-03-01 Health Times, “Macao and Hong Kong have successively cancelled the “mask order”. Experts: Adjustments and optimizations can be made at present” (Health Times Liu Yingqi)

Source: Health Times