Mask Wearing Eased in Some Areas! Make Sure You Know!

Source:OT-Team(S,J), China Daily, Paper.cn

After 3 years of fighting COVID-19, putting on masks before heading out has become automatic for many people. But the waning epidemic in recent months has given rise to discussions on throwing out face coverings in a step toward fully restoring normal life.

According to the latest information released by the China CDC, the number of new positive COVID-19 cases had dropped to less than 3,000 on last Thursday, around the same level seen in October before the emergence of a major outbreak that peaked in late December.

As a consensus on mask mandates has not yet been reached, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suggested individuals carry masks with them in case they need to put them on.

He said that the decision to wear masks can be left up to individuals when visiting places that do not require compulsory mask use, such as hotels, malls, subway stations and other public transportation areas.

"These new positive cases were largely detected through proactive testing, and the majority of them were not infected during the previous wave. There were also no new COVID-19-related deaths at hospitals for several consecutive weeks," he said. "It is safe to say that this wave of the domestic epidemic has basically ended."

Regarding this year's flu season, Wu said that the positive rate of the flu infection has stabilized in the past 3 weeks, and new cases will continue to decline as the weather gets warmer.

Zhong Nanshan, a prominent respiratory disease expert, said during an event on Friday that mask use is a significant tool in preventing the spread of the virus, but it can be optional at present. Wearing masks at all times will help ensure low exposure to the flu and other viruses for an extended period of time. But by doing so too often, natural immunity can be affected, he said.

"Starting this month, I suggest the gradual removal of masks in certain areas," he said.

Metro and bus authorities in major cities, such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Xiamen, Xi’an, Fuzhou, Nanjing, have recently announced that they will no longer mandate mask wearing for passengers, but will still encourage them to keep masks on. Those don’t wear masks are allowed to take bus and metro normally.

However, in other cities, such as Beijing, passengers are still required to wear masks on metro. A metro staff told reporters that, since Beijing has not adjusted the rules, when seeing passengers who do not wear masks, the staff will persuade them, and the staff can also provide masks to those who forget to bring theirs.
 
For taking trains, there is no clear instructions of removing the "mandatory masks wearing rules" so far, in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention, citizens are still required to wear masks in most cases.

And regarding taking flights, most airports responded that, mask wearing is no longer mandated in airports, but it is suggested. And airlines will determine whether passengers have to wear masks on the plane.

Authorities at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong province said that, unmasked travelers will be reminded. And free masks are also available at the airport.

China Southern Airlines told that, according to relevant notices, passengers on international flights are still required to wear masks, while there are no clear requirements for domestic flights, and passengers are advised to bring masks with them based on the on-site situation.