Face Off: Should Hong Kong require wearing masks during flu season?

Even though the Covid-19 pandemic is largely behind us, Hong Kong is dealing with a harsh influenza season; last October, the city recorded 21 deaths from 37 severe flu cases in just seven days. Therefore, the appropriate response is to protect ourselves and prevent each other from getting sick by wearing masks.

Many Hongkongers still have unused masks in their homes, and wearing them during flu season is important to prevent sickness and even death. We are used to wearing masks already – the Covid mask mandate was only dropped last year – so it isn’t a big deal to wear them again for a little while, at least in crowded areas like public transport.

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Although some studies claim that masks don’t do much to prevent flu transmission in the community, there are still many reasons to wear masks if we consider the matter from a psychological and economic angle.

Wearing masks can encourage people to adopt other behaviours that can keep them safe from illness. For example, Sage Journals found that we automatically tend to distance ourselves from others when we wear masks, which goes a long way to slow down transmission of the virus; you’re less likely to be exposed to someone’s germs when you are social distancing.

Companies that manufacture masks have suffered huge losses due to the sudden halt in purchases, which may lead them to cut down on production to save money. This could be an issue for the community in the future, as there could be a shortage if we need them on a massive scale again. We all remember how difficult it was to buy masks in the early days of the pandemic, and we certainly don’t want to revisit that time, should another disaster strike.

Not only can masks protect us from others’ potential illnesses, but they can keep us from transmitting our own; if a mask is covering your mouth and nose, you will probably touch them less.

Masks can help us slow down or stop flu transmission in the community, and wearing one is a small act that could help many people. It could also benefit Hong Kong’s medical facilities, as a flu outbreak could burden the city’s healthcare system, which is still recovering from the impact of coronavirus.

After three years of mandatory mask-wearing during the tiring and frantic Covid-19 pandemic, Hongkongers are relieved that they no longer have to wear masks in their daily lives. However, flu season has now arrived, and the issue of wearing masks has arisen again.

While masks appear to protect people from infection, we must carefully consider whether they are really necessary during flu season. Wearing masks often provides a false sense of security for people. Some may ignore other important measures, such as hand hygiene and social distancing.

80 per cent of Hong Kong students are still wearing masks

The most crucial factor to consider as to why we should not wear face masks during the flu season is the effect that masks have on one’s immunity against the influenza virus. The flu is a viral disease that appears yearly, and there are vaccines available each year to help prevent widespread sickness. Rather than focusing on mask-wearing, Hongkongers should prioritise getting their vaccines before peak flu season hits.

According to Professor Ivan Hung, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of Hong Kong, mask-wearing for students who have never been infected by upper respiratory diseases only delays an eventual outbreak. Meanwhile, their immune systems will not develop properly to defend themselves from these viruses.

Wearing a mask for a long time can have many other negative effects.

For some, it can cause significant discomfort, such as breathing difficulties, acne or skin irritation. It also increases communication difficulties and harms social interaction. Disposing of a large number of face masks can also hurt the environment by creating waste and pollution.

The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to Hong Kong’s economy, which is slowly recovering but still struggling. If the city were full of people with masks, it could impact concerned tourists and encourage others to refrain from visiting.

The widespread use of masks could also create the perception of ongoing health risks in Hong Kong, leading to decreased outdoor activity and consumer spending and further delaying the city’s economic recovery.