雙語社評齊齊聽

[英語 (足本收聽)] Presented by Dr CHEN, Fangyu Sharon, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

[普通話 (足本收聽)] Presented by Dr CHOI, Wai-yuk, Lecturer of Hong Kong Community College, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The mask mandate has been dropped today (1 March), 959 days since it was imposed. This marks the end of all social distancing measures in Hong Kong and an official resumption of complete normality. After more than three years of hardship in fighting the pandemic, people can finally show their smiles as they please.

[ENG audio 1]

One may have mixed feelings looking back at the masked times of the pandemic — from the initial panic buying of face masks, when it was hard to find even one, to later when people wearing it every day became part of daily life. Now that the mask mandate is over, people more or less have to readapt. Over the past few years, because of the protection offered by masks, young children, the old and the weak have had less exposure to common respiratory viruses. When masks are off, their chances of contracting diseases may increase and the condition of their sicknesses may also be more serious, so people should remain on guard. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly raised the public's health awareness. Even though the post-pandemic era has arrived, some good hygiene habits should be upheld. The related publicity and education work should not be terminated abruptly.

[ENG audio 2]

As the global COVID-19 pandemic draws to an end, many places in East Asia have successively announced the withdrawal of mask-wearing requirements recently. By contrast, the SAR government still published a gazette last week to extend the mask mandate until the middle of this month. It was only after Macao recently decided to scrap the mask mandate starting this Monday that the Hong Kong government made haste to announce the axing of all mandatory indoor and outdoor mask-wearing requirements starting today (1 March). Except for certain high-risk venues (such as hospitals and residential care homes), where staff and visitors still need to follow the "administrative requirement" of mask-wearing, whether to mask up or not in other venues is purely a personal choice.

[ENG audio 3]

The complete cancellation of the mask mandate symbolises the official end of all social distancing measures in Hong Kong. Today is a watershed moment for Hong Kong as it officially enters the post-pandemic era. Of course, as the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) declared by the World Health Organisation has not ended, the SAR government still has to monitor the spread of the coronavirus. There is also some follow-up work that needs to be done. The government should decide as soon as possible how much longer must primary school students continue to do rapid antigen tests, how to handle community isolation facilities and mobile cabin hospitals, and whether sewage testing is still worth spending money on.

[ENG audio 4]

Since the coronavirus is not going away, the authorities should plan early on how they will arrange COVID and flu vaccinations before winter for people in need. During the pandemic, people have saved many anti-epidemic items such as face masks and rapid antigen test kits. To reduce waste, the authorities may consider working with non-governmental organisations to set up recycling channels.

[ENG audio 5]

For some people, aside from lowering the chance of contracting the virus, face masks offer a sense of security. Even though the city has come out of the shadow of the pandemic, many families will still likely regard face masks as an "essential household item". Equally, it is expected that some citizens will respond to the call of experts and wear masks while taking public transport.

[ENG audio 6]

One cannot rule out the possibility of occasional disputes among citizens regarding issues like "not wearing a mask and paying no attention to hygiene". There may also be cases of someone being given strange looks for insisting on wearing a mask on certain occasions. Citizens should treat the question of others wearing or not wearing a mask neutrally and sensibly.

[ENG audio 7]

While the mask mandate lifting marks the city's full return to normality, it is also a suitable time to launch an independent review of the government's anti-epidemic response. The government should not find excuses and evade the issue.

[ENG audio 8]

口罩令撤銷重現歡顏 良好衛生習慣莫淡忘

實施959天的口罩令今天撤銷，標誌本港所有社交距離措施結束，真正全面復常，市民捱過3年多的艱苦抗疫歲月，終於可以隨心所欲「面露歡顏」。

[PTH audio 1]

回首疫下口罩歲月，令人百感交集，由初期「一罩難求」恐慌搶購，到後來人人天天佩戴，成為生活日常，現在口罩令告一段落，市民或多或少都要重新適應；這幾年幼兒與老弱因有口罩保護，很少接觸常見的呼吸道病毒，除下口罩後，染病機會增加，病情亦可能比較嚴重，需要提高警覺。新冠疫情令公眾衛生意識顯著提高，即使後疫情時代來臨，一些好的衛生習慣，應該堅持下去，相關的宣傳教育工作，不應倏然而終。

[PTH audio 2]

全球新冠疫情步入尾聲，東亞各地近期紛紛宣布撤去佩戴口罩要求，反觀特區政府上周仍刊憲延長口罩令至本月中，直至澳門近日拍板，本周一起撤去口罩令，港府才急急宣布今天起全面撤去戶外戶內佩戴口罩法定要求，除了個別高風險場所（例如醫院及院舍）可按「行政指令」要求職員及訪客佩戴，其他場合戴不戴口罩，純屬個人選擇。

[PTH audio 3]

全面撤銷口罩令，代表本港所有社交距離措施正式結束，今天是香港正式步入後疫情時代的分水嶺。當然，世衛就新冠疫情所頒布的「國際關注公共衛生緊急事件」（PHEIC）尚未落幕，特區政府仍需監察新冠病毒傳播情况，亦有一些善後工作需要跟進，小學快測還要延續到何時、社區隔離設施及方艙醫院何去何從、污水檢測是否值得繼續花錢去做，政府應該早日決定。

[PTH audio 4]

新冠病毒不會消失，當局需要提早籌謀，未來如何安排有需要人士入冬前兼打新冠針及流感針；疫情期間，市民積存了不少口罩、快測包等防疫物資，當局可考慮與民間團體合作，設立回收渠道，減少浪費。

[PTH audio 5]

對部分人而言，口罩除了減少感染病毒的機會，更可帶來一份安全感，即使現在疫情陰霾消散，相信很多家庭仍會視口罩為「看家必備」物品，預料部分市民也會響應專家的呼籲，乘搭公共交通工具期間戴口罩。

[PTH audio 6]

不排除市民偶會因為「不戴口罩又不注重衛生」一類問題起爭執，亦可能有人在某些場合堅持戴口罩，惹來旁人投來異樣眼光。市民應該本着平常心和講道理的態度，看待他人戴不戴口罩。

[PTH audio 7]

口罩令撤銷，標誌香港全面復常，亦是展開抗疫獨立檢討的合適時機，政府不應推搪迴避。

[PTH audio 8]

明報社評 2023.03.01