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Hong Kong social distancing
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Coronavirus: top Hong Kong microbiologist urges government to make masks mandatory, step up social-distancing enforcement

  • ‘Mask wearing works. It can block the spread of the virus from people who may not show symptoms yet,’ HKU’s Dr Ho Pak-leung says
  • Chinese University professor echoes call for tougher measures unless daily infection tally dips back down to single digits

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Wearing face masks ‘works’ and should be mandatory, HKU’s Dr Ho Pak-leung told a radio programme on Monday. Photo: Winson Wong
Zoe Low

The government should make mask wearing mandatory and step up enforcement of social-distancing laws to prevent Covid-19 transmission, the University of Hong Kong’s top microbiologist has said.

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Dr Ho Pak-leung’s comments came a day after HKU infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung warned of a third wave of infections as mainland Chinese gradually return to Hong Kong, and senior government adviser Bernard Chan suggested the possibility of a strict lockdown.

Ho on Monday urged the Hong Kong government to set up emergency laws making mask wearing mandatory in all public places.

“Mask wearing works. It can block the spread of the virus from people who may not show symptoms yet,” he said on an RTHK radio programme. “There are already regulations in place for masks in restaurants other than when customers are eating. The rules should be extended to hospitals and other public places.”

Hong Kong has since late March banned public gatherings of more than four people, while cinemas, fitness centres, bars, pubs and other leisure venues have been ordered to close for two weeks. Restaurants also are required to keep tables 1.5 metres apart. As of Sunday, the city has 890 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Executive Council convenor Bernard Chan on Sunday said preventive measures could be extended to limit restaurants to takeaway service, or even see non-essential businesses closed entirely, leaving most residents little choice but to stay home for two weeks.

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HKU’s Dr Ho Pak-Leung told a radio programme he believes that inaction now will mean more significant pain for small businesses in the future. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
HKU’s Dr Ho Pak-Leung told a radio programme he believes that inaction now will mean more significant pain for small businesses in the future. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Ho echoed Chan’s call for stronger measures, suggesting existing measures should also be extended beyond the two-week period, while tough enforcement of social-distancing regulations were needed to stop people from flouting the rules.

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