【明報專訊】Hong Kong's return to normal is slow: even the long overdue cancellation of mask rules has yet to happen. While neighbouring regions had gradually loosened masking restrictions recently, the SAR government has not made a specific announcement as of yesterday (27 February).
It has been some time since Hong Kong lifted most anti-pandemic measures. Mask rules are the only remaining social distancing measures. It has been over three years into the COVID pandemic, and many people's daily habits have changed. Putting masks on is one of them. Unlike people in the West, East Asians are relatively less resistant to wearing a face mask for pandemic prevention. But for many, going out without one is still more convenient. As the impact of the pandemic wears off, various parts of East Asia have announced the relaxation — or the complete revocation — of their mask requirements in recent months, allowing the public to show their faces. In contrast, Hong Kong still has wide-ranging indoor and outdoor mask restrictions. An expert has described Hong Kong as perhaps the only region in the world where mask rules are still in place.
When the dynamic zero-COVID policy was in place on the mainland, as part of China, Hong Kong was responsible to take part in "joint prevention and control". Compared with many places in the region, Hong Kong was slow to dismantle entry quarantine and other pandemic prevention policies. Now that the mainland has fully reopened its borders and returned to normal, the conditions are absolutely ripe for Hong Kong to completely remove its mask order given its hybrid immunity level. However, as of last week, the authorities had only reiterated their previous statements, saying they hoped that the mask rules could be lifted after the winter flu peak. When Macao beat Hong Kong to the punch and greatly relaxed its mask requirement, there was a chorus of discussions in society questioning why Hong Kong "lags behind Macao". Rumours only spread yesterday that the Hong Kong government plans to withdraw the mask mandate within days.
In the past three years, the COVID situation see-sawed. To keep it from heating up again, the adjustments of anti-epidemic measures were understandably cautious. But the global COVID epidemic is near its end. In the same old mindset, the authorities have remained "on their toes" and wobbled. This shows that the government is indecisive and unable to adapt its policies to changes.
Actively promoting to the world Hong Kong's full return to normal, SAR officials are chanting "Hello Hong Kong" these days. The tardy revocation of mask rules inevitably affects some foreigners in judging whether Hong Kong has fully returned to normal. But on the issue of cancelling the mask order as soon as possible, the authorities have given no concrete indication and appeared to be in no rush to make progress. Even if they announce it today (28 February), it will hardly rid the impression that the policy change "has been forged ahead by Macao's beating Hong Kong to it".
After more than three years into the pandemic, most citizens should be able to judge for themselves when and where it is appropriate to mask up. However, the authorities may also provide some "gentle reminders" for citizens. The withdrawal of mask rules will mark Hong Kong's official entry into the post-pandemic era. However, there are still a few things that need mopping up. The authorities should cancel as soon as possible restrictive measures such as rapid antigen tests for primary school students before school, under the principle that anything that can be done without should be done without. Only then can society truly and fully return to normal.
明報社評2023.02.28：撤口罩令姍姍來遲 政府反應慢損形象
香港復常步伐遲緩，就連撤銷口罩令亦姍姍來遲，周邊鄰近地區最近已陸續放寬佩戴口罩限制，反觀特區政府截至昨天仍未有具體公布。
本港解除大部分防疫措施一段時間，口罩令是僅餘的社交措施。新冠疫情3年有餘，改變了很多人的日常習慣，戴口罩是其中之一。有別於西方，東亞民情對戴口罩防疫的抗拒程度，相對較低，然而對不少人而言，能夠不戴口罩外出，始終方便一些。隨着疫情影響淡出，東亞各地近月紛紛宣布放寬以至全面撤去口罩要求，容許公眾「拋頭露面」。相比之下，本港迄今仍有涵蓋面甚闊的室內室外口罩令限制，有專家形容，香港可能是全球僅餘維持口罩令的地區。
內地動態清零時期，香港作為國家一部分，有「聯防聯控」的責任，解封入境檢疫隔離等防疫政策，比區內很多地方來得慢。現在內地已全面重開復常，以香港的混合免疫水平，絕對有條件全面撤銷口罩令，然而直到上周，當局只是一再重申之前的說法，即希望冬季流感高峰期後可解除口罩令，未見更多補充，及至澳門「搶閘」大幅放寬，香港各界議論紛紛，質疑為何「慢過澳門」，昨天才傳出港府準備日內撤銷口罩令。
過去3年，新冠疫情反反覆覆，防疫措施調整，以往每每需要提防疫情反彈，步步為營，可以理解，但全球新冠疫情現已來到尾聲。當局繼續沿用之前「步步為營」的思維，左顧右盼太多，只顯得政府不夠決斷力，亦未有因時制宜。
特區官員最近積極向外宣傳香港全面復常，高呼「香港，你好」，遲遲未撤口罩令，無可避免影響部分外國人對香港是否已經全面復常的看法，但當局對於盡快取消口罩令一事，之前既無具體表示，亦未予人着急推進的觀感，就算今天作出宣布，也不易洗刷「被澳門搶先一步才逼出來」的印象。
經歷了3年多的疫情，相信大多數市民都有能力自行判斷，什麼情况什麼場合下戴口罩較為合適，不過當局也可提供一些「溫馨提示」，讓市民參考。撤銷口罩令，將標誌香港正式步入後疫情時期，然而仍然有一些工作需要善後，諸如小學生上課前快測等措施，當局應本着可撤盡撤的原則，早日取消限制，讓社會真正全面復常。
■ Glossary 生字 /
wear off : to gradually disappear or stop
dismantle : to end an organisation or system gradually in an organised way
ripe : ready or suitable for sth to happen