Experts: Public mask wearing can be eased

Chinese health experts suggest relaxing mandatory mask wearing in public except for elderly care centers and other high-risk facilities as the global COVID-19 pandemic is nearing an end and domestic flu infections are declining.

After three years of fighting the novel coronavirus, 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.

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