Face masks in Hong Kong seem to be in vogue, and you will find many people wearing them in the city. However, the reason so many people wear face masks in Hong Kong is due to the lessons learned during the SARS and bird flu outbreaks in the city.
In a city as densely populated as Hong Kong, infectious diseases tend to spread rapidly, as was the case with both SARS and bird flu. As a result, Hong Kong residents are, quite understandably, obsessed with germs. So when Hong Kong residents catch a cold or the flu, they tend to put on the face mask, both to stop the spread of the disease and in case they have something more serious than a simple cold.
Other measures you’ll find on-site include regular cleaning of elevator buttons and escalator handrails, and finding disinfectant dispensers in building lobbies and major shopping malls in Hong Kong.
These measures, especially face masks, can sometimes be a bit alarming for travelers, but they only make Hong Kong safer against disease. If you find yourself suffering from colds, feel like the locals and put on a mask, which can be picked up at pharmacies like Watsons, local hospitals, and some shopping mall reception counters.
Reasons for concern: infectious diseases and air quality
Since the 2002 SARS outbreak and the 2006 bird flu panic, Hong Kong residents have been on high alert for infectious diseases, leading to increased numbers of people wearing face masks and taking other preventative measures to prevent the spread of disease in this densely populated city.
However, the tradition of donning these masks has an even earlier origin in Asian countries, beginning with the influenza outbreak in 1918 that killed 50 to 100 million worldwide after infecting more than 500 million people. As a result, people began to cover their faces with scarves, veils and masks to try to stop the spread of the disease.
An alternative theory as to why these masks rose in popularity was that the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 caused ash and smoke to fill the air in Japan for weeks, causing Japanese citizens to wear these masks to help them breathe. Later, when the Industrial Revolution brought on air pollution, especially in East Asian countries like China, India, and Japan, people started wearing masks on a daily basis to help them breathe through increasingly toxic air pollution.
Mask culture
Since the Industrial Revolution, face masks have become the norm in many Asian countries, especially in city centers where air pollution makes breathing difficult and residents constantly fear the spread of infectious diseases.
Fortunately, most Hong Kong residents don’t just wear the typical blue surgical mask found in most hospitals. Instead, cutting-edge Hong Kongers opt to don custom-designed or decorated masks, some of which feature special air filters that remove harmful toxins by breathing through them.
Everyone from mass production manufacturers to haute couture designers are now entering the market for these modern and useful masks, so if you plan to travel to Hong Kong (or most East Asian countries), consider visiting. a specialty store and buying a cute mask that matches your outfit.
