Need for masks may reduce by early next year, reckons virologist
By February most people in Thailand will have developed an immunity to Covid-19, a top virologist said, adding people will generally not need to wear face masks by then.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dr Prof Yong Poovorawan said by early next year, most healthy people will not need to wear masks, though it is advised that people with respiratory diseases continue doing so.
He added that it was people’s choice whether they wanted to wear masks in public or crowded places, though he said they should be worn correctly to ensure maximum protection.
“There is no real need to wear masks in outdoor places like beaches or public parks,” said Dr Yong, who is the head of Chulalongkorn University's Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology.
“Hopefully, after February most people will have developed immunity from either vaccines or infection. The virus will be on a decline and people will be able to adapt better. Then the need to wear medical masks will drop,” he said.
The virologist also voiced concern about the massive amount of garbage being created by face masks, especially since they are made of synthetic materials and will only add microplastics to the environment.
