Are Hong Kongers ready to go maskless – or comfortable visiting places now that masks are optional?

Going maskless in Hong Kong is now permitted in most settings, since the government lifted its COVID-19 mask mandate on 1 March 2023. But, after 945 days of compulsory mask-wearing, how ready are Hong Kong’s residents to dispense with face coverings? And how comfortable are they with visiting various places now that mask wearing has been made optional?

Do most in Hong Kong intend to continue or stop wearing masks at various places?

Latest data from YouGov Surveys reveal that most Hong Kong residents still plan to regularly don masks in most settings.

More than seven in ten intend to mask up at least some of the time, when visiting supermarkets/wet markets (74%), shopping centres (73%), as well as airports/train stations (71%). Over three-fifths would do so at cinemas (63%), indoor events/festivals (62%) and indoor workplaces (62%), and more than half when visiting educational institutions (55%), bars and restaurants (54%).

Notably, close to half (47%) plan to keep their masks on all the time at airports, train stations, supermarkets and wet markets, while 45% will do so when visiting shopping centres. Additionally, almost two in five (39%) say they will always wear masks when they go to cinemas.

Most Hong Kong residents are likely to go maskless only when visiting the homes of family and friends, where almost two-thirds say they never or rarely wear masks (65%).

Opinion is most divided when it comes to private transport: while 47% expect to mask up at least some of the time, while 44% say they are unlikely to.

Women are generally more likely than men to keep their masks on in most settings, but especially at supermarkets/wet markets (+11%), shopping centres (+11%) and airports/trains stations (+10%). In all three locations, most women would mask up, but less than half of men intend to.

How comfortable are Hong Kong’s residents visiting places now that masks are optional?

Most Hong Kong residents say they are comfortable going to most places with mask-wearing no longer enforced.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) are very or slightly comfortable visiting the homes of family and friends, while over three-fifths (61%) feel the same with taking private transport modes. Meanwhile, half or more are comfortable with visiting indoor workplaces (55%), indoor events/festivals (52%), shopping centres (52%), supermarkets/wet markets (50%), bars and restaurants (50%).

On the other hand, less than half of Hong Kong residents are comfortable visiting nightlife establishments (39%), places of worship (42%), airports or train stations (43%), educational institutions (44%) and cinemas (49%).

Across generations, Millennials are relatively most comfortable going to various locations with mask-wearing no longer required, especially shopping centres (56%) and supermarkets/wet markets (54%), bars and restaurants (54%) and cinemas (55%).

Meanwhile, less than half of Gen Z are comfortable with visiting shopping centres and supermarkets / wet markets (both 48%). Also, less than half of Gen Z, Gen X and Baby Boomers are comfortable with visiting bars and restaurants and cinemas.

While men are generally more likely than women to be comfortable with visiting most places, now that mask-wearing is optional, the difference is marginal – the sexes most differ in comfort levels visiting educational institutions (men: 47% vs women: 42%) and bars and restaurants (men: 52% vs women: 48%) where there is a 5-percentage point difference. Comfort levels of respondents from different regions in Hong Kong – Hong Kong Island versus Kowloon versus New Territories – are also largely comparable.

Make smarter business decisions with better intelligence. Understand exactly what your audience is thinking by leveraging our panel of 20 million+ members. Speak with us today.

• Receive monthly insights on the health and pharma industry here and retail industry here.
• Explore YouGov’s latest intelligence on the health and pharma sector and retail sector.
• Explore our living data – for free

Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online from 2–9 February 2023, with an online representative sample of 2,114 adults in Hong Kong (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age and gender to be representative of the adult online population in Hong Kong (18 years or older), and reflect the latest Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.