A teacher helps a student wear face mask at the entrance of Beijing Primary School Guangwai branch in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021.Photo:Xinhua

 
Following China's downgrade of COVID-19 management in January, the State Council joint epidemic prevention and control mechanism on Wednesday rolled out a guideline for wearing masks in public, stipulating that apart from particular scenarios, masks are no longer mandatory in public venues, including schools, large-scale conferences, and public transport. 

While in outdoor places like open squares, parks, and on campuses, or in indoor workplaces with relatively fixed groups of people or large-scale conferences that require nucleic acid or antigen testing, people are no longer required to wear masks.

 Infants under the age of three, personnel who regularly carry out testing, and those engaged in sports activities are also exempted from wearing masks.

However, high-risk groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and those with underlying diseases, are still encouraged to wear masks. 

Additionally, people are encouraged to wear masks when using public transport, entering crowded indoor venues like cinemas and supermarkets, and attending large-scale events.

People who test positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms of infection, or live in areas with cluster infections, are still required to wear masks. Likewise, wearing masks is required when visiting hospitals or entering elderly institutions, social welfare institutions, or places where vulnerable people congregate, according to the guideline.