Taking personal protective measures is still necessary for citizens under the third-level coronavirus emergency response, suggests a health expert at the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Guangdong Provincial Health Commission on Friday announced that it would lower its public health emergency response to COVID-19 from the second level to the third level starting Saturday.

China has a four-tier public health emergency response system, with the first level being the highest. Other Chinese provinces have also recently further downgraded its emergency response as the epidemic remains subdued nationwide.

“Although the emergency response is lowered, citizens still need to take personal protective measures so as to minimize the risk of infection,” Zhu Zili, deputy head of Shenzhen CDC’s disinfection and vector prevention and control division, told reporters Friday.

Zhu continues to drive home the message that frequent and proper hand-washing is crucial to prevent illnesses, such as COVID-19.

“We must wash our hands before a meal, after using the toilet, touching elevator buttons, handrails or animals, and after close contact with others,” said Zhu.

Citizens are also advised to continue to wear a mask under certain circumstances, for instance, in crowded places or an enclosed environment. There is no need to wear a mask when one stays at least one meter from others in an outdoor space, at a well-ventilated private office, driving alone or taking a walk.

“It is not recommended that children wear masks during strenuous exercise, which may cause hypoxia,” Zhu noted. PE lessons should be carried out in outdoor spaces and masks are not necessary if students follow social distancing during the lessons. Meanwhile, sports equipment used by more than one student should be disinfected.

As to whether the novel coronavirus will go away in the summer, Zhu said that currently available evidence has shown the virus can be transmitted in all areas, including those with hot and humid weather.

“The novel coronavirus is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets and direct contact. We need more data to understand whether its transmission is affected by temperatures. In the absence of effective drugs and vaccines, the most important thing is to take personal protective measures,” Zhu said.