Singapore's proposed extension of the wearing of masks beyond the circuit breaker period is unnecessary (Curbs won't all be lifted after June 1, says minister, May 9).

Getting hawkers and food handlers to permanently wear masks is neither effective nor practical.

First, the circuit breaker period has seen a vast increase in indoor Covid-19 transmission within overcrowded foreign worker dormitories, not outdoors or in public spaces.

Actual local coronavirus cases and those transmitted in public spaces have fallen to the low levels seen in early March.

Second, the permanent wearing of masks by hawkers and food handlers creates a false sense of security. Food poisoning rarely occurs due to oral or nasal respiration.

Restaurant and hawker food poisoning cases are typically caused by unclean hands, dirty kitchen equipment, and inadequately refrigerated and pre-contaminated food.

Masks do nothing to solve these problems but create a false sense of food safety. For real food safety, the National Environment Agency should compel food handlers to sanitise their hands and wear gloves.

Third, has any policymaker ever cooked food in a place without air-conditioning, or worked in a hawker centre? When I cook in an open-air kitchen in 34 deg C weather for just an hour, perspiration flows from my forehead and drips from my chin.

It would be worse for hawker centre cooks wearing masks all day long in such weather.

Masks cause excess perspiration, skin irritation and facial microbial accumulation even in cool temperate climates. These problems are made worse by standing over hot stoves and ovens in Singapore's humid weather.

Finally, forcing everyone to wear masks beyond the circuit breaker period will hurt tourism.

How can Singapore market itself as a desirable tourist destination if foreign vacationers are forced to wear masks in the hot weather?

Singapore Airlines may also find it difficult to sell long-haul flights if passengers paying thousands of dollars are forced to wear masks for 10 to 20 hours.

Thousands of jobs and livelihoods are at stake in our restaurant, tourism and hospitality sectors. The policy direction on mask wearing needs to be re-evaluated.

Eric J. Brooks