Beijing removes restrictions to wear mask in public

Beijing : The Beijing's health authorities have made wearing mask in public an optional choice for the people as no new case has been reported in the city for consecutive 13 days.

However, people were seen taking no chance of contamination and kept their masks on.

"I think I can take off my mask anytime, but I'll need to see if others accept it. Because I'm afraid that people would be scared if they see me not wearing mask," one 24-year old Beijing woman surnamed Cao told Reuters.

This is the second time when Beijing has relaxed their guidelines on wearing masks. In April, they have allowed people to give up masks in public but the decision was soon reversed in June after a new outbreak in a large wholesale market in the city's south.

China has reported no new locally transmitted cases on the mainland for five days after successfully controlling flare ups in the capital, Xinjiang and elsewhere.

Authorities reported 22 imported cases in the mainland on for Aug. 20, and have closed its borders to most non-Chinese citizens. The country has reported a total of 84,917 cases since the outbreak began.