My first memory of people wearing masks was in Hong Kong in 1984. At the time I was 9, and wasn't aware of the literary significance of the year or the faintest idea that 36 years later they'd become as an essential an items as underwear.

Hong Kong back then was busy, humid and although westerners had been there for years there were still a lot of mainland Chinese that had never seen western children, particularly not those with blonde hair. I stood out like a saw thumb in my coloured tracksuits and white Nike trainers.

I suppose I didn't realise understand why so many people were wearing masks, I just assumed they were ill and guessed they'd been to hospital as that's the only other place i'd seen masks being worn on TV or in movies. I'd seen people cough wearing them so I think I thought they were wearing them whilst they were recovering from being ill. This made me a bit nervous - I knew what hospital could mean and knew that if they were wearing a mask it meant they needed to. What I didn't realise is that it was their personal choice to wear them.

Sure, even back then it was part of culture to wear masks so there was bound to be some social pressure. It wasn't uncommon to see someone wearing one and now I appreciate the truth of why masks they were being worn. Not to protect themselves, but to protect them from spreading germs to us. It's only now I appreciate the empathy it takes to wear a mask.