We Can See Face Masks and They are Scary
Following the Government’s announcement of face masks/coverings becoming mandatory on the 24th of July, I hope I am not the only person considerably irritated by this decision.
Why now?
Why, after MANY months of deliberation, changing of opinions and vague statements, has Boris finally decided to make it mandatory? After initially being AGAINST the compulsory wearing of face masks? Science backed this concept way before the Prime Minister did and yet he, much like his transatlantic counterpart, has only now decided to endorse it.
I’m not anti-mask at all - I wholeheartedly beg everyone to wear one. I will be wearing one myself. But I struggle to understand why we are only doing this NOW rather than many months ago, in the peak of the pandemic in the UK.
I sympathise with the poor shop workers who will be undoubtedly abused for enforcing this policy onto the uncooperative general public (I always feel intensely disappointed when politicians state ‘I trust in the common sense of the British Public to do what is right.’ There is not an ounce of Common Sense in the British Public. If you trust them to do anything they will almost certainly do the EXACT opposite thing to what you want to believe they will do. I wouldn’t trust Joe Bloggs to watch my sandwich let alone play his part in a global pandemic.)
The camaraderie and togetherness that manifested during the darkest stretches of the COVID-19 crises has sadly, been largely lost. People are eager to return to their lives and more and more are turning their backs of the social distancing and sanitation rules we all so strictly followed a mere two months ago.
Enforcing such an “extreme” (I say extreme in the spirit that some people feel that covering the bottom portion of their face is a colossal infringement of their human rights) new policy upon the British public in a time where unified sentiments are waning is a sure fire way to ensure people DON’T do what they’re being asked. Though I understand why we are being asked to do this and support the science behind it, I suppose I feel frustrated with the timings of mask enforcement. The longer we eke out the tail end of the national response to the pandemic, the longer it will take to reach a second peak and its eventual disappearance.
To sum it up; I feel it is a case of too much too late.
Thousands of tonnes of plastic and paper waste will be generated (and I urge EVERYONE to invest in a reusable mask - see my graphic) as people quickly don an single-use surgical mask simply to pop into the shops for a mere five minutes. There will probably be an increased police presence,wasting of police time and unnecessary discipline for people refusing to wear masks/pay the £100 fine - amidst the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement I strongly feel this policy will be another pathway for police to abuse their power further.
I do genuinely hope that this measure will help push Britain closer towards our Covid-19 free future. But on the other hand I feel it is spurred on by economic concern - the theory is, Joe Bloggs will feel far safer with his mask on and will go out and spell his hard-earned furlough in his local high street and contribute to saving the UK economy from crisis. However, I do also believe this will backfire, to an extent - people are less likely to go out to shops if forced to wear a mask. Those who feel uncomfortable in a mask will avoid wearing one at all cost and as a result, will not go out into spaces that require facial coverings and will not spend. People getting turned away at the door for being maskless are less likely to return - they will resent being forced to spend extra money on buying a mask that will allow them to spend MORE money; The entire system is bizarrely self defeating.
Being allowed to mill about the town center maskless feels like some kind of comforting normal to many. But once these spaces become full of masks, skittish people will decide to vacate these spaces until face masks are no longer mandatory. It is alien and uncomfortable.
And above all it’s something we can see.
We cannot see the virus itself lingering about on surfaces or in the air. When we all were forced into lockdown, we saw only the reality of our own four walls and whatever Boris said in his daily press conference. But the visual aspect of experiencing ‘normal’ life with the presence of face coverings will be jarring and a stark reminder that no matter how comfortable we feel, the world will now operate differently forever.
But I suppose it is one part of the new normal we must all learn to live in.
The world before March 2020 ended for good and now we must continue on in the aftermath as we inch slowly towards the landscape of post-corona Britain and wait out the arrival of the finished vaccine.
