Face masks? No, thanks
Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 18:25 An MP rang me yesterday.
He left a message saying he needed 30 seconds of my time. I called him back. It turned out his call to me was a mistake.
He had intended to ring a fellow MP, Simon Clarke, but got the numbers mixed up and rang me instead.
We nevertheless chatted for several minutes and I took the opportunity to lobby for an easing of the current restrictions.
“I don’t understand,” I said, “why garden centres can’t be open, like supermarkets.
“There has to be light at the end of the tunnel," I added, "and a gradual easing of restrictions would give people hope.”
He agreed.
However, I said, the one issue that might turn me against the government was being forced to wear a face mask.
If people want to do it voluntarily, fine, but making it impossible to shop or go out without a mask would be a step too far.
Thankfully, according to today's Telegraph:
The public are expected to be told that wearing face masks when they leave their homes will not be compulsory when the Government publishes its official advice.
We all know, though, that decisions can be changed and even reversed overnight so who knows what will happen.
My guess is that, if more and more people start wearing face masks - in shops especially - so that it becomes the norm, the pressure to wear one will build to the point that most people will succumb to social pressure.
After all, imagine walking down a supermarket aisle and being the only person without a mask. It would take a strong or thick-skinned person to stick to their guns in those circumstances.
Anyway, my MP caller seemed to agree with me on that as well. He also suggested we meet for a drink when the pandemic is over.
A drink? In public? That'll be the day.
Reader Comments (2)
Wouldn't it be nice if he did want to hear the smoker's point of view. It would make a refreshing change.
I would consider wearing a mask if it was made of a transparent material.