More than 18 months into the coronavirus pandemic, whether or not to wear a face mask is still a highly charged source of debate, confusion and anger around the world. Why do you think this is?

Some people just don't believe the pandemic is true. I've spoken to a lot of people from intellectuals to down to earth folks who shared the same views. If the pandemic ain't true, then by wear a mask in the first place? That's their view anyway. In my opinion, people are just heavily politicizing everything.

In the 70s and 80s we first saw Japanese in the West wearing masks. At that time, only paramedics and the like had them here. We laughed at the Japanese then. However, we didn't see it as a problem. That was until last year when a number of "alternative sources of information" sprung up and people just had to be against something. Most of these "alternative sources" have a few phrases and repeat those over and over. Like "symbol of oppression", very popular "breathe the virus out and breathe CO2 in" and most popular "but the scientists say that XYZ". Something that wasn't a problem until last year is suddenly an insurmountable problem.

Politics.

the politicization of the issue.

That's half of it. Trump took it as a personal affront when people wore masks, and his moron followers took that over science when deciding whether or not to wear masks.

The other half of it is that Americans are such binary zero-sum thinkers as to think having to wear a mask to protect those around you is "punishment".

I've worn a mask every store I've been in the past year and some. I still do after having both jabs. I haven't been punished, nor am I being punished by anyone.

Only an American mindset could ever look at it that way.

Im sick of it but then again i was wearing a mask on the train before it was cool. My commute is long and id sooner avoid infection on that rolling petri dish called the yamanote line.

Anyways not a fan.

and there is your answer........this exact attitude towards others.

and his moron followers

During the SARS pandemic in the mid-2000’s the WHO released a report stating, “for a mask to be effective against a virus it must be a 12x surgical mask and changed every 20 minutes.”

Because wearing one is a pain. Because the guidance on when and when not to wear is often illogical. Because research as to whether they really work is mixed at best. Because this whole thing has been going on for so long with no real confidence that things are getting back to normal. Because some people havenstrong views about their personal freedom and choice. Because of hypocrisy from our ruling classes

the politicization of the issue.

being forced to wear it or its not needed based upon the political narrative of the moment.

It's about being told what and when to do things, civil liberty is a precious thing to loose.

Nobody should need to be told to wear a facemask in a pandemic. It's common sense.

There is a reason why doctors wear them in clinical environments and why Japanese people wear them in the flu season.

The failure of people to do this of their own volition, notably in the UK, where the government have persistently fought shy of it, suggests widespread ignorance. Thankfully, a lot of people in the UK are still wearing them in shops now, even though it is not a legal requirement. But most still remove them as soon as they leave the shops, and most British streets are littered with discarded masks.

It is a failure of both the education system and of parenting, that people don't understand the basics of how to protect themselves in a pandemic. If they understand it but still do not do it, I would consider them to be irresponsible, arrogant and to have low personal standards of civic conduct.

Mark

It's about being told what and when to do things, civil liberty is a precious thing to loose.

*lose

And no: here in Japan there's nobody mandating masks, they're just worn because people are putting the community first, over their own (lol) "civil liberty".

And honestly? If wearing a mask is an affront to civil liberty, you have some deeper seated issues to deal with.

I like Neil Olivers's take on masks - good common sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9CyM4HKjBY

Ignorance.

Because the science of masks shows even the best, properly worn are ineffective.

I look at a face mask as a symbol of oppression. It is the modern day Burka.

Yes, oppression by flip-flopping fools who just want to control people and have no concern for people's health. Masks offer very limited benefit. They should be worn by those who have Covid19 or those who are treating them, but it makes little sense to have everyone in the general population wear one. I find it sad whenever I see someone wearing one while jogging, riding a bicycle, or driving a car alone.

We were told the virus is just as easily transmitted through the eyes as the nose and mouth, how come no ones wearing goggles?

My understanding is that masks also block (a little) the spread to others, while goggles only protect the wearer.

Raw BeerJuly 19  05:44 pm JST

Yes, oppression by flip-flopping fools who just want to control people and have no concern for people's health. Masks offer very limited benefit. They should be worn by those who have Covid19 or those who are treating them, but it makes little sense to have everyone in the general population wear one. I find it sad whenever I see someone wearing one while jogging, riding a bicycle, or driving a car alone.

How about those that have not been tested, but have COVID and are asymptomatic (meaning they don't know they have it).

Should they wear a mask?

Mask wearing for all but the highly vulnerable is simply a way to signal compliance. They have no real effect outdoors and very little indoors, and most people don't use them properly anyhow. And caution labels on their boxes state that they offer very limited if any protection against viruses, especially those as small as SARS-CoV-2.

As much as I hate wearing a mask and do it only when absolutely necessary to go into a shop, etc., it's the kids who'll be the biggest losers from mask-wearing. With the number of kids worldwide who are even showing symptoms of COVID-19 barely perceptible, they're being saddled with the damn things and/or having to interact with adults whose faces they can't properly see. This is having terrible effects on mental health and learning, with little children not being able to read facial expressions properly or see mouth movements that are essential for learning how to speak properly. We don't even know what the long-term effects on their development are yet, but robbing them of crucial communication in their formative years is unlikely to bring about positive effects in the long run.

I see everyone wearing the masks outdoors under the hot sun, jogging with them on, out a night on the streets where there is no one, driving in the car. What is wrong with people ? can't they see what is really happening to society ? Everyone in Japan is scared to take them off in case someone complains. There is no proof that masks do anything except make you breath back your own germs and can cause bacterial pneumonia. Who originally told everyone to wear masks ? Dr fraud Fauci. Who said wear 2 masks, no need to wear masks after a jab, then you have to wear masks after a jab. And social distancing ? - don't get me started.

The official recovery rate from a Covid infection is more than 98 percent.

I see two main reasons. First, those cheap masks of course can’t avoid the spreading of the viruses so very good. Breathing in, you still can get quite a load of the viruses, breathing out, you still distribute many of them and although it is less than without a mask and shows good manner or abiding, you keep then the more in your own body which surely leads to much higher own risk of getting sick if the virus load in your own nose, throat and lungs exceeds the number for break out of the Covid disease quicker . And second, well, try it for yourself, walking some hundred meters in 35 or more degrees summer heat with mask on. You won’t love the experience, believe me. Summed up, it may be better for others, but not for yourself, what means if everyone is wearing it, the results are almost the same as when no one is wearing it.

People are sick of it and waking up. We were told the virus is just as easily transmitted through the eyes as the nose and mouth, how come no ones wearing goggles? That info from the WHO just sort of disappeared after everyone started wearing masks.

Only those with underlying conditions, the elderly, and medical workers need wear a mask.

I wear a mask because it is fashionable.

I look at a face mask as a symbol of oppression. It is the modern day Burka.