People should not make a unilateral decision and shut out such ‘non-maskers,’ while those who refuse to wear a mask should not be so close-minded and adamant about it. Both sides should meet halfway to avoid trouble in the pandemic.

Both sides should meet halfway to avoid trouble in the pandemic

So what does this university professor suggest is an appropriate "halfway" measure?

Only wear half a mask? Only cover your nose and not your mouth? Avoid "shutting out" the non-maskers (and avoid psycologigally tramatizing them) by having only half the people present on a plane, subway, or theatre need to wear a mask?

Perhaps before professing any such half-measures, he can first try explaining to the virus itself the negative affects of peer pressure. Maybe the virus will meet us halfway....

Mafumi Usui, a social psychology professor at Niigata Seiryo University

It's not a "social psychology" decision. It's a medical issue and decision.

Global dumbing is a far greater coming disaster than global warming.

Just wear a mask! The evidence/proof of its effectiveness is already in!

Nope, 50-50 at best. I say wearing one should be completely voluntary

Restaurants I go to recently require a mask upon entry, alcohol on your hands and a temperature test.

And then once you are in, you take your mask off or do you suck the food through it? Or does the restaurant put a plastic cylinder over you with a negative pressure so that you do not infect anyone?

We all know by now that we can be asymptomatic carriers, even superspreaders. We also know that masks prevent us from passing the virus to someone else, not the other way around. So don't be a Richard Head. Mask up in shops and when your waiter/ess comes to your table. Idiot-proof, really.

Mask lovers tend to attack us non-wearers more than the other way around, I honestly respect the decision of people wearing masks but when insults and saltiness starts that's when we have a problem (like if it was that hard to stay away from us), I have said it countless of times if you're at risk or fearful don't go out. That said even if you're like me and hate masks don't be a baby and comply in places where it is compulsory to wear one if you really have to be at such place. I personally avoid public transport, traveling and refuse to patronize venues where it is required.

Look, if you don't want to wear a mask in public, go to America.

if you want to avoid trouble in the pandemic wear a mask