Masks. Today, our heroes, Batman and the Lone Ranger are wearing the wrong kind, while our villains, bandits and rouges, are wearing the right kind, then there are the numbskulls not wearing masks at all. Make sure you get it right for your health and for others, but also because mask vigilantes are waiting around every corner to berate you, film you and dox you. Not the 2020 you imagined?
If you had asked me in 1980 what I thought the most divisive political issues in 2020 would be, I might have said, “Android Rights and the lack of fueling stations for flying cars.” I certainly would not have said, “Wearing a mask and whether or not cops have the right to kill unarmed black folks for misdemeanors.”
I have encountered people on the Tokyo Metro without masks, clearly tipsy and having spirited conversations less than a meter away and my immediate reaction was fear. After all I’ve done to avoid corona, I have to worry about catching it from some thoughtless drunk in the subway.
According to the experts I have read, these are the mask rules. Ordinary citizens who are not in health care or other front line services should wear a mask when on public transport, including taxis, entering a shop, office, restaurant or public building, or whenever they are likely to have a face-to-face interaction with a stranger or a friend they don’t live with.
Have you seen my new autumn collection?
Let’s be clear. Initially, I hated wearing protective face masks. My face sweats. My glasses fog. Anxiety rears its ugly head, perhaps because of my mild claustrophobia, but whatever the reason, masks were not my thing. You’d never even see me wearing a mask on Halloween.
However, I understand that these are exceptional times and wearing a mask is important in certain situations. Nobody wants to get or spread COVID-19. Thus, I am wearing a mask when the situation warrants it. And, actually, I have gotten used to it. In fact, I am a keen observer of “mask fashion.” Sneakers? Tired. Masks: Wired.
Find a mask that matches your outfit, your face, your hair, or all three. Get a mask with your favorite sports team or rock band’s logo (The Rolling Stones have a complete line up). Wear a mask that has a political statement. Rainbow? BLM? There’s a lot to choose from.
You can run, and you can hide
However, after watching people around Tokyo, I have started to wonder if for some folks wearing a mask is merely a way of being polite. That’s because, aside from folks just flouting the rules, I’ve been seeing all kinds of strange sights. People driving alone in cars with masks on. Two ladies, who were clearly casual friends, lowering their masks to have a chat in from of Lawsons, then parting and pulling their masks back up. People jogging or cycling all alone with masks on.
Why should I care about how other people wear their masks? Well, the biggest issue is that I don’t want to get COVID-19. So anytime someone on the Metro is using a mask as a chin strap, that’s a threat to my life. Also, as a resident of Japan, there’s a chance of being publicly shamed if you are not doing what everyone else is doing. Whether or not someone scolds you, the tension is there.
As a gaijin, I have gotten used to being stared at, but aside from blowing my nose, I try my best not to stand out in a bad way. I follow all the manner rules. I especially don’t want to be seen as someone whose behavior might endanger the health of others.
Listen carefully to the experts
According to experts in the field, there is very little chance of catching the virus outdoors, unless you stop and talk to someone, or heaven forbid someone sneezes or coughs right in your face. There is almost zero chance of catching or spreading it while cycling or running unless you are running in a tight pack, despite what NHK has suggested. Yet, you see people walking around in parks and on deserted streets wearing masks. Maybe they just don’t feel like taking their masks on and off. I can understand that.
On the other hand, I see people on public transport and other situations lowering their masks to talk. Coughing or sneezing into their masks but not covering their mouth. These are always people who appear like they should know better. Middle aged or older. Well dressed and likely well educated. What are they thinking? Better yet, are they thinking at all?
My advice. Wear a mask. Think about why you are wearing it. Try to keep your distance from anyone not wearing a mask. When you are wearing a mask, you STILL have to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Like it or not, masks are here to stay. Now get your mask fashion up to speed, and avoid the ultimate fashion faux pas. Your life depends on it.
