Which of our favourite holiday destinations will persist with face masks post-pandemic?
No one loves wearing a mask, and plenty of us hate them, so how much longer might we expect to be lumbered with them? Professor Chris Whitty has suggested we'll still be wearing them next winter, even with the majority of the population vaccinated. Other scientists have made the case for encouraging their use during every flu season.
Indeed, face coverings are commonplace in parts of Asia, having persisted even after epidemics like SARS, and not just for hygiene reasons. For some, in Japan, they are fashion statements or even social firewalls; akin to the wearing headphones on the Tube, or sunglasses inside – the ultimate ‘don’t start a conversation with me’ ploy.
But some cultures lend themselves better to the customary shielding of people's faces. We asked our experts stationed across Europe and beyond to report on the general public mood surrounding masks in various countries, and how likely they might be to keep their place in society even post-pandemic. In France, no way, we're told – but in New York, just maybe...
Ireland
Nicola Brady
In Ireland, a lot of people started wearing masks even before it was required to do so. And while there is a minimal anti-mask movement, it's incredibly rare to see a person without one on. Those who do go mask-less are very much looked upon with a sense of barely concealed disdain. As a nation, we’re quite Nordic in our sense of order. You only have to see the militant precision with which people line up at a bus stop to see how rigidly we follow the rules. But all that said, as soon as the restrictions are lifted, I’m sure those masks will be flung into a corner and forgotten about. We’re doing it because we have to, not because we want to.
France
Anthony Peregrine
Despite its seam of anarchy, France has been remarkably disciplined, mask-wise, and generally intolerant of non-mask wearers in public places. Certainly I’ve not seen anyone not wearing a mask when I’ve been out and about in recent times. That said, if and when the pandemic lifts, I think two things will happen. Firstly, people will ditch the masks as fast as they can, on the grounds that they’re a bore to wear and a hindrance to normal conversation. But, secondly, I’ve a feeling that France will not go back to all the social kissing and hand-shaking which heretofore characterised meetings and greetings. As a French friend said: “It’s such a relief not to have to kiss and shake hands with everyone when you arrive for work, or at a social event. Just saying, ‘Hi everybody’, as the British do, saves such a lot of time, energy – and germ-spreading”. This would be a huge change in French social intercourse but, as far as I can see, it’s quite on the cards.
Italy
Lee Marshall
There has been widespread take-up of masks in Italy. In shops, bars, restaurants, banks and public offices, non mask wearers are simply not admitted. But even outdoors, while walking the dog or just going for a stroll, 95 per cent of Italians in my experience keep them on. And there has been resentment of non mask wearing tourists. I watched a table of them, from northern Europe, being given icy looks by mask-wearing locals in a bar in the Umbrian town I live in back in August. In Positano on the Amalfi Coast I watched at least three groups of tourists, who were simply walking along the street, being stopped by a traffic warden and told to put masks on.
The pandemic has confirmed what many of us already knew – that Italians are strangely law-abiding, more so than many from further north or across the Atlantic. As soon as the law on mask-wearing changes, so will their habits. I don’t honestly see many continuing to wear masks when all of this is over. Face-to-face communication is so important in Italy, they can’t wait to be rid of them.
Spain
Isabella Noble
Spain, which was so devastatingly hit by the first wave of the pandemic and its own super-strict lockdown, started to make masks mandatory back in May – and the vast majority of Spaniards have generally quickly embraced mask-wearing and follow the current rules. While the exact details and exceptions vary between one Spanish region and another, masks are now obligatory in pretty much any public area, both indoors and outdoors (except when you're eating or drinking). That said, I somehow don't see people continuing to wear them for too long after vaccines are rolled out and we're able to begin moving around and socialising again – except maybe on flights.
Sweden
Mark Brolin
A traditional hallmark of Swedish culture is a strong belief in authority. Some would say this is a Lutheran heritage but it might also follow as a result of decades of down-to-earth – and often genuinely trustworthy – leaders. The Swedish resistance to face masks was for a long time strong which was directly related to the Swedish Public Health Agency representatives, including state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, having also for a long time advised against using face masks. Why? They argued that the effectiveness of face masks was unproven and might even provide a false sense of security. Until the second wave hit Sweden, wearing a mask was resented rather than the other way around. However, following the high death rate in Sweden – compared to neighbouring countries – the official opposition has softened. Then again, also public confidence in the judgement of key officials has dropped substantially. This has probably reduced the impact of official positions. Moreover, there are still no restrictions relating to face masks – only recommendations. Many stores, including food chains, have decided against face masks for their employees while arguing these might scare customers. The best bet, after mass-vaccinations, might be that most Swedes will, like now, remain tolerant either way, before yet again dropping the use of face masks altogether.
Germany
Daniel Hardaker
Here, especially Berlin, masks have become a ritual and a symbol of communitarian goodness more than anything else, which the majority seem to enjoy both enforcing and taking part in. It is a wonderful and fascinating country in a lot of ways, but both bored Neukölln expats and the Germans, for different reasons, have a big weakness for that kind of thing. It's not a rational situation – I don’t see masks ending when rationality suggests that it should, unfortunately.
Croatia
Jane Foster
In Croatia, the vast majority of the population are happy to comply with instructions given by Vili Beroš, the Minister of Health (who is a neurosurgeon) and his advisor, Alemka Markotić (a specialist in infectious diseases), to wear masks in all indoor public spaces and on public transport. Following a swift lockdown in mid-March, by June 2020, Croatia was one of the few countries to achieve "virus-free" status. That changed, once the borders were opened and tourists began arriving in July. Fortunately, infection rates remained relatively low through summer. Locals would mix freely outdoors without masks, but continued to wear them in closed spaces, as did most visitors. The tourists who did not comply were generally able to get away with it without reprisal. There does seem to be a little "mask fatigue" here this winter, but by and large locals wear them willingly indoors, but rarely outdoors. Once we are finally corona-free again, I doubt very much that people would continue wearing masks – after all, here in Dalmatia, sunshine and fresh sea air are lauded for their health promoting properties.
Belarus
Daniel Hardaker
Masks in Belarus are not much of a political symbol as the country never locked down. Thus, they are not tied to any great societal divide. ‘Maybe they work, maybe they don’t’ is about the height of emotion, and enforcement is lax; and they've been dropped completely in bars and nightclubs. Policemen wear them around the chin – something I saw even more of in Armenia. If these countries are left alone, and face no pressure from China or the West, they won’t keep them indefinitely.
New York
Rosie Hopegood
Masks here have been politicised to such an extent that anyone not wearing one will be seen as making a partisan statement. They are worn at indoors and outdoors, with many people wearing them to exercise. When I moved to the city in the Autumn, I found such stringent mask wearing a tad over the top, but having watched as the UK is crippled by exploding cases and two more lockdowns, I'll take a mask any day.
Masks aren't going anywhere in the city anytime soon. After becoming the epicentre of the disease in the spring, people are scarred and scared. With so many travel bans and out of state quarantine mandates, the streets of New York are all but empty of tourists, but when normal service resumes I can't see people here taking kindly to tourists who flout the rules. I wouldn't be surprised if some people choose to politely wear them on the Subway if they have a cold, as is the custom in parts of Asia. In New York, wearing a mask is viewed as a civic duty – no-one wants to be like the GOP lawmakers who refused to mask-up during the Capitol siege, resulting in a microcluster outbreak amongst their colleagues.
Canada
Doug Wallace
Canadians in general are not as questioning of government regulations as other countries have been, tending to comply with mask-wearing for the sake of the greater good. This is a nation that usually does what it’s told. Retailers are facing the odd obstinate rabble-rouser, but trouble-makers are few. The smattering of anti-mask protesters in the western provinces are looked upon as yahoos. People on busy street-corners without masks are subject to noticeable staring. Canada has seen next to no tourists over the past year; our border with the United States remains closed. Any international travellers, coming or going, follow the rules or face fines. As Canadians are also a cautious lot, post-vaccine mask-wearing will continue for a long while, but will very likely eventually trickle to a stop.
Can you see the sense in the wearing of masks post-pandemic, on public transport during winter for example? Let us know in the comments box below.
