Dear Editor,
I read Stuart Heritage's piece (The Guardian, 26th Jan 2022, link below) on his interview with Michael Schur who finds that "It's a daily gut punch that people are anti-mask".
First I have to say that, here in Germany, there is no discussion: The rules are set in stone and, if you don't wear a mask in a place where you should, first members of the public and then, very soon, the police will set you straight. Indeed, I have witnessed police-cars, with flashing lights and sirens blaring, stopping a tram in order to fine a retired gentleman whose mask was hanging low.
So, when I visited the UK last summer, I took every opportunity I could to not wear my mask. It was a glorious feeling of freedom! And I had logical reasons for doing that: After a year and a half of mask-wearing, I wanted to be exposed to bacteria. I didn't want to pick up those bugs later that autumn and then cause hospital-overload ... with Covid, pneumonia, bronchitis or anything else. Here I assumed that those people around me, who also weren't wearing masks, wanted the same thing!
There wasn't a selfish, anti-vaxxer thought in my body!
And, while we're on the topic of "guilt" and "consequences", what about the planet? Our communal irresponsibility (cars, flights, consumption, chemicals, plastics, etc.) will cause infinitely more damage than the odd person who doesn't wear a mask!
I wish we could just "get real".
Regards
