To wonder why East Asian countries can cope with wearing masks?

[sallyballynally]

Picture is of a poster in Seoul subway encouraging people to report others who are not wearing masks. I can only imagine the absolute tantrums that would occur on Mumsnet if that happened.

It constantly baffles me at how in Japan, South Korea and China people actually manage to be sensible and wear masks. My sister is in SK right now and EVERYONE wears a mask, no exceptions. Even toddlers wear them. There's no "it's too hot", "I want to see people's faces", "My humaaaaan rights". It's to the point that people on buses will bang on the windows if they see a pedestrian not wearing a mask. Some posters will say that they wouldn't want to live somewhere where they're socially pressured into wearing a mask. Yeah, I wish we were a country like Japan where there was no lockdown and 996 deaths. Why? Because masks. What is it about British people that makes us so contrary?

At my hospital trust we've had to wear masks for several weeks now (all roles, including porters, ward clerks, the people working in WH Smith, receptionist etc). We had an almost 100% compliance rate immediately. Those who expressed concern (usually for medical reasons) were referred to OH and had a respiratory assessment. Most people with concerns withdrew their concerns at the point of OH referral when it was made clear that well managed asthma would not exempt them.

So far we have 2 people who cannot wear masks from my department (800ish employees and visitors) 1 physically cannot put it on or remove, the other has severe respiratory issues. Both have been put on duties which can be done from home.

For most people, they can wear a mask but don't want to and will use any reason not too. Most people can get over their issues with it when they need to.

@SheepandCow

Organs owned by the state? Have I missed something? Are we no longer allowed to opt out?

Not if you live in China, where they take organs from prisoners. You become a prisoner by, for example, being religious.

@NailsNeedDoing

Why do you think British people are being contrary? I haven’t seen anyone in a shop not wearing a mask since they became mandatory, people are generally doing as they’re told.

Agreed. There's sometimes a substantial difference between real world practice or attitudes and what's discussed on MN.

It's all thought policing. You can't just wear a mask. You have to be happy to wear one. In SK they happily skip to work whilst wearing them. Ignore the threatening posters on the wall. They are happy, dammit.

I was in Lidl earlier and there were about 5 people (3 separate groups) not in masks. One couple were at the checkout happily chatting to the person on there and nothing was said
Should I have reported them? No idea who to as The staff were obviously aware

Sat outside a local shop today with my daughter enjoying an ice cream treat.

White van workers who pulled up and went in all put on masks.
Two local middle aged people put on masks.
Five younger local people, 2 girls, 3 guys, all looked under 25, did not.

I'd much rather live here than in China, where there is a huge number of human rights controversies. Blind conformism normally exists because people are too scared to do anything else.

China, for example:

• tracks people's personal data and has a "social points system" whereby if you don't behave like a good citizen, you lose your right to use public transport, eat in certain restaurants and go into shoppings.

• harvests people's organs when they're in prison - basically when you're a prisoner, you lose all your human rights.

• puts people in "education camps" for believing in God.

But yeah, everyone there wears masks without complaint, so let's all post about how wonderful China is as a nation - while totally ignoring the massive human rights abuses that go on there everyday. It's those abuses that mean people are too scared to do anything but conform.

Freedom of speech/thought is not something we should be giving up likely. I'm exceptionally glad that we live somewhere where people have the right to speak out against the government without losing their lives.

One couple were at the checkout happily chatting to the person on there and nothing was said. Should I have reported them?

You should have publically denounced them and then encouraged your fellow shoppers to pelt them with tons of cut price beans. That'll learn them to mask up next time.

Kitty I hate wearing a mask as much as the next mnetter and I’m nit even that sure of how necessary it is but if we legally have to wear them now then everyone should.

I'm from one of those countries, and since we are children, if you are coughing, you are told to wear a mask by parents. So, we were obviously taught from young age to wear a mask not to spread virus rather than protecting yourself.

@KittyFantastico

One couple were at the checkout happily chatting to the person on there and nothing was said. Should I have reported them?

You should have publically denounced them and then encouraged your fellow shoppers to pelt them with tons of cut price beans. That'll learn them to mask up next time.

I hate wearing a mask as much as the next mnetter and I’m nit even that sure of how necessary it is but if we legally have to wear them now then everyone should.

Everyone who is able to should but there are people who are exempt for various reasons. Its not always possible to tell why someone is exempt just by looking at them and it is not appropriate to ask why they are exempt beyond "are you exempt?"/"yes" so you just need to presume that those not wearing them are unable to for whatever reason.

It's all thought policing. You can't just wear a mask. You have to be happy to wear one.

Exactly, and it's so boring. I can wear a mask and I have done so at all times and places it has been mandated. I will continue to do so. But I also don't see why I can't feel uncomfortable about it, not like seeing it and not do it where it isn't mandated.

I'm doing what I'm asked, don't see why I have to be delighted about it too. Same as the bit of road near me that just got reduced from NSL to 40mph. Completely unnecessary and pointless. I'll stick to 40 along there now but I'm sure as hell not happy about it.

Some very ignorant, sweeping statements here. I'm saddened by some of the very thinly veiled racism in some of these posts.

Having lived in Japan for many years, it's clear to me that it's a society which places a high value on collective social responsibility and consideration towards others. Hygiene standards also tend to be very high.

It's a shame that we are not a little more willing in this country to make such small sacrifices for the collective good.

@GinDaddyRedux

Your post *@sallyballynally* is spot on - we have a major problem in this country with people who whine, moan and try and talk their way out of any personal responsibility. "I won't be told what to doooo!" Etc

Those South Asian countries are excellent in terms of fostering a sense of collective - people are fine to be told - they recognise the greater good for society.

I don’t often agree with you but you’re spot on here!

@Lovingyou

Personally, I think the UK is essentially full of bloody minded, entitled people. Yes, it's takes a bit of getting used to but it's not difficult and/or uncomfortable. Once you get used to it, it's okay.

Completely agree

I’m embarrassed to be British. This Pamdemic has brought to light what an appalling sense of societal responsibility we have in U.K.. Let old/vulnerable die so long as it doesn’t inconvenience us. Schools have total responsibility for educating children no parental responsibility at all, send teachers into class without the safeguards afforded to the rest of society. Just utterly depressing. We should be ashamed.

it’s not just the people complying, it’s the effective enforcement.

There are big fines, people hired to ensure masks are worn before entering shopping centres, compulsory leaving details for contact tracing before entering shopping centres, restaurants. Govt know rules and joined up planning are required if they want high compliance.

They do also have some exemptions - face shields for certain eligible groups and flexibility in enforcement due to circumstance.

The country has over 100 times fewer deaths per capita compared to UK. Although the freedom for some people is curtailed, there is greater freedom for people with medical issues to do things without high risk.

kitty of course they all could have been exempt, hence my lack of throwing cheap food at them

I’m glad we’re not like China. In China me and my family would be kidnapped, imprisoned in camps, tortured, sterilised, have forced abortions, forced to denounce our religion and murdered.
Maybe we should wonder why China is allowed to get away with genocide rather than laud their mask wearing.

of course they all could have been exempt, hence my lack of throwing cheap food at them

I was being sarcastic, I never throw beans at people

I just "accidentally" ran them with my trolley instead.

(Kidding)

Btw I don’t think it’s that the Asian countries we reference are more considerate they are more conditioned. Before covid who was saying we should wear masks?!

Tbh if we are playing which country we should have copied in terms of the handling, I’d much rather the U.K. aimed to be like Denmark.

People in the countries you mention have a tradition of mask-wearing that predates this pandemic and it is part of the norm. I was a bit ignorant in the past and when I would see tourists wearing them it would make me feel a little uncomfortable. However, after this situation, I have learnt that they wear them so as not to spread their colds and is considered good manners (we live and learn!) The point I am making is that it is not a new phenomenon for them.

I think now we should all wear them, but I don't think we should want it to become the norm forever! I do wonder if after prolonged use of masks, whether it will become the norm here or will people feel naked without them?

Apparently there are other reasons as well that they believe cases in Japan have not been so high . One being that they have more Corona type viruses already and they think it may have helped immunity. Could their mutation be different to ours ? Plus they also do things like take their shoes off before they enter the house and they are wondering if that reduces the virus being bought in . However this is ongoing research and the mask wearing could be a factor . There are many investigations going on that we don’t know about .