Coronavirus face masks: If you are wearing one, you could save my life, so thank you – Susan Morrison

Wearing face masks is now mandatory in shops and on public transport and is advised in other situations where social distancing is difficult (Picture: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

Back in March a well-meaning neighbour put a note through my door offering help if I couldn’t get shopping in. I was faintly amused and mildly annoyed. Yes, I am a proud bus pass holder, but you want to see me slice through the John Lewis Christmas scrum.

But it was a kind gesture, and a kind thought.

Kindness was in. We queued patiently at the supermarket doors until the staff told us we could go in. On our state-sanctioned hourly exercise, we elegantly swerved around one another like ballroom dancers, politely bellowing “sorry!” across two-metre gaps.

We were all in it together. Except Dominic Cummings, obviously. He was in Durham.

We were polite, considerate and we looked out for each other. Until someone mentioned face masks.

The mere mention of a face mask is enough to send people off into the kind of righteous fury that would have had John Knox saying: “Steady, mate, I think you’re being a bit unreasonable here.”

Supermarket staff aren’t bouncers

Cold glares and hard words have been exchanged in the Kirkgate. A woman in Lidl complained that there were too many bare-faced cheeks in store, but the manager explained that staff had been told not to deal with non-mask wearers, because they can get pretty aggressive and employee safety comes first. Quite right too. They aren’t paid to be bouncers.

At least our politicians are setting an example. Nicola sports a rather natty tartan mask. Boris Johnson also covers his face, which has got to be a good thing.

Trump can’t or won’t, probably because his make-up will come off. This has led, as ever, to our American cousins going one step further and shooting people, which presumably does reduce the infection risk, I suppose.

Yes, masks are a bit uncomfortable. I can’t wear one without my glasses steaming up. I fog up in the fresh food section of Tesco and once had to hit a hard left to avoid a display of lettuce. The irony of a lifelong Titanic enthusiast near-colliding with a mountain of icebergs didn’t escape me.

Thank you

Of course, I miss face contact with people. It was worse in the hospital. That encouraging smile is a vital part of the tool kit of nursing.

Every single nurse said the same thing to me. They hated wearing them, but they were wearing them to protect me. They wear them to prevent even the smallest chance of spreading Covid to their patients. They wear those masks for hours, not just to pop into Sainsburys.

At the moment I am one of those vulnerable people. My recovery from surgery is going well, and the chance of being infected is small, but it is still there and potentially dangerous.

So, I’d like to thank every one of you who wears a mask when you are out and about.

You’re not just doing it to protect yourself. You’re extending that protection to people like me, and showing you care for your neighbour.

Thank you.

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