Chin breathers

“Closures will not stop COVID-19” (June 25) contains an excellent example of why closures will not work. The three women pictured should be fined, as they are not wearing their masks as they should be. Covering the mouth but not the nose is the same as not wearing a mask. The common phrase yiyeh b’seder (everything will be ok) does not apply to COVID-19.

Not only does the country need to perform 15,000 tests per day, but in the present climate, the country needs to issue 15,000 fines per day, especially to the thousands of Israelis who seem to breathe through their chins.

The wearing of masks is no joke.

On the same page you also show another photograph which I hope is a file photo from last year as not one of the youngsters in the photo is wearing a mask and they are not practicing social distancing.

MICHAEL H. DAVIS Rishon Lezion

Regarding “New restrictions as virus cases spike” (June 30), probably the top preventative measure against COVID-19 is wearing a mask and wearing it properly. In many of the pictures you run, people are not wearing their masks properly – noses are uncovered and often only the neck or chin are covered. What kind of a message are you sending?

Wearing masks properly (which means covering mouth and nose) and social distancing are the two top ways to keep the infection numbers low. As a newspaper you have a responsibility to hammer this point home and to point out when people are not properly protecting themselves and the greater community.

LAWRENCE LOEWENTHAL, MD

Ra’anana