NORDICS BRUSH OFF MOUTH COVERS

As most of the world either orders or recommends the use of face masks, with even US president Donald Trump seen wearing one, Nordic nations are the remaining holdouts. In supermarkets, on buses, and along the streets of capitals — such as Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki and Reykjavik — face masks are a rare sight, worn only by a small minority — mostly tourists.

“I have the impression that if the government doesn’t say clearly ‘we advise you to wear a mask’, nobody will,” 21-year-old French student Camille Fornaroli said, adding she was shocked to see how rare masks were in Stockholm.

Birgitta Wedel, a 63-year-old pensioner, said she would have preferred if Sweden’s authorities recommended masks, at least on public transport.

But she added that she would keep going without one unless there was a shift in official policy.

Sweden has received global attention for its softer approach to curbing the spread of the virus which, coupled with a relatively higher death toll, has led to the region’s largest country being shunned by its neighbours.

But when it comes to masks, the Nordic nations look staunchly united.

“Except for Sweden, there are very few cases in those countries,” KK Cheng, an epidemiologist at the University of Birmingham’s Instituteofappliedhealthresearch said.

“So I don’t blame them for not doing it, as long as they have reasonable social distancing and contact tracing is done properly,” Cheng added.

Asked Tuesday what might change his mind on recommending the use of face masks, Sweden’s chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said he was still waiting for “some form of proof that they are effective”.

For Cheng, such logic is questionable.

“I think it’s wrong, it’s irresponsible and it’s stubborn,” the epidemiologist said. — AFP