Dear mask vigilante, I get you but...

Wearing masks and social distancing have been shown to be the most important measures we can take to combat coronavirus.

However, these days, when I step out to run errands, at least half the people I see are not wearing masks — or are wearing their masks around their necks.

Truth is, face masks are no way convenient or pleasant to wear.

They feel hot, itchy and uncomfortable on regular days; they make your glasses fog up; they get in the way of eating and drinking. More so, muffle your voice and hide that beautiful smile of yours.

But there are more reasons why folks avoid wearing masks. There are those with breathing difficulties and other legit reasons for discarding face coverings.

There are those who still misunderstand how the virus spreads. Then, there is this simple bravado: ‘Nobody is going to tell me what to do and what to wear!’

And finally, there are those with mental fatigue: after months of patiently coping with the pandemic, and no end in sight, it’s tempting to just give in and throw up your hands and go about your life. #MatiraMatibay.

Still, there’s tension when you see an uncovered face in public. So when you do, how do you deal with the anger and the possible danger that comes with it?

Remember, verbal shaming and tactful confrontation in public places is counterproductive. As much as we want to punish them, all we must do is to keep our emotions at bay and do everything in our capacity to protect ourselves.

Coming at them in a very angry and shaming way is going to get their back up against the wall and make them not want to comply.

“But Pat, I can't just stand there and watch the whole population be wiped out because of an insensitive fool.”

Then acknowledge those who do recognize the need for care. On a recent afternoon, I was peacefully strolling on a narrow sidewalk and a man who had obviously just finished a run turned the corner onto my direction, his mask around his neck.

But as soon as he saw me, nonetheless, he straight way put the mask in place that covers his mouth and nose. As we passed each other, we nodded in acknowledgement of our mutual courtesy, and then went our separate ways.

Sometimes, it’s also a matter of modeling and cultivating good behavior.

Because once we can show that there’s a reward for that, the idea of respect begins to spread within the populace.

Stay active until our next chat!