Are the rules about wearing face masks clear enough?
I WAS recently heading home on a train from Manchester to London, which gave me an opportunity to see how my fellow passengers would behave when required to wear a mask for a few hours.
In the main, people were sticking to the rules, but during my journey, a few questions arose.
There was no buffet trolly, but I could go to the buffet car (seven carriages away) which seemed like a riskier option for me and my fellow passengers.
I had to keep the mask on all the time, yet I could buy and consume drinks and snacks – so how on earth would I eat or drink them?
I could purchase cold drinks, crisps and pretzels, but not coffee or sandwiches (I wondered idly if bread was more Covid-19 risky!)
Contradictions like this are inevitable given the speed that the Government has to operate at to implement new rules in the wake of the pandemic and how it’s developing. But there’s an awful lot of confusion out there – and that’s reflected in the complaints I’m seeing.
More than 2,000 complaints specifically about face masks have been made to Resolver since lockdown, with numbers increasing significantly in July as new restrictions began.
Yet my big concern is the data also shows a notable – and worrying – switch in the last month from complaints about the availability of masks to buy, to anger over people failing to wear a mask in public places.
Buses and shops are the new battleground as people become increasingly frustrated about people not following the rules.
But are those rules clear enough? Many shop workers are exempt, for example, as are people with certain health conditions – yet many of the people I speak to don’t seem to be aware of this.
The same goes for the type of face covering that people are using, with some people assuming medical grade masks are the only permitted option.
They aren’t – even the showbiz bandana is allowed.
Resolver’s chief executive, Alex Neill, recently revealed: “Our data shows that members of the public are becoming increasingly angry about people failing to wear masks in public, particularly on public transport and in shops.
“If we’re to avoid conflict at the cash registers then the Government needs to step up their efforts to clearly communicate the rules and be firmer in how they will be enforced.”
There are simple solutions to some of these problems.
The London Underground previously gave out special badges to people with medical conditions that weren’t necessarily obvious so people would know to give up their seats for them, like those for pregnant women. It wouldn’t be hard to introduce a similar scheme for those who can’t wear masks.
Ultimately, we all need to do our bit, starting with supporting the people who are working in front-line services – often on very low pay.
Give them a break. If you don’t think their bosses are being fair or giving them enough support, make a complaint.
If you think current guidance isn’t clear enough then speak to your MP.
If you don’t know if you can munch a sandwich on a train, don’t sit there and simmer – contact the business.
Different times mean different approaches to complaints. But we can all get through this together if we tackle the bigger issues and make our voices heard.
■ You can contact a business about anything from wonky masks to ethical choices via resolver.co.uk