A face mask isn’t a matter of personal choice, it’s a public duty

A slow take-up of face coverings on public transport raises issues of collective responsibility, writes Martyn Mclaughlin

On Monday evening, not even a full day after the wearing of face coverings become mandatory on public transport across Scotland, an official from First Bus highlighted how compliance with the new measure will be an uphill struggle.

While passengers boarding the firm’s services across some rural areas of the country were by and large happy to abide by the rule, with around 90 to 95 per cent of people wearing masks or coverings, the situation was markedly different in urban areas.

In parts of Glasgow, the uptake was as low as 50 to 55 per cent, a notably low figure, even after taking into account that as many as one in four people may be exempt from wearing a face covering due to underlying medical conditions.

It may well be the case that the messaging around mandatory use has yet to fully hit home, but such early signs are not promising, and it is concerning to think about the impact this resistance will have if it proves to be a long-term trend.

The most obvious one is the potential for increasing transmission of a virus which has yet to be brought under control. Despite early doubts over their effectiveness, there is a growing body of research which shows that wearing a mask or covering significantly reduces the risk of viral infection.

Like so much science around Covid-19, it is emerging and imperfect, in large part due to the fact that most studies have focused on healthcare, and not community settings. Yet while the research points to benefits for the wearer catching the virus, the most important point is that it helps to prevent those around the wearer from becoming infected.

Other dangers of a low uptake of face coverings or masks are unseen, not least the potential tor crippling public confidence in the use of shared modes of travel

It should not be understated just how important transport is to the economy, and while reopening key routes and services will allow people to get to and from their work, it counts for little if those asked to use them do not perceive their journey as safe.

Ministers can offer all the reassurances in the world, but if someone is vulnerable, or has a loved one at home who is at greater risk, the prospect of boarding a bus or train where only a minority of passengers are heeding the rule is a very unnerving one indeed.

Anyone who has frequented a supermarket of late will know first hand how government guidance can fall on deaf ears. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon advised as long ago as 28 April that members of the public should wear face coverings in enclosed spaces, but in the eight weeks since, it seems only a small minority are heeding her request. With a further tranche of retail outlets set to open in the next week, shoppers and staff have reason to feel uneasy.

For its part, First Bus has indicated that it would be helpful, at least in the early stages of bedding in the new measure, for police to be on hand to remind people that it is mandatory. In an ideal world, this would make sense, but as with so many of the rules surrounding Covid-19, practical difficulties make it near impossible to enforce it with any degree of rigour or consistency.

Ultimately, the issues at play are consent and collective responsibility. It has not been easy for anyone during the pandemic, and as the country continues slowly along the path out of lockdown – a process