There was a time that the first thing that came to mind when someone said ‘The Mask’, was the movie starring Jim Carrey. Alas, those days are very much in the past. Often, I spin on my heel on the way out my door when a voice inside my head says ‘The Mask’.
Well COVID -19 has given all 7bn of us a common facade, a common identity of sorts by way of the mask. Since all of us use it; we need to be on top of our game. Of course, mask wearing was not a part of our life growing up, so no one really taught us the etiquette of it. Indeed, it is common sense, but for those who need to read it to believe it, here you go!
01. Wear It
Oh for heaven’s sake, you are asked to wear it for your sake and those of others. Please wear it wherever you go and wear it properly. There is nothing more tacky and unsightly than seeing a person wearing a mask on their chin. Allowing a sweaty nose and upper lip to emerge is not acceptable.
02. Keep It On
Voice carries through the thin fabric of the mask – believe me! Pray keep it on when you speak to people. The purpose is lost if you keep dragging it off your face when you meet someone. Keep your nose, mouth and chin firmly under the mask; that is the safest place.
03. Obtain Permission to Remove It
Within a small group of people, where there is ample distance between each other and you need to take a short break from wearing the mask, please ask politely. As you walk into an establishment, don’t get too comfortable and rip it off your face – that is plain rude.
04. Put It in a Pouch
When you take it off your face completely, place it carefully such it neither contaminates nor gets contaminated. Carry a used envelope or a small pouch with you if possible, to place it in, whenever it is off your face. If no other option is available, shove it into your handbag or stuff it into your pocket. Refrain from placing it on common surfaces or swinging it around. If you are served food or drink, you need to follow the same protocol – don’t just dump the mask on the table or let it get mixed with those of others.
05. Peeling It Off in the Rest Room
Most sins are forgiven in the rest room for obvious reasons. However, keeping the pandemic at bay requires strict discipline at all times, including your time in the rest room. If there are one too many people in the rest room, keep your mask on. If you really need to wash your face or remove it altogether, wait until the crowd disperses and make it quick. Keep the mask safely in a pouch when removed and don’t wander around the rest room looking for soap or tissue paper without the mask.
Until we know better ways of protecting ourselves and our societies from the COVID-19 pandemic, the mask is here to stay. The etiquette rules for masks should be followed to keep everyone safe and comfortable.
Till I return with ‘Full of Etiquette’ next week, stay safe!
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Praveeni Jayasekera is the Founder and Editor of fullofetiquette.com; she is a regular advocate on the subject. She is an ACMA, CGMA; holds a BSc. Economics and Management; PG in IT and Diploma in Social Sciences. She is employed full time in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer at CL Synergy (Private) Limited; a Sri Lankan freight forwarding company. She is an ardent fan of the written word and has compiled content for numerous websites for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, corporate profiles and blogs. She has experience in training corporate professionals on customer service and business etiquette. She conducts coaching sessions on etiquette for school children every now and then.
