Time for mandatory mask-wearing

Sir, – I despair of official Ireland and the reticence to introduce laws that will save lives.

The official medical advice in Ireland now is that the wearing of a face covering plays a major element in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Yet, NPHET and the Government are timidly shying away from making the wearing of masks / face coverings mandatory, citing the fact that some people have medical reasons not to wear a mask.

So, the logic is that because a tiny minority of people have valid reasons not to wear a mask, we cannot make mask wearing compulsory, and therefore we must ensure that everyone is put at increased risk of infection. Surely there is a simple process that will give those with a valid medical reason not to wear a mask an official opt-out?

How have over 100 countries around the world managed to make mask-wearing mandatory?

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We are presented with a simple, cheap, and very effective method to reduce the spread of a lethal virus. It is a logical, sensible, and moral decision to enforce this method. – Yours, etc,

SEAMUS LENNON,

Knocknacarra, Galway.