It has been two years since I found myself without a mask.
It was August 2020 when I wrote an article about how I was the only one on the train not wearing a mask.
Masks are useful in winter as a winter protection, but in hot weather they are just depressing and likely to cause heat stroke.
Dr. Nakagawa, the chairman of the Japan Medical Association, said that it is necessary to wear masks until the new coronavirus is completely eliminated, so this person should wear a mask until he dies. Because it is almost impossible for the coronavirus to disappear completely.
Recently, however, they have changed course and decided that masks are not necessary when people are outdoors and in close proximity to each other.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has almost the same policy.
That said, there are few people who walk outside and do not wear a mask.
I have been removing my mask outdoors for quite some time now. The reason is simple: masks are almost ineffective against new coronavirus infection.
This is because wearing a mask prevents people from touching their nose and mouth directly with their hands, which makes them less likely to be infected by the new coronavirus on their hands.
Why is it that most people still wear masks even when it is announced that it is acceptable to remove them outdoors?
It is not because it has become a habit, but rather because few people remove their masks and they find it difficult to do so. The bottom line is that many people are more concerned about the public's view than their own judgment.
My hypothesis is that when the percentage of people who remove their masks exceeds 30%, I think more people will take off their masks in one fell swoop.
Let's count the number of people who take off their masks when I go out for a while to see if this hypothesis is true.
I now have something to look forward to when I go out.
Let's all take off our masks!
