Face masks may become a thing of the past soon. Perhaps in a few years, we’ll only hold on to a vague memory of our masks, even though initially we were obsessed with them and changed them at every opportunity; then a year later, we’re digging one out from the side of the car seat, inspecting it for chewing gum, blowing on it and then donning it for ‘protection’ before legging it into Home Bargains.

It got me thinking about masks during 2020 and how different people used them.

There were so many different types of mask users…

1. **** *** I’m not wearing a mask user
2. I haven’t got a mask, can I have one of yours? user
3. I’ll wear a visor but no mask user
4. I’ll wear a mask but only over my mouth user
5. I’ll wear a mask but just under my chin for most of the day user
6. I keep my mask in my jeans pocket and use it for two weeks user
7. The political message mask user
8. The proud of their heritage mask user
9. The ‘I’ll only wear a surgical mask’ user
10. The ‘I won’t wear a surgical mask in a million years’ user
11. The masks that looked like a pair of pants user
12. The mask with loops doubled over the ears twice user
13. The ‘I forgot my mask’ so cup my hands over my face user
14. The double mask user
15. The ‘I’m not being told what to do’ user who pops up their polo neck instead

My favourite is one I actually witnessed; it was a ketchup carton sliced in half, sellotaped around the head with toilet tissue glued to the inside. I fear that not only did this not protect the user in any way but the patient may also have been emotionally scarred from the shocked faces and badly suppressed laughter of the staff.

Do you have a favourite mask moment? (Keep it clean!)

PM Polly ?