Face Masks and COVID-19 Society
Earlier in November, I was on my way to meet with a foreign professor who has recently taken his role at the university where I teach. Heading toward the meeting point outside a building, with a mask on my face (as per the social norm when indoors), I had a flash thought of taking my mask off as we would chat outdoors. Seeing me approaching, my new colleague immediately put his mask on, coinciding with me taking mine off. We both looked at each other and laughed at that awkward timing.
Interestingly, this “post COVID-19” (which in this article refers to the slowing down phase after the pandemic peak) anecdote resonates with many people who are unsure whether or when they should wear or take off their masks. In this article, I will draw your attention to the roles of face mask wearing at the onset of the pandemic until present, so-called “post COVID-19” period, and attempt to explain whether face mask wearing will become “the new normal” in Thai society.
Masks and COVID-19 Prevention
We may recall that, when a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Thailand in early 2020, there were extensive talks about how it was an airborne virus spreading via droplets. With no scientific research at hand on this emerging infectious disease, the public health authorities and medical experts recommended wearing face masks as an initial prevention measure. People were highly receptive to this health advice; they were on high alert hunting for their face masks. As COVID-19 cases were increasing overseas, especially in China, tourists in Thailand bought masks to take back to their home countries while the locals were getting their hands on masks, resulting in a shortage of such products in no time.
The public health authorities and medical experts recommended wearing face masks as an initial prevention measure. People were highly receptive to this health advice; they were on high alert hunting for their face masks.
From a cultural perspective, the circumstances were fascinating in that numerous “DIY” masks, regardless of whether they were effective, were quickly produced by all sectors of society and worn by people to give them peace of mind. Those DIY techniques included “drying used masks in the sun and reusing them”, “using tissue paper or sanitary pads to make masks”, “making masks from materials that cannot be permeated by viruses” and so many more that prompted the Ministry of Public Health to issue a fact sheet in mid-March 2020 to educate people about what to look for in an effective mask[1]. Among Thais, this magnitude of enthusiasm may seem to be nothing out of the ordinary. Other countries, in North America and Australia, for instance, took some time for the public to welcome mask wearing willingly. In contrast, Thai society overwhelmingly embraced mask wearing as a prevention measure.
Masks and Being on the Lookout for Society
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, face mask wearing served not only the purpose of preventing the spread of the virus but also fostered social surveillance, citizens monitoring each other’s behaviour. When COVID-19 cases were on the rise overseas, the Thai public eagerly followed news and vigorously looked for any possible weakest link, be it a member of the public or a government agency, that might have been complacent and let COVID-19 slip into the country. The virus eventually found its way to spread in the country, allegedly coming from some Thai citizens who had illegally entered the country after working in a neighbouring country, according to a public health agency. It was then when the Land of Smiles had turned into a “self-policing state” where the public was in hot pursuit of those returning travellers, tracing where they had visited since entering the country. You may recall a restaurant patronised by this group of people apologising to the public and shutting up temporarily to sanitise.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, face mask wearing served not only the purpose of preventing the spread of the virus but also fostered social surveillance, citizens monitoring each other’s behaviour.
In my opinion, this state of paranoia and social surveillance may have been linked to mask wearing to a certain degree. Being maskless in public, indoors or outdoors alike, or wearing inferior quality masks often met with disapproving looks. Since the Thai Government’s mask campaign in early 2020, complaints against business operators not wearing masks or using masks “incorrectly”, i.e. not in line with the public health guidelines on television and the mainstream media, often made news[2]. Similarly, several businesses enforced their policy to refuse to serve customers who did not wear masks[3]. This new mask wearing practice painted a picture of black and white society of “good citizens” and “bad citizens”[4]. Amid such unprecedented challenges, good citizens were the helping hands of their state, maintaining close surveillance and behavioural control over each other. Face mask wearing not only prevented the spread of the virus but also symbolised the ideology of being good citizens.
Under such circumstances where people showcased their good citizen qualities, it was interesting to see a creative culture that followed. The unanimous practice of face mask wearing gave birth to many mask-related businesses, and consequently, assorted fashionable designs of face masks for different occasions made of materials claiming to provide better or more effective protection without sacrificing breathability. Garment manufacturing companies and beyond took up mask production to boost their sales. Government agencies had face masks with their logos made for gift exchanges. On one hand, this creative economic approach might have weakened the strong image of face masks in social surveillance. On the other hand, it might have made face mask opposers’ excuses become less justified, as there were so many types of comfortable and good-looking masks around to not wear one.
Masks and Risk Management
The intense pressures surrounding face mask wearing seemed to ease when many countries could control their situation and re-open their countries. Around this time, face mask wearing seemed to have resumed its significant role in risk prevention.
In mid-June 2022, the Thai Government announced its voluntary face mask policy, a perfect timing for many who at that point could not wait to see others’ big smiles and full faces. We witnessed more occasions on which people came to terms with not wearing face masks. For instance, there was a “no mask pose” when taking group pictures. Speakers onstage were allowed to give talks without having to wear a mask, otherwise they would have had to catch their breath. In a big picture, however, a large number of Thais are still carrying and wearing face masks. From my quick survey, the main reason my acquaintances still wear a mask is because they are still afraid of “catching COVID-19”. People’s recollections of how severe an infection can be are still haunting them despite the number of serious cases largely declining. More interestingly, many people consider the practice as good manners expected of by society, presumably because they have been used to wearing one for so long that it has become part of everyday clothing and not wearing one could make them feel they become a subject of criticism. Both reasons show that Thai society is still wary of COVID-19 and uncertain of what could happen in the future. Wearing a face mask provides people with some protection, maintains their positive image, and gives them extra peace of mind post COVID-19.
More interestingly, many people consider the practice as good manners expected of by society, presumably because they have been used to wearing one for so long that it has become part of everyday clothing and not wearing one could make them feel they become a subject of criticism.
Whether face mask wearing will continue and become the “new normal” as predicted by many is difficult to answer. While many people still prefer to carry on with the practice because of uncertainty and risk awareness, some areas of Thailand (such as Phuket and Pattaya) saw many people including tourists who want to get the most out of their long-awaited holidays and are not as worried about risks as those in populated cities (such as Bangkok). Still, we cannot rule out the possibility of face masks becoming an urban culture.
This article is part of the Comparative Assessment of the Pandemic Responses in Australia and Thailand, supported by the Australia-ASEAN Council under Australia-ASEAN Council COVID-19 Special Grants Round, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
References
[1] See examples of the Ministry of Public Health’s fact sheet at http://doh.hpc.go.th/bs/topicDisplay.php?id=379
[2] See examples at https://www.hfocus.org/content/2020/08/19974
[3] See examples at https://thestandard.co/restaurants-in-boonrueang-market/
[4] Adapted from social philosopher Louis Althusser’s theory of Ideological State Apparatus