Lithuanians on wearing masks abroad: they saw me as an alien

“It just came to our attention then. I must admit that, before I left, I had even started to feel internal anxiety, maybe even panic, due to the increasing number of cases. But in Latvia and Estonia, where there were so many bans and intimidations, finally I calmed down. It seems that the people there have adapted more to the new reality than here. I noticed that only some tourists wore masks, “said Rasa.

At the time of the visit abroad, Lithuania was obliged to wear masks in indoor catering establishments. The couple did not know, so they were shocked when they returned to the city on the border with Lithuania and were strictly required to put on masks, otherwise they would not do.

Until now, the wearing of masks is seen differently in different countries. It’s true, as he wrote DelphiThe German Presidency of the European Union, together with the European Commission, is working to harmonize the use of masks in all member states. It should be mandatory until the quarantine is generalized.

Until now, as you can see, it is not necessary to wear masks in Latvia and Estonia. In Poland, as in Lithuania, masks are mandatory internally, as well as in those areas of the country that, due to the high incidence of coronavirus in them, are classified as the so-called red zones.

“Which areas are declared red, announces the Ministry of Health. There are also yellow areas where the morbidity situation becomes threatening.” Delphi Karolina, who lives in Warsaw, told the portal, adding that she was concerned about the high incidence of coronavirus in a country that is growing quite rapidly.

And in Sweden, which is distinguished from other countries because it has been decided not to impose special restrictions on the pandemic and to allow the public to acquire so-called herd immunity, the use of masks is optional.

Milda, a financier who lives with her family in Stockholm, said that no one in Sweden wears masks. In some places, masks can be seen here unless they are foreigners, but this is also rare.

“We spent the summer in Lisbon where masks are a must. When we returned to Sweden, I tried to go to the store with a mask here at first, without which I felt naked after a vacation in Portugal. But in the store, people He moved away from me by a meter, because in Sweden, it is recommended that masks are only worn by people with coronavirus, ”Milda laughed.

Milda also tried wearing a mask while riding the Stockholm subway, and decided that safety is the most important thing, even if no one in Sweden wears masks.

“It just came to our knowledge then. He looked like an alien to them,” said the interlocutor.

As expected, it wasn’t long before Milda decided not to put the mask on anymore.

“When no one wears them, they get infected with the feel of the pack very quickly and take off that mask. When I returned from Lisbon, I promised to wear the mask in public, but in the first week of my stay in Sweden, that desire disappeared, even though we had bought all kinds of masks in Portugal, it is impossible to buy them in Sweden. This is how they lie unpacked now, “the woman admitted.

When asked if wearing masks is mandatory in all public places in Portugal, Milda said yes. Before entering each store, it is necessary not only to put on a mask, but also to disinfect your hands, and in high-class restaurants, even your feet!

“All the stores are monitored or by the store’s own staff and they control each visitor to wear a mask and disinfect their hands. After returning to Sweden after such strict rules, I felt like I was on another planet for a whole month, ”said Milda.

There is a heated debate in Lithuania about the need to wear masks in public spaces and closed events. Doctors say that to protect against the coronavirus, it is important to maintain a safe physical distance and wash or disinfect your hands thoroughly, as the infection can spread through surfaces if they have been infected with human mucus.

However, doctors point out that not all people tend to adhere to these conditions, so wearing masks would be a great help for overgrowth.

“To say that the main safeguards are to maintain physical distance, hygiene of hands and surfaces, if we meet those conditions, if we have such a responsible society, it is probably not necessary to use masks en masse.

But we see that with the abolition of the mandatory use of masks and the liberation of all social restrictions, that number of cases increases immediately ”, the portal Delphi Jurgita Sejonienė, vice chairman of the board of the Lithuanian Medical Movement (LMS), said.