Covid 19 coronavirus: Wellington man boasts of riding public transport without a mask

A Wellington man publicly thanked Metlink and the New Zealand police for not forcing him and his wife to wear a mask while riding the train in Wellington, despite level 2 rules requiring masks on public transport.

Joachim Wanihi’s post on Facebook, showing a photo of him and his wife unmasked on the train, has gone viral, with more than 3,000 comments, creating a lively discussion about whether or not they should wear a mask.

“I appreciate the Metlink staff and New Zealand Police for their professional conduct in approaching us for not wearing masks on the train this morning,” Wanihi wrote.

“The train guard asked if we knew that wearing a mask was mandatory. We said that we know that the government website said that we cannot be prevented from entering the train without wearing a mask. He was kind and took our tickets.”

According to the man, the police got on the train and asked the couple if they would like a mask.

“We thanked him but we said no thanks. He smiled and said have a nice day,” she said.

“Know your rights, but don’t be an idiot. My wife in the photo here enjoying the grace of God.”

Wanihi did not respond to a request for additional comment.

In the comments, many criticized the “selfish” behavior of the couple and said they were not acting as part of the “team of five million.”

“Do not ask for medical help if you have Covid; get on your knees and pray to your God,” one person commented.

“It is a sign of respect, especially since many of our older people use public transport,” noted another Facebook user.

It is unclear why the couple chose to travel without a mask despite being mandatory.

In a separate post, the man says he understands that the police will eventually “begin to enforce this mandate” and adds that it will be then that he will “have to make alternative arrangements” for his wife to go to work.

Under the new alert level 2 rules, which the entire country is currently under, masks are required on all public transport in New Zealand, including buses, trains and ferries. Taxi drivers and Ubers must also wear a mask.

New Zealand police declined to comment on this specific case, but said that since the new rules began at 11:59 pm on Sunday, they are using “an education and encouragement approach.”

With face covering now mandatory on public transportation, police say they are distributing thousands of face masks to members of the public as part of their approach.

“We recognize that this requirement is something new to many Kiwis and is something that people were not used to doing before,” Deputy Commissioner Richard Chambers said in a press release.

“While these masks have been designed to be disposable, as part of our educational approach, it is hoped that it will make the idea of ​​wearing a face cover more familiar to the public.

“Our response to Covid-19 has been to work with the public first and remind them of what is required of them.”

Police say the vast majority of people have been wearing masks on public transport.

“The feedback I have received from staff has been that interactions with the public today have been positive and that people were aware of the importance of wearing a mask,” Chambers said in a statement Monday night.

“We are pleasantly surprised by the high level of compliance and New Zealanders are to be congratulated on this,” he said.

“For those of you struggling with why masks are mandatory, I encourage you to reflect on the damage this pandemic has caused abroad. We are in a good position in New Zealand and it is important that we continue to do the right thing.”

Contacted by HeraldMetlink said that “it is disappointing that the two people featured in the post have chosen not to take the responsible course of wearing face masks to combat coronavirus transmission, as opposed to 99 percent of travelers who did.”

“In these circumstances, Metlink is following government policy, which has made clear that Metlink’s frontline workers are not expected to risk their own health and safety by enforcing the use of masks or physical distancing. Ultimately, it is appropriate. passengers to make the right decisions, for their own safety and the safety of others, or for police to enforce the law, “added a Metlink spokesperson.