I look scary but face masks are essential | Blaise Tapp

Alternative routines have been developed, businesses refocused, new ways of communicating discovered, not to mention the narrowing of horizons.

For the time being anyway – we hope.

The vast majority of us are sticking to the ever-evolving rules: we have resisted hugging our older relatives, apart from those allowed in our bubbles; haven’t shaken hands with anybody since February and, when we remember, are pretty good at keeping two metres away from everybody – unless we are out jogging then anything goes.

But there is one thing that we haven’t yet embraced in this country and that is the wearing of face masks.

We now have to wear them on public transport or hospitals and some surgeries but it isn’t yet compulsory to wear coverings anywhere else, even though the World Health Organisation recommends we should when we cannot maintain social distancing.

Covering up your face in public is mandatory in 50 countries across the globe, including France and Spain as well as nations that have recorded very few coronavirus-related deaths.

It is strange then that so few people have chosen to wear masks when they venture to the shops or our increasingly busy town centres.

Of course, there are those who routinely wear them but because they remain in the minority they still stand out among the masses.

Although a relatively recent convert, I too wear a disposable paper mask that I bought off the internet when the world felt like it was going to fall off its axis back in April.

I was reluctant to wear them at first. Firstly, because of the very strong early narrative that you were as well to wear them atop of your head for all the good they would do and, secondly, that, quite frankly, they look ridiculous.

I am told by a very reliable source – Mrs Tapp – that 18 stone chaps such as me scare the horses by covering up our faces.

But I am now into my third week of wearing my stash and will continue to do so on a point of principle, that principle being that if there is even the remotest of possibilities that I am offering some protection to others –mainly strangers – by covering up then it is worth it.

It is more than a tad irritating that others, not only don’t share my sentiments but give me sideways glances when I am stalking up and down the chilled aisle late on a Wednesday night.

There has been a suspicion in some quarters that the reason why the UK Government hasn’t compelled people to wear face coverings in public because of fears there wasn’t enough protective equipment for frontline workers.

This take has been denied but it wouldn’t surprise anybody if our political leaders changed the rules around masks in the future.

It isn’t normal for anybody, especially alarming-looking folk like me to cover our faces but we dispensed with normal a long time ago.

There are signs, however, that the tide is turning. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in the past week, four in 10 adults have worn a face covering outside the home, which is up 30 per cent on the previous week.

It is unclear what has driven this trend but, anecdotally, it doesn't seem to be a particular demographic who cover up.

I have seen the very elderly, as well as a number of teenagers donning masks while I have been out frightening shop assistants.

Not everybody gets it though; a couple of weeks ago I saw a masked (and gloved) Marks & Spencer patron yank his covering down when the helpful staff member was unable to fully understand him.

She took it with good grace.

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