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| In this file photograph taken on April 22, 2020, a woman in a mask walks past a mural of a hand on the side of a building in Midtown, New York City. AFP |
By Bae Eun-joo
"No Smoking" is probably the most familiar and common prohibition sign that can be found across the world. Nowadays, another prohibition sign that is being spotted in many locations is "No Mask No Entry."
"No Mask No Entry" policies have become effective in every aspect of our daily life as the South Korean government made it mandatory for the first time last month to wear face masks both indoors and outdoors to help reduce transmission of COVID-19.
This was a strengthened measure from four months earlier when the government had ordered that face masks must be worn on public transportation, including subways, buses and taxis, all the time.
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| People wearing face mask, to prevent the spread of the Covid-19, walk past a coloured wall in La Defense business district in Courbevoie, near Paris, on September 7, 2020. AFP |
Violators of the "No Mask No Entry" rule can be fined up to 3 million won ($2,520) and charges can be pressed, depending on the severity of the violation. Starting Nov. 13, when the revised law takes effect, anybody not wearing a face mask indoors or outdoors will be subject to a 100,000 won fine.
Last month, four passengers who refused to wear face masks inside a subway train were fined 250,000 won each by the Seoul government. They became the first people to be penalized for violating a safety guideline set by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
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| A wedding photographer's assistant, wearing a mask for protection against the spread of coronavirus, holds lighting equipment, as a couple poses for photographs backdropped by Istanbul's iconic Maiden's Tower (Kiz Kulesi) at the Bosphorus Strait separating the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. AP |
In the United States, more than 30 states have instituted mask orders and local governments have launched their own penalties for violations.
Miami Beach, one of the world's most crowded and popular attractions, is handing out $50 fines for visitors not wearing face coverings, even when outdoors or socially distanced. The city's mandate is nearly identical to an order issued by Miami-Dade County in July that comes with a $100 fine. The rules provide exceptions for children younger than two years old, individuals with respiratory problems or those involved in "strenuous physical activity."
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| People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus walk under a large screen in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. AP |
Strolling down Rodeo Drive in affluent Beverly Hills, California, without a face mask can result in a $100 fine. In Compton, a first-time violator will get a warning, then a fine of $500 for a second offense. Los Angeles County, home to more than 10 million residents, shuttered around 100 businesses for failing to obey the county's mask and social distancing orders. Yolo County fines individuals up to $500 and businesses up to $10,000 for noncompliance.
Wearing of face masks must not be equated with making a political statement. It is a public health issue and a modest sacrifice everybody has to make to help the world return to the normal it knew before COVID-19 exerted itself over all of our lives.
So, simply pull a mask out of your pocket and put it on. Not wearing a mask is no longer an option.
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