A researcher into face mask wearing believes New Zealanders would comply if wearing them was made mandatory during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lesley Gray, from Otago University's Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice, says wearing masks helps to reduce the risk of spread of infection.
“We should be wearing masks for ourselves and other people,” Gray told TVNZ1's Breakfast.
“The more people wear masks and on public transport, that helps reduce the risk.”
Socially distancing from strangers outside of household bubbles and hand hygiene also helps to reduce the risk of spreading infections, she added.
Gray's advice comes a day after a new case of Covid-19 community transmission was confirmed in Auckland.
The woman in her 20s became symptomatic on Monday and was tested on Tuesday, but having called in sick, went to work wearing a mask after speaking with her manager.
She lives in a central apartment but has been moved to Auckland’s quarantine facility after receiving a positive result.
The Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins told TVNZ1’s Breakfast this morning that he believed the woman wore a mask “extensively” when she became sick.
"I think before, there's some timing questions here about when exactly she started to wear a mask, but my understanding is certainly since the test she had been wearing a mask whenever coming into contact with others."
Hipkins told RNZ’s Morning Report that the Government will look over the coming days at whether mask wearing should become mandatory on public transport.
Gray says those interviewed for a research paper on mask wearing said they weren’t sure if they should be wearing masks or not, but if it was a mandate to wear them, they would wear them more.
“People feel embarrassed wearing them and most people feel that they are uncomfortable. But if they were told you have to wear a mask to go to these places, some people would avoid going out and other people would reluctantly wear the mask.”
The slow uptake on masks compared to other countries is down to New Zealand’s lack of a face mask wearing culture, Gray says.
“We are not a country that would regularly wear a mask if we have a cold whereas some other countries would routinely wear a mask for the benefit of others not so much to protect ourselves.”
Gray says although it’s just one case and New Zealanders shouldn’t be afraid, the Auckland community case is a good time to reset and a reminder not to become complacent.
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