Surgical Masks

The picture to the right shows a very common sight seen all throughout Japan - people wearing surgical masks in public; but the sight would be very out of place in America (unless you are Michael Jackson). In America people might think you are up to no good like a desperado from the Old West looking to rob a bank or train.

Why do so many people in Japan wear them? Are they germaphobes? Is something going around? Should I be wearing one? No, it is simply because they are sick. It is usually something like a cold, the sniffles or even allergies that they are suffering from, but the Japanese are considerate enough to wear these masks so that you don't catch their illness.

Strange, huh? In America no one would be caught dead wearing such a mask in public. They would rather sneeze in their hands and touch things like doorknobs, spreading their germs to others than look foolish and wear a surgical mask in public.

When the swine flu scare was spreading in the US a few years ago, our office was sent a few boxes of surgical masks because we dealt with customers face-to-face and do you know that we were not allowed to wear them because it didn't look "professional" for us to be wearing masks? Our company would rather have had us contract a fatal sickness and look professional to our customers. Great, thanks a lot.

I can tell you that the first time I get sick, I will proudly wear a surgical mask in public, knowing that I am doing so to prevent the spread of germs.

Although, I might be tempted to walk up behind someone and shout, "Reach for the sky!"