Ben’s Thursday blog asked what safety protocols you are following during this time. Today I am asking, what etiquette protocols are you following when others either are not wearing masks or wearing them improperly? Essentially, my question is whether you have become a member of the mask police?

Recently, I have been in three different situations where people were either not wearing masks or wearing them ineffectively. I reacted differently each time. The first time I was standing online to be seated in an outdoor restaurant. The gentleman in front of me turned around to speak to me with his mask off his face. I instinctively took a few steps back. When his Wife asked him to put his mask on, he begrudgingly did so muttering, “I don’t believe in this mask stuff.” Happily, he then got called to his table before I, or my obviously annoyed husband, had a chance to respond.

The following day, while washing my hands in the public restroom in my office building, a woman came up to the other end of the sink-about four feet away from me-not wearing a mask. Unsure whether I should say anything, I merely, with a clear purpose, adjusted my own mask and left the restroom.

Lastly, when walking into my office building one morning, I came upon my building manager, Edgar (who I am very fond of) talking to someone I did not know. The person I did not know was wearing a mask but had it on below his nose. I purposely walked between them and said, “If you’re speaking to Edgar you have to wear your mask properly, that means covering your nose as well.” The gentleman fixed his mask and Edgar gave me a friendly wink.

It is not lost on me that, the only time I spoke up about a person’s mask, was to protect someone else I cared about. What would you have done? Have you corrected others when they are wearing masks improperly?