Seoul city officials carry signs urging citizens to wear a face mask in downtown Seoul on Nov. 13, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Two years into the pandemic era, protective masks have become so deeply rooted in everyday life that, for many, not wearing one feels uncomfortable.
An increasing number of students at a local middle school are opting to skip lunch as they try to stay away from eating together in classrooms.
Protective masks have become an essential part of the workplace, so much that it feels unnatural to talk to colleagues without masks.
At a movie theater that only accepts vaccinated persons, some audience members felt uncomfortable watching movies with others sitting right next to them.
In fact, a lot of Americans, despite fewer mask mandates, still opted to keep their masks on to hide their facial expressions.
Experts say that protective masks have become something more than a device to prevent the spread of the pandemic, a tool to escape from various kinds of pressure in society.
From a long-term perspective, these practices are seen as less than ideal.
Rep. Jung Choun-sook from the ruling Democratic Party and civic group World Without Worries About Private Education conducted a survey of 709 heads and teachers at public daycare centers in Seoul and the Gyeonggi region, 74.9 percent of whom have seen slower language development among children because of protective masks.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
