'Mask-shaming' stories cropping up as COVID-19 restrictions are eased

It came as a surprise to Tracey Sanders the pointing and snickering.

The Sudbury woman says she often feels like she's being shamed for wearing a face mask when she's out.

"It's happened multiple times. Some people snicker at us. We've had people point their fingers at us. We've heard them making comments under their breath as they go by you ...not watching the social distancing as they do so ... and making you feel like you're doing something wrong," she said.

"It's really upsetting because, to me, it's the equivalent of being bullied or getting shamed, like fat-shaming or anything like that ... it makes you feel the same thing. It's not nice on any grounds to be bullying or shaming people ... because the person is trying to be proactive and to help protect their family and friends and their community."

Something similar is happening to people who refuse to wear masks. They're being shamed for being irresponsible. And the city's health unit is hearing about the concerns from both sides.

"We're hearing more and more of these mask-shaming stories," said Public Health Sudbury and Districts nurse and program managerAnik Proulx.

She points out that some people can't wear masks, such as"young children under the age of two, anyone who has trouble breathing, anyone who is unable to remove the mask without help."

The health unit is encouraging people to wear masks on public transit,when shopping, or when physical distancing isn't possible. For those who can wear a mask, it provides an extra layer for protection for those who can't.

As the pandemic continues, the health unit says it has not ruled out making mask-wearing mandatory in some situations.

In the meantime, Sanders says she hopes mask-shaming will end.

"We've worked so hard to get rid of the bullying aspect in our society. So why are we picking it up during a pandemic?"