How Mask-Wearing Has Become A Class Issue?

Mask-wearing has gone from being a socially responsible habit to becoming a class issue

- Seema Goswami

I was at a wedding reception last fortnight when I first noticed it. The guests were pairing their best finery with their most dazzling smiles. But the staff that was serving them in uniform were all wearing masks. From the valets who were helping to park cars, to the waiters who were passing around the snacks; from the chefs who were slaving over hot stoves in the open kitchens to the bartenders mixing cocktails with a flourish -- every single person in a service role was wearing a mask. And everyone who was being served was barefaced.

That's when it struck me: Mask wearing has gone from being a socially responsible habit to becoming a class issue. It's only the serving classes who are expected to follow Covid protocols, while the rest of us merrily contaminate the air with all our germs.