[burger]

2006, no suggested remedies are perfect for the mess we are in, short of completely isolation from others that nobody thinks is possible or pragmatic.

If you knew you could get ticketed in a crowd outside or if not wearing a mask inside, you would be more inclined to wear one.  It's basic economic incentive at work. We have to be willing to do a lot more than we have to reduce spread if we ever want to stop the damage the virus is doing to us.

My family members and friends know they can get ticketed for failing to wear a seatbelt, and it doesn't stop them. Even the loud annoying automated reminder chimes don't stop them. In the era where nearly every interaction between the police and protestors is fraught, the last thing we need is police using a protest as an opportunity to enforce a mandatory mask policy and trying to tackle people who run off to evade citation.

Your odds of being pulled over for not wearing a seat belt are near nil.  We do a decent amount of driving on weekends in CA, and we hardly ever see cops.  So, of course people aren't worried about the fines.

For masks, what would work is to have cops handing out tickets in grocery stores or wherever.  No one needs to be arrested, and they could be under strict orders not to chase offenders who flee.  Let stores pay the cops overtime to be there so this doesn't detract from other policing (I'm guessing overtime is harder to come by now).  If you want to make this really non-onerous for poor people, etc., let the fines be waived if you send in a photo of yourself wearing a mask in a grocery store within 10 days, or something.

We've already tried asking nicely for people to wear masks.  That's not been good enough.  So, now put some teeth in it.

[burger]

2006, no suggested remedies are perfect for the mess we are in, short of completely isolation from others that nobody thinks is possible or pragmatic.

If you knew you could get ticketed in a crowd outside or if not wearing a mask inside, you would be more inclined to wear one.  It's basic economic incentive at work. We have to be willing to do a lot more than we have to reduce spread if we ever want to stop the damage the virus is doing to us.

My family members and friends know they can get ticketed for failing to wear a seatbelt, and it doesn't stop them. Even the loud annoying automated reminder chimes don't stop them. In the era where nearly every interaction between the police and protestors is fraught, the last thing we need is police using a protest as an opportunity to enforce a mandatory mask policy and trying to tackle people who run off to evade citation.

Your odds of being pulled over for not wearing a seat belt are near nil.  We do a decent amount of driving on weekends in CA, and we hardly ever see cops.  So, of course people aren't worried about the fines.

For masks, what would work is to have cops handing out tickets in grocery stores or wherever.  No one needs to be arrested, and they could be under strict orders not to chase offenders who flee.  Let stores pay the cops overtime to be there so this doesn't detract from other policing (I'm guessing overtime is harder to come by now).  If you want to make this really non-onerous for poor people, etc., let the fines be waived if you send in a photo of yourself wearing a mask in a grocery store within 10 days, or something.

We've already tried asking nicely for people to wear masks.  That's not been good enough.  So, now put some teeth in it.