Mask-wearing remains a hot topic.

While the Government’s mandatory requirements are long over, a new survey shows that the majority of workers would appreciate it if their colleagues continued to wear a mask at work.

The latest Taxback.com Taxpayer Sentiment Survey found that, in the main, although there is no requirement to do so in most public settings, wearing a mask is still very much the norm for many people.

Whether through necessity or desire, more than seven out of every 10 workers (73%) in Ireland will wear a mask at their place of work, while the majority (57%) of people want their colleagues to do so also.

‘There’s the 32% who simply don’t care’

“People are really divided in whether or not they want people to wear masks at work – on the one hand you have the 57% who would definitely feel more comfortable if masks were commonplace, but on the other, there’s the 32% who simply don’t care, and a further 11% who definitely don’t want colleagues to wear masks at work, perhaps feeling that they have had enough of this particular pandemic measure for good.” said Barry Cahill, Director of Taxback.com’s Employee Financial Wellbeing Service.

Mr Cahill said the survey shows that the issue of mask-wearing is still very much a part of the conversation.

“And It looks likely to stay that way from some time to come – just last week Dr. David Nabarro of the World Health Organisation said as Covid cases rise again, the government should be implementing a return to mask-wearing, and social distancing, particularly in confined and crowded spaces,” he added.