Coronavirus: Differing opinions behind the mask

Between now and 20 August the executive will embark on a publicity campaign to convince reluctant shoppers they ought to don a mask.

Suggested campaign slogans:

• Protect others, mask up

• The great shopping cover up

• Prove Robin wrong

I am sure an advertising copywriter would tell me that last line is too much of an in-joke.

But I throw it in as Health Minister Robin Swann has made it clear he doesn't think this strategy of exhorting the general public to voluntarily cover up will work.

That said, Mr Swann adds that he will be happy to be proven wrong.

After initially describing the scientific evidence on face masks as weak, Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride is now persuaded of the merits of making it compulsory - a policy he advised Stormont ministers to adopt.

Over the last few days many of our politicians have appeared on social media feeds wearing masks.

The executive's decision to hold off on ordering shoppers to don face coverings was quite a victory for the voluntary approach championed by some local business groups such as Retail NI and the Belfast Chamber of Commerce.

They argued mandatory mask wearing could damage trade and would be impossible to enforce.

However, not all commercial interest groups agreed - the Federation of Small Businesses indicated its support for Northern Ireland following Scotland and England's example.

Meanwhile other local chambers of commerce have yet to follow Belfast's lead.

The downsides of the current compromise include a perception that retailers have put wealth before health.

Retail NI and the Belfast Chamber of Commerce fear mandatory mask wearing could damage trade and be impossible to enforce

Retail NI strongly disputes that, but the impression was underlined by the consternation expressed by people shielding against the virus, many of whom had hoped to emerge in August into high streets in which everyone else has covered up.

So whilst some shoppers, vigilant over their civil liberties, may applaud Retail NI and the Stormont executive, others fearful of infection will feel let down.

Stores which have already invested substantial amounts in signage telling people to keep their distance may now have to take a two-tier approach.

From 1 August signs asking people to wear masks. Then from late August signs telling them they have to do it.

My money saving suggestion for retailers - order signage with a removable "please".

Whether Northern Ireland goes down the compulsory route may depend on the experience built up by our neighbours, with England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland treating mask wearing like seat belts or smoking indoors and only Wales (at the time of writing) sticking to the voluntary approach.

However, the executive will also have to devise some form of evidence gathering to determine whether voluntary mask wearing has caught on enough to "prove Robin wrong".

Is the sufficient margin for wearing face coverings going to be the 70% suggested by Retail NI or the 80% threshold mentioned by the health minister?

And will compliance be determined anecdotally by the retailers themselves or require an army of Stormont spotters surveying how many shoppers are following the devolved government's "strong recommendation"?

Forget the border poll, we have the 20 August face covering poll to concentrate on for now.