Beards and Masks

 I sat last night looking at a brief commentary via German social media and the chat was mostly centered on the new mandated FFP-2 mask (the 'Jesus-mask').  Come Monday, it's absolutely mandated in Germany.

This viral expert pointed it out (probably the 10th time in the past week that I've noted this this type of criticism)....the FFP-2 mask is crap with bearded guys.  

The fantastic advantage that the FFP-2 mask has....relates to a 'seal'....air doesn't sneak in.  If you have a beard (especially a big long beard)....the seal doesn't exist and the value of the mask is marginal.  

This guy making the comment suggested that beards might have to go.  It was a sarcastic and cynical comment (at least I perceived it that way).

The trouble is....once Germans are convinced that a problem exists....they usually want to fix it.

Mandating guys to shave off their beards?  In six weeks, it wouldn't surprise me a number of Germans guys with beards....end up with Covid-19, and this gets noticed by the medical/political establishment.  Then the hype will start up.....guys need to shave the beards off.

Around the 1690s....Czar Peter (one of my favorite Czars) made up a crazy rule in Russia....to get all Russians fixed on a clean shaven face.  To help make this happen....he made up a beard tax (you can laugh about this today).  

The general cost to the tax....30 Russian Rubles.  If you were wealthy....it went on up to around 100 Rubles.  In those days, it was a fair chunk of money.  

What you got after paying the tax?  There was some stupid coin that you'd carry with you....if ever challenged by the police for having a beard....you'd pull it out to show you were 'OK'.  This coin business went on for about 80 years in Russia.

Could the Germans even generate some kind of hygiene Covid-ban rule over this?  I'd have my doubts.  At least 10-percent of the German population have a beard of some type.  Would they cooperate on this type of mandate?

So the value of this mask is solely the seal?  More or less.  At this point, I'd suggest that fewer than 5-percent of Germans have grasped this part of the whole story.  And the beard dilemma will just complicate the public forum chatter even more....especially if it's mostly women as the experts.