The experience of myself and my wife in our shopping (not large supermarkets) is that, since the introduction of compulsory face coverings, many seem to assume it to be a a replacement for social distancing for some reason (feeling of invulnerability ?). I may have missed something but I thought that was still an important part of the "plan". Personally I would rather spend a short time in a shop with acceptable distancing in a calm and rational way without a mask than wear a mask and have people breathing down my neck.
There are certain cramped situations where, personally, I can see the sense in a mask so I'm happy to go along but I'd rather we kept a prudent distance also. My experience also is that there are more younger people not wearing masks although that is not a scientific study and again, without the facts to back it up, my suspicions are that there is more spreading of the virus by young asymptomatic spreaders, probably to more seriously affected individuals in household environments. I can understand the approach of the young because when you are young you don't have the same view of risk and, when most young people have probably not come across anyone of a similar age who has suffered from the virus, they don't perceive a problem, irrespective of whether or not there is an issue.
