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Part of the problem is that pretty much everybody in East Asia already owned at least one mask. In Europe pretty much nobody owned a mask prior to COVID-19. An

by mantap 7y ago

Part of the problem is that pretty much everybody in East Asia already owned at least one mask. In Europe pretty much nobody owned a mask prior to COVID-19. And masks have been sold out for weeks. If masks were easily available you'd see people wearing them I'm sure.

WildGreenLeave 7y ago
At least in The Netherlands there are still plenty of masks to be found. You won't find the surgical masks anymore but masks for construction work is still plenty available. I think most europeans look down on wearing masks as something stupid, most europeans also think hand sanitizer is stupid. (This just applies to my dutch family and friends over there, I am currently in Thailand and always wearing a mask and hand sanitizer)
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hrktb 7y ago
This is partly an effect of cultural issues related to immunity and how it's perceived in most europe countries. Even putting aside the whole deliberate sharing germs and force building body resistance, wearing a mask is seen as anti-social, somewhat selfish, weak and alarming. People's reactions to a mask is really ranging from "you shouldn't wear it at all, we're among friends (at work)" to "if you're that ill you shouldn't get out of your home and take a sick leave". There few middle ground, accepting wearing a mask just in a case, or for some benign infection.