I lived on the Isle of Wight for about half my life.

I now live on a tropical island. Almost half the size of the IW and about half the residents.

What it does not have is Covid-19.

There were six cases in March, all incoming (tourists), plus one in October.

All seven were moved to a specialist hospital on the mainland and all recovered.

The difference between this tiny island and IW is masks and temperature surveillance plus quarantine.

The country shut all airports in the beginning of the year.

The important elements were obligatory masks and temperature surveillance.

All of the island's supermarkets were obliged to ensure that no one entered their premises without a mask and temperature confirmed. The same for travel on the boats.

No ifs, no buts...no mask, no entry.

Temperature outside of range no entry.

I do not like wearing a mask but I had a choice to not go shopping and get a neighbour, relative, friend, or use internet or phone to order my shopping.

Everyone entering the country now goes into quarantine.

At the airports, arrivals are corralled into a private area where passports and negative Covid certificates are checked by staff wearing PPE.

Once in the quarantine lodge you are checked for the virus and shown your room that is your home for 14 days.

Policies which are designed to protect individuals are enforced rigidly.

The result is Koh Samui deaths none, IW deaths 237, plus 6,500 positive cases.

This letter is not written to confirm that the UK government is inept but to support shop workers who are unqualified to make judgments on mask wearing.

As unqualified as the person who put them in this position.

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