evidence: "The decision to wear a face mask is not an easy one. Traditionally, face coverings are an indicator of political persuasion and religious belief. I perceive that the widespread covering of one's face in public is a significant cultural and social shift in Ireland." [Ciara Heavin, Ireland] [...] Third, our analysis highlighted that many countries, specifically those in Europe, that previously banned face coverings in public spaces are now mandating them. Face mask wearing has enjoyed varying levels of acceptance across different cultural, governmental, and religious environments; however, even in our study, we could show that the strict rules correspond to the better epidemiological situation (50). Moreover, the voluntary policy and insufficient compliance can be perceived as less fair allowing individuals to compromise epidemiological measures, while a mandatory policy appears as an effective, fair, and socially responsible (27). Although the mask can become a symbol of the fight against the virus or of neglect, it remains controversial who and when should have the control on the use of the symbol (51). [...] 54. The Royal Society. Face Masks and Coverings for the General Public: Behavioural Knowledge, Effectiveness of Cloth Coverings and Public Messaging. Available online at: https://royalsociety.org/-/media/policy/projects/set-c/set-c facemasks.pdf?hash=A22A87CB28F7D6AD9BD93BBCBFC2BB24&la=en-GB (accessed August 24, 2020).