Follow the Rules?

Follow the Rules?

As I am now "of a certain age" and my husband is shielding, I am extremely careful on the few occasions when I go out for necessities and do follow the rules. However, I was just cleansing my hands on leaving the Co-op recently (I cleanse on entering and leaving) when two boys of about 14/15 years walked past me not wearing masks or using the hand cleanser.

I asked them where their masks were – one just ignored me the other did have the grace to look abashed and pulled his scarf up saying " I haven't got one". I left, but was troubled that I hadn't pursued it further and subsequently phoned the store to ask what their policy was in this instance. As I expected I was told staff were not to challenge people in case they had a disability and it could be discriminatory!

My question is, in the current circumstances and with the dire warnings issued daily by government, should this behaviour go completely unchallenged? Surely staff can be trained to ask a polite question without being 'challenging' or do we allow people who clearly don't care about others life/wellbeing to do as they please?

Margaret Roberts