At 11:59pm on Monday, the Government officially quashed the COVID-19 Protection Framework, making masks no longer mandatory in the majority of public settings.
Of course, some people may choose to still wear a mask in public spaces such as supermarkets, shopping malls and around the office, particularly if they are elderly, have an at-risk loved one, or have underlying conditions or compromised health.
It goes without saying, but in this situation, personal preference prevails; masks are no longer mandatory, but if people feel more comfortable wearing them when out and about, that is their prerogative.
Taking to the New Zealand subreddit ahead of the framework's dissolution on Monday, a user by the alias u/gurgeh77 posed the question: "What's the best response to, 'you know you don't have to wear a mask anymore, right?'"
It didn't take long for Kiwis to come out in their droves to share their savage comebacks, as well as anecdotes as to why they'll continue to mask up.
We've compiled a few of our personal favourites:
- "Are you suggesting I should just let the Government tell me what to do?" - u/KittikatB
- "I have an exemption." - u/rcr_nz
- "I'm in America so I say I don't want anyone to think I am a Republican." - u/geraldthecat2
- "Yeah but I've got COVID so I thought I'd better." - u/Same_Independent_393
- "Do you sheeple just do whatever the Government says? Edit: then watch them divide by zero and implode." - u/opticalminefield
- "I've heard it mentioned before but I like the, 'oh, it helps me mind my own f***ing business'." - u/grizzlysharknz
- "So you just do what the Government tells you?" - u/SanitetMiJeUkraoKelj
- "Maintain eye contact, slowly remove several more masks from your pocket, and begin to carefully layer them one on top of another over your original mask. Do not break eye contact. Keep going until they walk away in frustration or you have upward of 20 masks on, whichever comes first." - u/slehnhard
- "I don't have to wear underpants either." - u/phil_style
- "I would rather you kept yours on, then we could have kept up the fantasy that we are both good looking." - u/ActRepresentative530
- "I would, but your breath stinks." - u/ActRepresentative530
- "'I don't remember asking you a goddamn thing!' Always looking for the opportunity to use a Pulp Fiction quote IRL [in real life]." - u/toilaoi
- "You know nobody asked you, right?" - u/fendaltoon
- "And you don't have to be an asshole. And yet, here we are…" - u/boojieboy
- "F*** off." - u/SmartEntityOriginal.
