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During pandemics, some people have opposed the requests of governments and private establishments to wear face masks as a public health measure against disease. Such requirements follow recommendations of health experts to reduce the spread of disease through mask-wearing and other non-pharmaceutical measures.
The criteria for, and exceptions to, face mask requirements have been ongoing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which some governments have mandated the wearing of masks. The tenor of mask refusal incidents may escalate into confrontations of verbal abuse, or in extreme cases might become violent. Mask refusers engaged in such confrontations may be arrested or criminally prosecuted. Videos of these incidents, occurring in locations from retail stores to airplanes, have been seen in the news and social media and have frequently gone viral.