Well a snotty nose (especially in kids) is not a sign of respiratory disease. Indeed, it could be me going for a walk on a cold and windy day, or it could be one of those disgusting footballers caught on camera blowing out their nostrils one at a time. However, as I've never been to China or Japan, and never will, I'll take your word for it. The science tells us that respiratory viruses find it much more difficult to spread outdoors. So I'll cling on to my prejudice that widespread outdoor mask-wearing looks just a tad neurotic. Here in the airy and uncrowded winter outdoors of Bude, my visceral reaction to seeing people out for a walk on the clifftops wearing masks is that they are neurotic and that they don't trust anyone (including me). Rather sad, actually.

Negative again this morning. Point taken that a negative test doesn't prove that you're negative, Kevin. I do three tests a week routinely, and extra at the merest sniffle. I can't do better than that to protect other people (I wouldn't go out of the house, nor would Mrs Steve, if either of us tested positive), bar never leaving home.