Noel Gallagher has provoked condemnation for his refusal to wear protective face masks.
The former Oasis singer had discussed the use of masks – which are widely used to help prevent the spread of coronavirus – on a recent podcast appearance.
Speaking on The Matt Morgan Podcast, Gallagher said: “I don’t wear a mask, no. The whole f***ing thing is b*******.
“You’re supposed to wear them in Selfridges but you can f***ing go down to the pub and be surrounded by every f***ing c***. ‘Oh well, actually, we don’t have the virus in the pubs, but we have it in Selfridges.’ ‘Oh, alright.’”
In England, new regulations introduced yesterday (14 September) limit the amount of people who can gather to a maximum of six, following a rise in the number of coronavirus cases.
In certain circumstances, such as while on public transport or while inside shops or shopping centres, mask-wearing is mandatory.
You can find details of the current rules here.
Gallagher, 53, also claimed that there were “too many f***ing liberties” that were being “taken away from us”.
He said: “I’ve been in shops today, ‘Have you got a mask?’ ‘No I haven’t.’ ‘You’ve got to wear a mask.’ ‘Says who?’ ‘Says the manager.’ ‘Well, who’s the manager?’
“I don’t give a f***, I choose not to wear one. If I get the virus, it’s on me. It’s not on anyone else. If every other c***’s wearing a mask, I’m not gonna catch it off them. And if I’ve got it, they’re not going to catch it off me. I think it’s a piss take…”
Science has proven that this is untrue. Mask-wearers can still contract the virus from others, which is made more likely by those not wearing masks.
It is also possible to be an asymptomatic carrier of the virus, meaning you can pass on the infection to others without knowing that you had it.
On social media, many were criticising Gallagher’s remarks, with some commenters branding the musician’s comments “ignorant” and “selfish”.
“BREAKING: Noel Gallagher doesn't understand how viruses work,” wrote one Twitter user.
“No one gives a f*** if you get the virus, @NoelGallagher,” wrote another. “It’s about you spreading it around like some f***ing grim reaper if you do get it.”
