I entirely agree with you Geof, but the trouble is that there is a substantial section of the population here in France who are just not taking those sensible precautions.
Our village center location gives us a grandstand view of both bakery and bar, and sadly what we see is a steadily increasing incidence of hand shaking, cheek kissing, full blown hugging, and a general disregard for mask wearing, or at best a cursory compliance. (The mask is ‘worn’ just hanging from one ear, pulled down under the chin, and one fellow was even wearing his around his elbow !)
Outside the bar, and in its upper level function room, tables and chairs are arranged to facilitate people sitting together shoulder to shoulder. Social functions are organised for 40 or 50 people. I wonder whether Sunday afternoon Bingo is really essential for the mental health of the village.
Those of us in the more vulnerable groups take our own protection measures, but it is annoying to see so many people behaving in such an irresponsible way. Seemingly they are unaware that Covid-19 often causes irreparable organ damage.
I just wish that everyone would take the simple measures that really don’t impact one’s life that badly, but which do so much to ensure that the health services are not over-run with Covid cases, and thus can continue to treat people with other life threatening ailments.