Herald readers have shown overwhelming support for using masks in healthcare settings.
A three-day poll on the HeraldScotland website asked people whether they thought staff and visitors should be required to wear FFP2 or FFP3 masks in hospitals and care homes.
The results found 82% of the 2,988 people who voted were in favour, compared to 18% against.
It follows calls this week for mask rules to be reinstated in hospitals and care homes to reduce the spread of the virus which causes Covid.
A group of healthcare workers who have developed long Covid and other post-viral conditions as a result of infections contracted in the workplace warned that the decision by the Scottish Government to scrap mask requirements in health and care settings in May is "flawed and dangerous" because it puts clinically vulnerable patients at risk and increases the risk that staff will be repeatedly re-infected.
They want to see mask rules reinstated with "immediate" effect and all staff provided with well-fitting FFP2 masks as a minimum, noting that there is "substantial evidence" that use of FFP2 or FFP3 respirator masks - as opposed to surgical masks - reduce the risk of occupational exposure and transmission to patients.
The poll also asked readers whether they thought we are doing enough to protect people from Covid.
Of the 1,318 people who voted, 86% said no, 13% said yes, and 1% were unsure.
Finally, we asked whether readers would like to see more done to improve indoor air quality through ventilation and filtration technologies.
A total of 1,312 people responded, with 93% saying yes, 5% no, and 1% saying they did not know.
See the results below:
Since the beginning of 2022, Covid mitigations and monitoring has been gradually lifted, including social distancing in venues such as hospitality, mask in shops/public transport, availability of Covid tests, and the collection of official Covid data on prevalence.
The focus is on preventing and reducing severe infections, for example through the use of vaccines and antivirals.
There is concern that the virus which causes Covid is airborne, and some scientists have called for tougher mitigations to reduce its spread in this way through better ventilation and cleaning of indoor air in public spaces, for example by using Hepa filters.
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