Covid rules were both formal and informal. There were masking requirements and vaccination as well as shelter in place that was being enforced “legally” but informal mechanisms also continued to enforce the formal controls.

When it came to formal mechanisms of social control, masking was a requirement to enter buildings. If people weren’t wearing masks they dealt with consequences. That could have been the person being asked to leave the building, a scene being caused, or people ignoring and “shunning” that person. Most people after a humuliation like that usually follow the formal mechanisms of social control and would wear their masks in an area like that in the future.

Some other informal mechanisms for social control were the expectation of keeping other people, especially elderly people, safe. Many people did not agree with the mask mandate but they wore masks to protect their loved ones. Even though people who didn’t wear masks used the excuse of the fact that they were healthy and could handle the disease, some of those people would wear it to prevent the spread to someone who could not handle Covid.

Most people who did not follow the formal mechanisms of social control were met with consequences that led people to follow the formal mechanisms. Most of the consequences bounced people back because of humuliation or being denied access to places or things that one needed. Not following formal mechanisms of social control were met with informal mechanisms of social control that caused people to follow the original mandates and requirements.