A question asked by The Australian journalist Rachel Baxendale has become a hilarious meme after VIC Premier Dan Andrews shut her down on Monday’s daily press conference.
Andrews was responding to a Liberal MP’s rant about face masks and said that while masks are uncomfortable, they’re better than having to breathe using a machine if you happen to catch a severe bout of COVID.
The Oz journalist Baxendale then asked a question which was deemed esoteric by Andrews: “Someone by themselves in regional Victoria going for a walk, and there’s no one else in the same square kilometre as them. It’s a bit silly for them to have to wear a mask, isn’t it?”
Andrews swiftly responds with: “What’s the issue, Rachel? Seriously, what’s the issue?”
Baxendale replied and said being able to walk without a mask in rural Victoria was a “health purpose.”
“That’s an esoteric debate, really,” Andrews replied.
While Baxendale attempted to explain she was not an anti-masker, #WhatsTheIssueRachel has now become a massive internet meme.
Just so it's crystal clear, anyone coming into contact with anyone they don't live with in any part of Victoria should be wearing a mask, and I've at no stage suggested otherwise.
— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) September 28, 2020
There are hundreds of thousands of people in regional Vic who wound't regard it as an "esoteric" question. Particularly in parts of the state where they either haven't had a COVID case for weeks, or have never had one.
— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) September 28, 2020
Social media users were quick to come up with their own “esoteric” hypotheticals of when it should be OK to not wear a mask, and some of them are rather funny.
https://twitter.com/officialdimsim/status/1310481467294674944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1310481467294674944%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pedestrian.tv%2Fnews%2Fdan-andrews-shut-down-rachel-baxendale-meme%2F
If I'm Parachuting into Victoria and I'm the only one jumping out of the plane, do I need to have a mask on the whole way down, when I get 5km from the surface or just before landing… #WhatstheissueRachel
— Pauly D (@DK_Flipper) September 28, 2020
If I wake up tomorrow in regional Victoria and I am a mask, will I be fined if I'm not wearing a person, and when will you apologise for this? #WhatsTheIssueRachel
— PRGuy (@PRGuy17) September 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/MichelleOC13/status/1310477851720851456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1310477851720851456%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pedestrian.tv%2Fnews%2Fdan-andrews-shut-down-rachel-baxendale-meme%2F
If a surgeon is operating alone, less than 5km from his home, does she still have to wear a mask?#Whatstheissuerachel
— They Said (@TheySaid01) September 28, 2020
