Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Violet Affleck and mask mandates

335 replies

aold · 24/09/2025 09:44

AIBU think that this shouldn’t be encouraged? Violet Affleck advocating for mask mandates. Daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. Speaking about the importance of masks. Says we should still be wearing them to curb the spread of Covid 19.
Shouldn’t a young privileged woman be enjoying her youth? Is there a reason for fit healthy people like her to still walk around in masks?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15127909/violet-affleck-mask-mandates-long-covid-ben-jennifer-garner.html

OP posts:
Dinkyshrinks · 24/09/2025 11:35

Re: cost. Not doing anything has a large financial cost.

BloominNora · 24/09/2025 11:35

aold · 24/09/2025 10:01

yes, poor people have just as much chance at getting into Yale/Harvard/MIT/Cambridge as rich people. Where’s the laugh emoji?

. Posted too soon

Horsie · 24/09/2025 11:35

I also think she has MH issues. She's been wearing a mask clamped to her face for years now, while outdoors. It's just not normal this far after Covid. I feel as if she wore a mask pre-vaccines and then became unable to give them up. Reminds me a bit of Mrs. Tishell in Doc Martin who always wore that neck brace. She's a weird kid.

scorpiogirly · 24/09/2025 11:34

I think she needs a better education. The masks were pointless and did nothing.

Thesoundofscience · 24/09/2025 11:30

It would be great if she could speak out in favour of clean air filtration systems in schools, like they hastily installed in the HoP during COVID. Now that really would help decrease the spread of airborne viruses such as Covid.

Uricon2 · 24/09/2025 11:22

People should wear masks if they want or need and maybe one after effect of Covid is being more conscious of taking care if unwell, especially around vulnerable people. I'm getting over sepsis and am trying to avoid infections (medical advice) but I know it's impossible to eliminate all risk. Things can be transmitted before symptoms appear, for a start.

However, there are only 2 reasons why this young woman has been given a platform at the UN as a first year undergrad aged 19 and their names are Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. I don't think it's good for her, even if she goes on to be a brilliant scientist in the future.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 11:21

Tiredofwhataboutery · 24/09/2025 11:18

I think this is possibly where you contemplate replacement of buildings and think long term. There’s a few newish schools near me and they have heat recovery and air filtration built in. Heating a building of that size is a huge cost and they house local swimming pools too so £££s.

In comparison my local primary has bits that are 400 years old, it was opened by royal charter by King James. It’s energy rating is as bad as it gets and if you want fresh air you open a window.

At some point though eventually buildings will be redeveloped and that’s the time to bring them up to standard.

They don’t open a bloody window do they?!! My god how antiquated 😱

Mymanyellow · 24/09/2025 11:20

Is this the one thats a boy really, or am I thinking of someone else.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 11:20

Dinkyshrinks · 24/09/2025 11:14

She is advocating for improved indoor air quality - seems rational to me. Fewer pathogens, healthier environment, less absence, better test scores. I want some of that for my children please. Fewer ear infections following viruses makes sense for those concerned about speech and language issues (especially as there is a shortage of speech and language therapists).

By the way, WHO improved their IAQ pretty quickly early on in the pandemic. Parliament followed suit.

Im sure Labour woyld find a way to tax us for the filtered air so I’d rather my air was slightly sullied but free please.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 24/09/2025 11:18

aold · 24/09/2025 11:03

and who will pay to filter the air in public buildings?

I think this is possibly where you contemplate replacement of buildings and think long term. There’s a few newish schools near me and they have heat recovery and air filtration built in. Heating a building of that size is a huge cost and they house local swimming pools too so £££s.

In comparison my local primary has bits that are 400 years old, it was opened by royal charter by King James. It’s energy rating is as bad as it gets and if you want fresh air you open a window.

At some point though eventually buildings will be redeveloped and that’s the time to bring them up to standard.

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 11:18

RafaistheKingofClay · 24/09/2025 11:04

In the same way that other countries do by mandating air filtration in public spaces. It isn’t rocket science. The tech exists and is widely available. It just relies on people stopping lying about the risks of covid.

Schools and hospitals would be a good start. Would hugely reduce the spread across the country.

Obviously this is the US and I’m assuming you and I are in the U.K. Do we have filtered air over here as standard? I have no idea but I’m guessing not. Are hospitals in the UK even air conditioned? They always seem blisteringly hot so again I’m imagining no.

DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix · 24/09/2025 11:17

aold · 24/09/2025 11:16

she does. And you’d think her parents would mask up in solidarity, but they don’t.

I wouldn't expect that at all!

SoggyArse · 24/09/2025 11:16

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 24/09/2025 09:48

Are you suggesting that a young woman should not be allowed to choose what she wears?

It's the sanctimonious telling us off for not doing as she does that pisses me off.

COVID is no worse than a cold. Get over it FFS . Her generation are a bunch of wet lettuces

DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix · 24/09/2025 11:16

Spookyspaghetti · 24/09/2025 11:11

Considering the amount of people who died or were effected in the long term, I personally think it’s the comments of anti-masker, anti-vaxers, and the ‘Covid is a hoax’ people that haven’t aged well.

It's not either/or. More than one group of people can be full of shit. There isn't a mechanism whereby nasty bullying of easily targeted non-maskers becomes less repulsive because some social media brain boiled fuckwits think covid is fake. You are in the wrong to try and use one group to detract from criticism of the other.

aold · 24/09/2025 11:16

RafaistheKingofClay · 24/09/2025 11:14

I’m pretty sure she always masks. I doubt that was a publicity stunt.

she does. And you’d think her parents would mask up in solidarity, but they don’t.

OP posts:
aold · 24/09/2025 11:15

Spookyspaghetti · 24/09/2025 11:11

Considering the amount of people who died or were effected in the long term, I personally think it’s the comments of anti-masker, anti-vaxers, and the ‘Covid is a hoax’ people that haven’t aged well.

and never mind the post covid mental health tsunami or
those who died or had delayed cancer diagnoses because of a complete lack of treatment during covid?
I’m fully vaxxed and wore masks whilst doing social distancing during the pandemic, but at some point we
need to live and to move on.

OP posts:
Dinkyshrinks · 24/09/2025 11:14

She is advocating for improved indoor air quality - seems rational to me. Fewer pathogens, healthier environment, less absence, better test scores. I want some of that for my children please. Fewer ear infections following viruses makes sense for those concerned about speech and language issues (especially as there is a shortage of speech and language therapists).

By the way, WHO improved their IAQ pretty quickly early on in the pandemic. Parliament followed suit.

RafaistheKingofClay · 24/09/2025 11:14

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:59

People posting on here are saying we have the wrong end of the stick. She just wants to bring in filtered air for buildings. Perhaps she was wearing her mask as a publicity stunt to prove the point that if we don’t sort out climate change we’re all going to be stuck with those bloody things on our face and we obviously don’t want that.

I’m pretty sure she always masks. I doubt that was a publicity stunt.

Spookyspaghetti · 24/09/2025 11:11

aold · 24/09/2025 10:22

exactly. And I can remember the gleeful posts on my local community facebook page during the pandemic when posters would call out people for going to Asda without a face mask on. When they explained that it was because they had severe anxiety or asthma, they were shot down. It hasn’t aged well.

Considering the amount of people who died or were effected in the long term, I personally think it’s the comments of anti-masker, anti-vaxers, and the ‘Covid is a hoax’ people that haven’t aged well.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 24/09/2025 11:09

I thought the odd bug here and there probably does your immune system good. Didn’t kids who were raised in isolation struggle with lots of germs when lockdown ended. I would like to see better ventilation / air purification in schools and public buildings. I think wearing a mask is a good idea if you have a bug to keep it to yourself!

aold · 24/09/2025 11:07

RafaistheKingofClay · 24/09/2025 11:04

In the same way that other countries do by mandating air filtration in public spaces. It isn’t rocket science. The tech exists and is widely available. It just relies on people stopping lying about the risks of covid.

Schools and hospitals would be a good start. Would hugely reduce the spread across the country.

there are risk to many many things though. We can’t throw money at every single thing whilst we’re still looking for a cure for cancer.

OP posts:
RafaistheKingofClay · 24/09/2025 11:04

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 24/09/2025 10:39

So if she’s not advocating for forced masks by saying those quoted words what do you think she is advocating for. How do we access our right to ‘filtered air?’

In the same way that other countries do by mandating air filtration in public spaces. It isn’t rocket science. The tech exists and is widely available. It just relies on people stopping lying about the risks of covid.

Schools and hospitals would be a good start. Would hugely reduce the spread across the country.

AtIusvue · 24/09/2025 11:04

ForZanyAquaViewer · 24/09/2025 09:54

Yes. And? She didn’t pick her parents, she still gets to have opinions.

And how is this stopping her from ‘enjoying her youth’? Is enjoyment of one’s youth only to be derived from things you agree with?

We all have opinions…..just that we don’t get a stage at the UN to express them, unlike this child of privilege

aold · 24/09/2025 11:03

and who will pay to filter the air in public buildings?

OP posts:
aold · 24/09/2025 11:01

we know that exposure to viruses and bacteria helps create immunological memory and build resistance. Surely living in a sterile, sanitised world, in masks, buildings with filtered air, means our immune system
doesnt have to work?

OP posts: