Masks on the tube???

[RollerGirl7]

Can someone tell me if I have to wear a mask on the tube?

Im going to London next week, I've been on trains by where I live a couple of times in the last month or two and not worn masks as it's not very crowded and I find it quite hard to breathe.

I have problems with narrow nasal pathways and struggle to breathe if anything is covering my mouth, I've literally had to be put to sleep in the past so dentist can do a filling as I can't breathe through my nose and with someone's hand in my month. That said I'm not really exempt as I can wear a mask but would just really really rather not.

Can anyone clarify the law? Is it a legal requirement? Frowned upon not to? Are most people on the tube wearing one these days?

Thanks in advance

Can you really not wear a mask? I've been in 3 countries this summer and mask wearing on public transport is obligatory.

I was on tube today and was about 50% wearing, no one questions those not wearing.

I was on the tube quite a lot last week. It’s still much, much less crowded than in pre-pandemic times, even on the Piccadilly line through the West End. I would say that mask wearing was about 50/50. Nobody was making any attempt to enforce it. It felt quite safe as the windows were open at both ends of the carriages meaning that they were very well ventilated.

As you have airway problems I would avoid public transport altogether Covid is rife at the moment.

I was in London the past 2 days. Mask wearing on the tube is about 50/50 and I didn't see any attempts at enforcement.

I wore mine because of the local rules but now I'm back up North, I won't be donning it again unless I'm in a healthcare setting.

I have been in London this week and agree, mask wearing is 50/50 and is not enforced.

If I can help at all, wear disposable ones. Wearing fabric ones are suffocating in the heat of the tube stations.

I’ve got the tube consistently through lockdown and mask usage went up considerably as time went on, but I’ve noticed that lately it’s started to drop off again. I’d say about 70% of people wear a mask at the moment. It is compulsory but I’ve only seen BTP enforce it on two occasions over the last year.

Yes, wear a mask on the tube. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, it’s what you should be doing.

The tube is a hotbed of germs and infection even in normal times. Having the windows open at either end will not make any difference. I’m not a COVID obsessive by any stretch but I’m genuinely a bit shocked by the responses on this thread. I live in London and use the tube regularly.

Yes, wear your mask. Just because some other people don’t, doesn’t mean it’s safe for you not to.

I have seen tfl staff stopping unmasked people to ask them to put on a mask quite a few times, i hardly see any unmasked people un the tube (thankfully).

Yeah, if you struggle with breathing you’ll probably not enjoy Covid, so placing a thin piece of fabric on your face is a bare minimum, basic decency thing. I wouldn’t want to be in germville (indoors, around the general public) unless essential, but go for it if you don’t give a fuck.

Do you have to get the tube? If you hVe respiratory issues then presumably you'd want to avoid unnecessary risk to yourself from Covid or anything else.

@DancingPolarBear I guess you take the tube to go to work and come back. At those times people are people going to the office and I agree that maybe more people wear it (I am sitting on the tube right now and I see several people without masks anyway, everyday quite a lot of them, I am surprised you have hardly seen anyone without a mask, I guess it depends on the lines too).
If you travel on the weekend is a different thing though, I find that way more people don't wear it. My guess is that people who mostly are traveling to socialise are less worried about the virus so less likely to wear a mask.

The times I've travelled on the weekend at random times and around central London, definitely half of the people are not wearing anything at all. And how they can enforce anything if you can say you are exempt? It has never been enforceable i.f you can just say that and they have to take your word for it.
By the way, I wear a mask on public transport be cause I thing is the correct thing to do but answering OP question...

As much we have to get on and live with covid I do think that the tube is the one place to be avoided if possible. What’s the journey across London you need to do?

I’m in London and have similar issues to you OP - chronic sinus issues means that mask-wearing is very uncomfortable and unpleasant but I’m not technically exempt.

Technically you’re supposed to wear them on the Tube but I haven’t worn one since July 19th and no one has batted an eyelid and I’ve never seen anyone else challenged either. Compliance remained high at first but has since fallen so it’s now around 50:50 on average.

I was on a Tube train the other day that was held in a tunnel for some time due to signal failure. Of the maybe 50% of people who had been wearing masks to start with, around 80% had removed them by the time we got going again due to heat and discomfort- pragmatism in action!

I very much doubt you’ll have any trouble.

Mask wearing has definitely gone down a lot in the last 2 weeks

Where do you need to go? You may feel better getting an overground train, they're better ventilated and less of a germ pit

Have you tried different types of face covering? If it's loose it shouldn't reduce air flow. Even if you just tie a bandana over the top of your nose and have it open at the bottom it's offering some protection to others.

Or one of those shields - I don't think they are hugely effective but it least it shows you are making an effort!

I’ve never been confronted by staff the only time I was confronted was by some rude man but that was on the bus and at the very beginning of the pandemic

Commuting from SW London to the west end at rush hour last week (Piccadilly line), I'd say it was about 75/25 mask compliance (and considerably less crowded than usual).

TBH, OP, if you have extant breathing issues, you REALLY don't want to get Covid.

The tube is germ soup at the best of times - I say that as somebody with a fairly robust immune system and no health conditions that I know of - and there are some fairly significant outbreaks across London ATM.

If you really can't wear a mask, I'd recommend overground travel (ideally walking or cycling) instead.