Mask compliance in UK vs abroad

[FabricedeSauveterre]

I’m in Italy at the moment and am struck by the difference in mask compliance. In the UK it seems like there are a lot of sunflower lanyards and non mask wearers, even before the relaxation of the rules which might have made us all lax. In Italy I have noticed precisely zero adults without masks. It seems totally socially unacceptable and is strictly enforced. Only very small children without masks on and the occasional rebel pops their nose out.

If you are in a different country what have you noticed about mask compliance?

I am not criticising or doubting those who say they can’t wear masks and have exceptions btw but am interested why we find that socially acceptable or have legislation for medical exemptions to mask wearing but other countries don’t accept it.

Dubai has very good mask compliance.

No such thing as “exemptions” in Canada.

Mask wearing in supermarkets got pretty low over the summer and autumn, I must say. I was very much in the minority. But since the announcement for them to be mandatory in shops again, so far most people seem to be complying.

@Theyweretheworstoftimes

Dubai has very good mask compliance.

Can I ask what's the punishment in Dubai for not wearing a mask?

Barely anyone wears them any longer where
I am in Texas. We did have to eat them at the ballet the other day, but otherwise it’s a free for all. My 11yo still wears one to school but he’s a rare specimen. Oldest wore one to high school for a couple of days in August then no more.

I think mask compliance varies pretty widely across the UK as well, particularly between the different nations and the different rules that have applied accordingly.

@madisonbridges it's a 3,000 AED fine. About 600 GBP

@madisonbridges - it's a 3000 dhs on the spot fine if police spot you. (About £600) And it is regularly enforced. They were even patrolling the beaches at height of first wave of pandemic. You would rarely see someone (over age 6) in an indoor public space like a mall or school without one. Exemptions for SEN do exist but you would need to carry a 'person of determination' ID card (their version of being registered disabled) It seemed a bit less strict outside as pandemic time went on although rules not changed. They also fine people maskless in cars, if clearly more than one household. That's how schools have stayed open (other than occasional class bubble closures) apart from the initial March - July 2020 lockdown. I don't like the way a lot of things are done in the UAE but they certainly have compliance for the greater good handled better than us. I felt much safer there covid wise than I do in UK. And avoided covid for 1.5 years there but caught it once back in UK.

France has been pretty good. My posh business school students seem to have a very lax attitude but my uni ones are very strict.

I'm in another ME state, and the population is generally very compliant.
Equivalent of 200gbp fine, no exemptions. Masks to be worn indoors and outdoors, and by all school children over 5.
You are also not allowed in shops, restaurants etc without showing your vaccine record; and employers can sack people who won't be vaccinated; hence high vaccination take up.

I find it very hard to fathom why the UK is so blase about simple measures that on balance seem to reduce risk. I am due to fly back next week and seriously thinking of cancelling ...where I am there were just over 20 (recorded) cases yesterday and 0 deaths.

@YouGotThisKeepGoing

I think mask compliance varies pretty widely across the UK as well, particularly between the different nations and the different rules that have applied accordingly.

It varies widely across my city. Local to me, its probably now about 80%, although before it came compulsory again it had dwindled to about 20-30% and you definitely felt out of place when you wore one and hardly anyone else was.

However last weekend I went to two different supermarkets in parts of the city with significantly different demographics. One had about 95% mask wearing, other probably less than 20%

Dp actually texted me last night whilst watching Real Madrid match to say that it was astonishing that pretty much every single person in the crowd was wearing a mask !

but they certainly have compliance for the greater good handled better than us

They have compliance in general better than us but I guess fear does that! 😉 But in this case at least it's for the good of everyone so people can be happy about that.

In the part of France where I am you never see anyone in shops without a mask, a lot of people wear them in the street also. All secondary school kids wear them in the classroom - I don’t know if there are any exemptions, nobody in either of my DDs classes has one, I don’t know what would happen if you wanted one.

Compliance in those places where you have to wear one is high here in the SI of NZ. On the street, less people unless they are going between shops.
That said, the TV just showed a group of rugby players delivering food to isolating Pasifika families and their masks (the rugby guys) were all at half mast.

I was in Spain recently and surprised by how many people were still wearing them while walking outside (which isn't actually required). And those who weren't were often visibly carrying one for when it was needed.

In Malaysia I never see adults without a mask inside. Walking along the street most people wear masks but exercising, at the park etc then it's more like 50/50 (most do if it's busy though). It's rare to see children without masks as well tbh - everyone over the age of 2 is supposed to wear one although I'm not sure what the penalties are for non-compliance.

Switzerland here. A country that is notorious for rule following but also very into their rights (and anti vaxx ). However everyone is compliant with mask wearing in shops. I guess there must be some exemption rules but I’ve never seen anyone without a mask when required.

Oh ffs do people just find any thread they can to bash Dubai? I love the loaded question about “punishment”. The UAE has handled Covid incredibly well, and I am so relieved that we have been here through the pandemic and not the Uk.

There are a load of selfish idiots in the UK, who will no doubt pile on here to say that wearing a mask makes them anxious etc etc. Amazing how every other country has such higher rates of mask use.

If it's any consolation, on GWR last night, absolutely everyone was wearing masks and the guard reminded the only man with a mask round his chin to wear it up over his nose.

I’m in the North of Scotland so we have never had a relaxation on the mask rules. Where I am anyway compliance is actually better than it was at the start of the pandemic, people I know who claimed exemptions are now wearing them.
At work when people come in very very few aren’t wearing one.

Malaysia is also super strict with vaccinations and self isolation. We all have an app on our phones that shows your risk status - if you're flagged as high risk either because you've been abroad or if you're named by someone as a close contact your app goes red and you can't go into shops (it's on the shops to check everyone's status before allowing entry). If you're unvaccinated your app shows that too and you're really limited in what you can do (basically only essential shops and services). Consequently our vaccination rate is really high, 78% of the total population are fully vaccinated and in urban areas it's a lot higher than that. The state I live in is mostly urban and 86% of the population are fully vaccinated which is more than 100% of the adult population.

We holidayed in Spain last month and everyone wore a mask in shops, airports, public transport. No lanyards. If you forgot you were yelled at by a mop or an official within seconds. The police carry guns and are an authority there - do as they say - and, during their lockdown, were patrolling the beaches and streets to enforce compliance.