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.

Switzerland here. Full compliance indoors in shops and cinemas etc. outside, even in crowded places, not so much

This is how you achieve compliance. Fairly, with exemptions for those who need them.

I was in turkey this week and noticed that everyone on buses had masks on.
All the hotel and airport staff were very compliant

In Spain and Italy I have been asked to put a mask on in the street

People in the UK are so precious, it's lazy, selfish and drives me crazy

Its a choice here. It isn't in other countries.

People in the UK are so precious, it's lazy, selfish and drives me crazy

Couldn't agree more. Call anyone out on an exemption and you are accused of being ableist but it was astonishing the number of people who were supposedly exempt on flight when we went on holiday in Aug 2020. Reached our destination where none of their exemptions were permitted and the option was to wear one or take plane back to UK. Funnily enough, they all managed to wear one the entire time they were abroad (35+ degree heat and mandated outdoors)

@morechocolateneededtoday I personally don't see it as a good thing to bully those with genuine needs different to yours? Are you suggesting nobody could have asthma, therefore having a good reason to avoid a mask! Of course not! It's just now those people are suffering and putting themselves at a different sort of risk and discomfort just to avoid being hassled on the street. How progressive

@Wondering1000 asthma does not make you exempt

I have asthma requiring steroidal inhaler and I can wear one
My MIL has COPD and can wear one

If nurses, doctors, cleaners etc on ITUs can wear full PPE for 3 hours at a time then I'm sure Charlene at No.40 can manage it for a 20 min bus journey into town

Agreed - no such thing as exemptions in Europe. I saw this in Spain in the summer, and Italy last year.

I have a friend who is a Dentist
She has worn full PPE at work for hours at a time, including a full on inflatable decontamination suit thingy at the height of the Pandemic dealing with hospital emergencies
If the choice is removed then even people who find mask wearing difficult will have to do it

And DD has asthma and she has worn a mask at all times, even when she hasn’t had to

I was working in hospitality last summer. The only people I ever heard the words "mask exemption" from were English tourists. I would say 90% of English tourists didn't wear masks and were either 'exempt' or at later stages of the summer said 'well we don't have to at home'. I don't care about what you do at home! Don't be ignorant of other countries rules!

Thats not to say locals always wore masks because many didn't always but the vast majority were very apologetic and complied once reminded (unlike most tourists).

I've recently moved to the UK and was shocked at the lack of mask wearing but its to be expected really when they weren't mandated. I was very impressed with how many many people have gone back to mask wearing now they've been reintroduced as I've heard anecdotes from other friends abroad that reintroductions there haven't been as successful

[quote Wondering1000]@morechocolateneededtoday I personally don't see it as a good thing to bully those with genuine needs different to yours? Are you suggesting nobody could have asthma, therefore having a good reason to avoid a mask! Of course not! It's just now those people are suffering and putting themselves at a different sort of risk and discomfort just to avoid being hassled on the street. How progressive[/quote]
Discomfort never killed anyone
Covid however

@TomAllenWife people will have different degrees of asthma and struggle in different ways. That was just an example of a reason for exemption - there are many.

Why did you pick "Charlene" who catches a bus as your example of a non mask wearer, by the way?

School run today I'd say 90% are wearing masks just walking down the street, wasn't like that a few days ago.

In Germany. No such thing as medical exemption from masks but children under 6 don't need to wear. To be perfectly honest, I do find it a bit strange how many huge numbers in the UK are supposedly exempt whereas people here manage just fine. There are people who are anti-mask, anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown here.

You sometimes see them under the nose or on the chin. On the chin is normally accidental though. Under the nose people don't seem to care and nor do they get challenged, but there are signs in shops saying not to do this specifically.

Since February only FFP2 or surgical masks allowed, no more fabric ones.

People don't wear them in the open air, only indoors. I had a baby this summer and was not expected to wear it as a labouring woman, although I did wear it to sign in and took it off later. DH also took his off at some point and must not have been asked to put it back on, because in the pictures of him holding DS3 he isn't wearing one. I didn't need to wear it in my (2-person) room postnatally either but did for walking around the corridors.

I do understand BTW that it's not nice to wear one. I struggled in the summer when heavily pregnant and trying to chase a toddler. I couldn't cope with the FFP2 at all and had to switch to surgical.

That said, people were also understanding about it. I was signed off work immediately in December, because my doctor said wearing a mask all day was not advisable for a pregnant woman and so I only needed one for appointments, shops and public transport. Nobody minded me pulling it down to drink water, and when I did 30 min monitoring (standard in later pregnancy here) I was encouraged to take the mask off as nobody else was in the room.

I live in Spain and we've still had to wear masks.
Kids over 6 wear them all day at school. Those over 3 wear them on school buses.
The kids just do it, and in my kids schools they've been open everyday since going back last September after the original lockdown.

All over 6s wear masks anywhere indoors, been this way since after the original lockdown. Shop assistants or security guards will shout at you to put one on or get you to leave.

Outside we haven't had to wear masks since this summer unless in a crowded place and can't social distance but you'll find most people still wear them anyway, or at least have one pulled down ready to pull up. I suppose it's just normal here now.

I’m convinced people see what they want to see. Was told in x country everyone wears mask. Went there - most COVID looked very lax to me. Went an entire weekend without a single mask on me or anyone! I think there’s this weird myth that like Europe/beyond is this great place while the UK is terrible that pops up again and again under a range of themes from masks to you name. It’s like a sort of cognitive bias, and it produces a lot of strange untruths.

*covid measures

When you say UK do you mean England? I’m in Scotland and notice a big difference the three times I’ve visited England this summer/autumn. Compliance is much higher in all the places in Scotland I’ve been.

@ShiftingSands21 I actually got challenged quite strongly in a shop in Spain. One of the waiters we're friendly with had (incorrectly) told us that mask wearing was now not compulsory in shops and restaurants etc. So I walked through a shop sans mask and the assistant in there was as horrified as if I'd abducted her first born and demanded I put one on immediately. You wouldn't see that happening in the UK.

@museumum

When you say UK do you mean England? I’m in Scotland and notice a big difference the three times I’ve visited England this summer/autumn. Compliance is much higher in all the places in Scotland I’ve been.

Absolutely this. DH visited London on business about 6 weeks ago ( from NE Scotland) and was surprised at how few restrictions there were. Compliance very much expected in most shops, restaurants and cafes round here, including check in mask and sanitising.

I'm in Ireland and compliance on masks is excellent here (from what I see). I don't know a single person who has 'an exemption'. I shop in Lidl mainly and I've never seen someone in there (over 13) without a mask.
I don't entirely agree that masks are always necessary but I follow guidelines as best I can. Seeing the masks all the time is a good reminder (as if one was needed!) that there is a pandemic still on.

@sunshinelover69 it’s true you probably wouldn’t get bothered here.

But dear people of England, know also that we Scots are definitely exaggerating our mask compliance. My commute on the bus it’s like half and half? None in theatre cinemas etc once people get through the door. Shops maybe, a mixed bag. Neither do I know a single person following our test twice a week now upgraded to whenever you leave the house guidance. So take it with a pinch of salt!

I'm in Japan. Everyone wears a mask here, young kids, old people, people in wheelchairs, people with asthma. Just babies who don't.

A lot of Japanese people are very confused by footage on the news of people abroad not wearing masks.

It’s always framed as a very negative thing but you could frame it as UK is more aware and supportive of people with hidden disabilities. As a parent of an autistic child who is now over 6 (the age when many countries in EU require mask wearing without exemption) I’m incredibly thankful he isn’t being made to wear one!