To not own a face mask

[BeeB29]

Aibu to not feel the need to buy one for my situation?

Mil was talking about face masks over the phone and I said I didn’t have any and I haven’t been actively looking for them.

I complete understand they have their purpose.

We are low risk. We live rurally in a quiet area so no crowds and avoid any crowds at the best of times, I try and get my shopping delivered, I social distance from people when I do have to go shopping, I drive so don’t have to use public transport (no public transport where I live anyway). I’m off work, home with dc. Other half has been working throughout but his job is low risk.

I just don’t feel there’s a need for me to buy them when others might be in greater need?

You're only advised to wear one if you're inside in a public place (e.g. public transport or supermarket), if you don't go anywhere indoors and public then you dont need one.

I think that perhaps buying one box of masks to use for any shop/chemist trips would be a good idea, unless you really get everything delivered.

The image below shows how far cough/sneeze can spread in a supermarket.

And it's a 'face covering' not a medical grade face mask, we are supposed to leave them for care workers etc. Just a fabric face mask is fine for normal use. You can make one easily.

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You can wrap a scarf around if you need one at short notice. I've got neck buffs myself.

I’ve got one that I haven’t used, got it in case any of us need a hospital trip.

Nuffsaidsam, that's actually only the advice in the UK, other countries are advising that people use proper fluid resistant masks as the stock available to medical professionals is being kept designated for them by the companies that make them.

Bear in mind they’re also to protect other people from you - so if you do have to go into a shop for any reason then that would be a good time to wear one. We also live rurally and use click and collect for our weekly grocery shop. I have to go into the shop briefly for that, then wait outside, so use a face covering for that. I don’t have any other times when there’s reason to use one.

You should get one because at some point you will need it. I made two for my dd and sure enough, she had to have one to attend a medical appointment.

I've bought a pack of disposable masks to keep in the car, just in case I find myself going somewhere that's it's mandatory. But I don't wear one in shops, which is the only indoor place I go at the moment.

I wear one every time i go out and there are other people there such as shops

I dont understand why you wouldnt

'Nuffsaidsam, that's actually only the advice in the UK'.

Sorry, I was assuming the OP was in the UK, but you're right she could be anywhere!

Where are you OP?

I wear a cloth mask in the supermarket but not anywhere else. I don’t wear it for cycling or exercise cause it’s too restrictive for breathing.

You don't need a mask. A scarf or something is fine.

Assuming you are in England (and I think other parts of the UK are keener on face coverings) having something you can use as a face covering for each member of the household is probably a prudent idea incase e.g. you end up having a medical appointment, or need to use the hospital.

I only bought one last week as I live in London, and might need public transport at some stage. Also, I happened to see some for sale in Lidl- otherwise I hadn't sought them out at all.

The only scarves I own a thick, woollen winter types which would be too thick and hot to wear as a 'face covering'.

If you end up in hospital and don’t have one they will give you one. The advice is to wear them if you are in a situation indoors where you aren’t able to socially distance - this is actually not many cases even in supermarket you can socially distance

I've just bought some fabric ones online and picked up a pack of disposable ones in M&S at the weekend. It's really only in case we need to go to a hospital/doctor anytime soon.

Also a scarf isn’t ok - you need a three layer mask to be of any benefit.

I wear linen scarves in summer so I am using these when i go into a supermarket.

Nope, I own no masks. I don't use public transport and I don't go in small shops where social distancing is impossible.

I haven't found one I can wear without triggering my ptsd but we have around 8 of different types in the house. Dh is doing all the shopping, I'm obnoxiously physically healthy and don't need to go on public transport but I feel it's worth experimenting to see if I can find one I can wear comfortably. If I didn't have the issues I have, I'd definitely have one just in case. Ds who is 5 also has one even though I hope he never has to wear it.

i'm phobic about anything covering my nose and mouth, but as i'm at home and only going out to shop once a week i won't wear one.

I wear one in the supermarket. The staff there have done a great job working through this crisis and I feel if everyone wore a mask it would reduce their risk .
Today I was shopping and an older lady suddenly rushed up to me brandishing a pack of cold meat and complaining loudly about a recent price increase. She shoved her face towards mine while speaking loudly - I was glad I had a mask on

It hasn't even occured to me to buy one to be honest and I don't know anyone who has. I rarely see anyone else wearing one in the local shops or supermarket either, but there's not many cases in my county so I don't think people are so concerned about wearing a face covering. I don't think its unusual at all not to own one.