..to expect people to wear a mask on the bus or have I misinterpreted 'mandatory'?

[RingPiece]

Got the bus home from work today. I was under the impression that face coverings were now mandatory but out of 13 people on the lower deck, only five were wearing a mask. Also, the bus was pretty crowded and whilst no one was sitting next to each other (unless they were traveling together), the people standing were very close together. I passed countless other buses, both single and double decker, and saw at least half of the passengers not wearing any form of face covering.

I thought it was compulsory. Whose responsibility is it to ensure this is happening? I know some people are exempt but surely there can't be that many. What does mandatory mean? Will this only be enforced by random infrequent checks such as ticket officers boarding? If so, this only happens once in a blue moon so what's the point?

Lots of questions there!

[SusieOwl4]

@wanderings

It was WHO advice that changed .

Just check it out .

They quoted it at the briefings . Then when lockdown started to Lift WHO changed advice . It is logical.

You should be scared look at what’s happening in the USA they have started having spikes again .

And compare this before you start laying blame .

New York 30000 deaths pop 8.9 million

Uk 42000 deaths pop 66 million.

Like I said Italy are ahead of us and they are advising use face coverings when opening up.

[Parker231]

It doesn’t have to be a mask but a face covering. A scarf is fine.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I'm not going to go into my personal reasons as to why I find wearing a mask extremely challenging, but I do. I've been working hard to find solutions and I've got to the point where I can tolerate them mostly.

I've worked hard on this because wearing a mask protects me to a certain extent, importantly it also protects others.

Some people will never be able to tolerate them, they may find that it's better if they can avoid spaces where possible where masks are needed. The more of us that can wear them, the better it is, not only personally, but for slowing transmission of covid through society as a whole.

[Skigal86]

For anyone who cannot wear a mask and doesn’t want to discuss in public why (or might struggle to communicate why) I’ve just seen these Print and cut out cards shared on Facebook.

www.keepsafe.org.uk/posters?fbclid=IwAR2TebEcTXl-fhI48xOXoDZ9g1JOCxyYud0MCL48p1FddaoprWGjRHzK8Do

[zoedoodle]

Our local buses don’t allow standing any more - this sounds shit.

[Ponoka7]

BashStreetKid, it's a standard GP letter, just outlining the exemption, not the reason why. Similar to the shielding letter. You don't have to see or speak to the GP.

I helped a neighbour get a letter. The neighbour has a range of medical breathing/heart issues. He said he will use a scarf in Winter, but during hot weather he wouldn't cope. I've since bought him a visor £1.99 from discount shops (Home and Bargains).

Some people have to get buses for appointments and shopping. As well as for work/to give care.

[zoedoodle]

@lyralalala

Bus company here is giving people 14 days grace, after which they'll be refusing travel to anyone who hasn't got a pass they are dishing out to folks who can prove they are exempt (or anyone who has a disabled bus pass)

I have a disabled bus pass and am perfectly capable of wearing a mask - but it’s good to hear this is an option for people who need.

[Womencanlift]

@HandsDownRoundTheTown

And I’m interested to read about autism, anxiety, asthma etc making mask wearing difficult or impossible. I will bear that in mind as didn’t know that would be the case.

I am asthmatic, very well controlled and have not had an asthma attack in years until last week. Take a guess what triggered that - yip I wore a mask for the first time.

Fortunately I am currently wfh so don’t need to use public transport but I will not be wearing one when out and about now

[PhilCornwall1]

@yetanothernamechange22

Thanks for the link.

[Clearyweary]

I’ll probably get a pasting here, but ai really don’t agree with any exemptions. Thia is a public health situation and if masks are mandatory, then everyone should wear them, otherwise what is the point?

[NYCDreaming]

If exempt people are concerned about being challenged, the sunflower lanyard people are selling a little card that says "I am exempt from wearing a mask" to flash if you run into trouble.

[Mrsfrumble]

Want to try forcing a mask onto a distressed child with autism Clearyweary? They’re likely to pull it off anyway, and the screaming if they have a meltdown will have a lovely aerosol affect. Thank goodness the exemptions show some common sense and compassion.

[NYCDreaming]

I’ll probably get a pasting here, but ai really don’t agree with any exemptions. Thia is a public health situation and if masks are mandatory, then everyone should wear them, otherwise what is the point?

The point is that if everybody who is able to wears masks, the transmission rate will be lower. If you say that everybody must wear masks, no exceptions, then the people who are unable to wear masks are just forced off public transport. This could mean that they are unable to work, or unable to buy food. These people are often already vulnerable and a public transport ban could cause them extreme harm.

[zoedoodle]

@Clearyweary

I’ll probably get a pasting here, but ai really don’t agree with any exemptions. Thia is a public health situation and if masks are mandatory, then everyone should wear them, otherwise what is the point?

Well a) it makes a difference if most people wear them, even if it’s not everyone and b) what do you expect people to do? Not everyone is able to drive, for example.

You can disagree all you like. Doesn’t change the fact that some people CANNOT wear them.

[WobblyPenumbra]

Front doors of London buses are now open again btw.

[BashStreetKid]

@Clearyweary

I’ll probably get a pasting here, but ai really don’t agree with any exemptions. Thia is a public health situation and if masks are mandatory, then everyone should wear them, otherwise what is the point?

Because that would mean a substantial section of the population would effectively be banned from public transport by reason of their disability, which is illegal, and also highly undesirable on a public policy basis. Given the limited effectiveness of masks, the reality is that allowing exemptions makes very little difference, if any, in terms of risk.

[PennyArrowBar]

@NotTerfNorCis

I'm about to go on public transport today for the first time since March. I bought masks specially.

I have heard there is a problem with trams where I live. People won't wear masks (quite a few didn't used to bother with buying tickets either) and the staff don't want to go near them.

You're right. DH is tram security. They've been told specifically to not approach, question or challenge people not wearing masks or face coverings. It's for the transport police to sort out, and since the transport police are like unicorn shit it's unlikely to happen.

They're (security) in the line of fire for so much, he's been spat at/on, coughed at/on and people gobbing phlegm at them daily anyway. People pissing and shitting on the floor. They had their toilets locked so they couldn't even access hand washing until they complained. They're attacked and assaulted and deal with dickheads right left and centre. It makes very little difference to them to have people in face coverings at this point in the proceedings and even less impetus to actively go towards a conflict that they won't be able to resolve without an argument.

[Brefugee]

We've never had to wear masks before and death rates are falling. The rule doesn't make any sence.

It makes perfect sense. The lockdown was to stop as much transmission as possible, therefore it was imposed for a long time. Now we're in the next part of the plan where we start moving around. And obviously that brings increased risk, so we're asked to wear masks unless really impossible to reduce the tramsmission rate.

This is information that is very easy to find.

If you're challenged and fined and you have grounds not to wear one, I'm pretty sure there's an appeal process (like parking tickets). So "i have anxiety/nerve damage/autistic" without a history of any of those things will be grounds to nix the fine.

As usualy, however, there is a section of society that will wear masks even though they are a huge PITA because they realise that a small amount of discomfort* is preferable to the transmission rate going right up and lockdown coming back. We are going to get a second wave, surely we should try to mitigate that as much as possible?

Re the throat infections: in Germany we've been wearing masks for a while and I've seen moaning about it. This isn't one that comes up. Could it be people aren't changing them enough?

*because someone will moan: unless you have valid grounds not to wear one according to government guidelines

[Meredithgrey1]

I’ll probably get a pasting here, but ai really don’t agree with any exemptions. Thia is a public health situation and if masks are mandatory, then everyone should wear them, otherwise what is the point?

What do you mean, what's the point? Everyone who does wear a mask reduces the transmission, it's ridiculous to say that unless 100% of people wear one, there's no point.
You disagree with all exemptions? Every single one? You want masks on sleeping babies in prams? Toddlers where all a mask will do is increase how much they touch their face? You want any autistic person who cannot manage a mask to be shut off from all public transport, which may be their only way of getting around? If you don't want to be around someone without a mask on, then you should stay inside, rather than suggesting disabled people or those with a medical condition should be forced to remain housebound because of it. Yes, I'm sure some people who could wear a mask are just complaining because they don't like being told what to do, or don't like the moderate discomfort, but people with genuine reasons shouldn't bear the brunt of other people's selfishness which is what removing exemptions would do.
(for the record, I will wear a mask, so this isn't about me)

[SudokuBook]

YABU

wind your fucking neck in. Maybe they have health issues or maybe they are fed up with arse over tit meaningless and pointless tokenism from the government to cover up the arse they made of all this at the outset.

[Elbels]

There's research coming out of China that suggests wearing a mask is the best way to prevent transmission in public.

If you have to travel on public transport and you are able to wear a mask (exemptions aside) but choose not to, I find your behaviour pretty shocking.

[NotTerfNorCis]

Am on the train. Everyone is wearing a mask.

It's pretty uncomfortable. A long journey on a hot day would be interesting!

[lifestooshort123]

You’re an ignorant, ableist piece of shit.

Wow. What happened to being allowed to voice an alternate opinion in a polite and reasoned manner? I can't see your side of the discussion holding up tbh.

[ineedaholidaynow]

What do you do about drinking and eating on a train if you are on a long journey, especially as regularly fiddling about with masks is not a good idea?