To not understand why people have a problem with wearing a mask?

[Changednamesorry]

Where I live masks are mandatory for everyone over the age of 6 in any public indoor space (shop, train station, doctor's surgery etc) and where it is not possible to guarantee the 2m distance. 100 euro fine for non compliance.

Of course some people break this rule but the vast majority wear masks including a lot of kids younger than 6. My mum and dad in the UK also wear masks when out atm.... But they also said its ay best a 40% uptake and that in the supermarket the staff don't wear them!!!

Here on MumsNet i see lots of people saying that they "won't wear a mask".... Why? It's to protect others so surely its a good thing to do even if they are a bit uncomfortable?
In Asian countries (China, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea) mask wearing is and always has been done to protect others.

Why?

I have a deviated septum and can"t breathe well with one on. I don't need to get public transport or go to the supermarket/shops though (DH goes).
The only places I go are for walks and to my mums back garden.

I would wear one for a necessary medical appointment though.

Has anyone thought about deaf people!

There are starting to be more articles in the mainstream media. There was a piece on the BBC news yesterday.

If it’s made mandatory, I will wear one, however I live in a pretty isolated community, so wouldn’t need to often.
I have noticed that people that do wear them, seem to think it makes them exempt from the 2m rule.

@PurpleDaisies

Has anyone thought about deaf people!

There are starting to be more articles in the mainstream media. There was a piece on the BBC news yesterday.

So glad, it must be so frustrating for them

Here is an idea. Instead of saying "oh but the deaf people" why not where one in the mandated situations and if you end up talking to someone who cant hear you, ask if they want you to take it off?! If you're travelling with a deaf person get one with windowsm

below people have been talking about everyone wearing masks in non-mandatory situations. Pretty much everyone has said that they would wear them where they are compulsory.

There is an exception to the mandatory mask wearing for those travelling with someone who needs to lip read and people should be prepared to remove their mask if necessary for communication.

“ Mask wearing is an odd thing though - you aren't doing it to protect yourself, you are doing it to protect others. I guess that makes people less inclined to wear them.”

Actually beyond Mumsnet most people seem to believe they are to protect themselves so I don’t think this necessarily adds up

I wear one when i go somewhere you need too. I wish people wouldn't wear them on walks as pretty much every mask wearer I've met doesn't social distance, just pushes past.

Compulsory at work. (Nurse) I've not heard a single complaint, either from parents or staff. The kids also are completely unphased by them.

If you want to wear one than fine butIt traps bacteria And viruses and it has been said That it has weak results. If masks work why Didn’t they make them mandatory from the beginning and cocoon the elderly and vulnerable. I don’t wear one and I know if I get a cold or whatever then I will keep away or put a scarf. Also it was found asymptomatic transmission is rare and very very low. The survival grate is 98% . We had Chris Whitty say this Live and many other doctors and scientists. We should be wearing one all flu season as well by that logic. Where were people when in 2018 50,000 extra deaths were attributed to flu vaccine not working ? That really happened look and do some research. Italian doctors are saying the strain as weakened as well. I guess for some people masks make them feel safe. Some people have health issues and anxieties and sensory issues so it can’t work for everyone. It really will not stop app viruses and in some cases build bacteria up and viruses. Oh and they can go in through the eyes so wear glasses as well.

*Split between
1.Laziness can't be arsed attitude

1. Won't affect me attitude

3.Actual medical reason 4.Snowflakes. .... there is a 5. People who (barring an actual medical reason), Get On With It*

This.

Summer 2005 Impetigo on bottom lip Caused by humidity. As told by my GP Treated with cream and antibiotics.

18 month gap then......
Jan 2007 Another flare up Same place. Due to stress Treated again with same antibiotics and cream

Four and half year gap.............July 2011 Another flare up just before school reunion caused by stress and humidity. Treated again with antibiotics and cream

3 year and 3 month gap October 2014 Another flare up. 23 and 24 Oct was humid and warm. Treated again with same cream and antibiotics.

Been clear now for six and a half years. I intend to keep it that way.

Ive always been scrupulously clean before anyone starts. But in a hot salon with a mask on A hair appointment which is now more stressful than it used to be plus humidity. The perfect breeding ground for an impetigo flare up + a struggle to get a GP appointment + my surgery is now Virgin Care. Think i will skip the hair appointment and stay skin condition free.

I think sadly the uk are behind in thinking with things like this.

My friend mentioned how stupid people who wear masks are, I did advise I would prefer someone next to me trying to help spread it rather than all the idiots thinking we are out of the woods.

The scientist on the "last" daily propaganda stated mask should be worn on public transport and then whimpered under his breathe and in many shops. But the government haven't announced that so he needs to stay in line rather than give effective advice.

Most other countries from the start were wearing masks as the advice was to do so, we the UK, as with everything else were too late to put this in place to our general public don't think it's important. Basically that's why.

Compulsory at work. (Nurse) I've not heard a single complaint, either from parents or staff. The kids also are completely unphased

Most people are unlikely to complain I would have thought. My next door neighbour fell and cut her head yesterday, she's in her late 90s and has hearing issues. Her granddaughter wasn't allowed into the hospital and she said this morning she found the masks terrifying plus it made her hearing issues much worse. It made a distressing situation more distressing for her.

I'm just declining all face to face medical appointments rather than being difficult and I have a letter written by an NHS consultant psychiatrist saying I don't need to wear one. I suspect a lot people with the same diagnosis as me will be doing the same.

I have a problem with wearing a mask. I cannot bear anything covering my face at any time. It;s hot, sticky, itchy, uncomfortable and I want to claw it off after about 30 seconds. DD bought some of those sheet face masks and I lasted about a minute. Cannot BEAR it.

Also, if there was a time we should have been covering our faces it was in February or early March when the virus was circulating more widely. There were 2 cases diagnosed in the 110,000 people who live in my area this week. All this "oh by wearing a mask you're protecting people" - no you're not, because given that 50% of people with Covid are in care homes, I have something like a 0.00009% chance of being that 1 person who is actually infectious.

If I were using public transport and spending 2 hours facing someone on a train I would have to comply with the rules. But there is no way I am wearing a face covering to walk round Asda for 20 minutes doing my shopping and passing people in the aisles. It's zero risk.

I had enormous communication difficulties with midwives in face masks at some points of my labour. I didn’t complain, but it was frightening at the time. I’m sure I’m just a whiny arse though

I gave birth during lockdown, if that wasn’t clear

Ds has severe lung problems and also is autistic. He can’t tolerate masks and he can’t breathe properly with them on. We have tried buffs over his face but even then he can’t manage more than a few minutes.

I do wear them when at hospital appointments with him but do find it really tough and uncomfortable

Brilliant @BullshitVivienne !

Imagine the uptake of masks if the public message had been that they did protect the wearer. Type 2R masks actually do protect the wearer to an extent anyway!

@Catastrofuck , that's a very different (and difficult) situation though to just wearing a thin surgical mask for a quick trip to the supermarket.

I was responding to the comment about patients not complaining. Patients often aren’t in a position to if they have any problems, and I would hope that NHS staff would be aware to some extent

There are clearly cultural reasons at play too. Not just sensory issues or breathing or deaf awareness. I suspect individualistic cultures find this a bigger psychological barrier - would love to see some research on how these aspects are correlated actually (mask wearing vs individual/ community cultures)

@Changednamesorry

Sorry not to have replied sooner. This thread has whizzed by.

Muzzling is something (some) people do to dogs. (Actually, I wouldn't do this to my dog.)

I do have asthma, I do have problems understanding what people say when they are muzzled, I do have panicky feelings when my mouth is covered. But that is not the main point of my objection. This is (was?) a free country. I am free to wear and do what I like if I act in a lawful manner. I have a great personal problem in being told to wear something so objectionable I wouldn't make a dog wear. If it became law in public places, I wouldn't leave my house. If work said I had to wear one (this might become the case: I work in a cafe), I would resign.

It is about civil liberties. I speak for myself.

FYI - I am severely asthmatic and mask wearing does not bother me!

I've tried several but they steam my glass up! It's really annoying - either I can't see through the fog or I take my glasses off and still can't see.