To think shopworkers want customers to wear masks?

[bravefox]

Just that really. I wear a mask when I go into shops as I suspect shopworkers want customers to, but very few other people seem to bother/care. I know some people can't wear masks, but they majority certainly could. To me it's just a politeness thing.

YANBU: Shopworkers want customers to wear masks
YABU: Shopworkers don't care

I am am wearing masks in all indoor public spaces and refuse to use any businesses where staff are not doing the same.

I won't be wearing one. Also online shopping is a far better experience anyway

It is harder for the staff to wear a mask for 10 hours rather than a customer stick one on for an hour or two shopping.

I wear one - I do it to protect other customers and the staff . Important to remember Masks protect others not yourself (I do wish it was the other way round im sure we'd all wear them then!) so there's possibly not such an incentive for staff as if most people aren't wearing them it's not going to help them - I think masks are very chicken and egg ...people need to see others wearing them to think about wearing one themselves if that makes sense. Most people I know think I'm a bit ott wearing one in Sainsbury's and the corner shop

A different view from someone in retail I was speaking to yesterday she said she found people wearing masks tended to feel wearing them meant they could ignore social distancing.

I went into the Disney shop with DC on Saturday and they were giving masks out for shoppers to wear. No mask, no entry.

@Emeraldshamrock

It is harder for the staff to wear a mask for 10 hours rather than a customer stick one on for an hour or two shopping.

Hospital and care staff manage it though.

If they want customers to wear masks, they need to do so themselves.

I'm a shop worker in a local convenience store and to be honest I'd much rather people didn't wear a mask. We've had so many more shoplifters since mask wearing became common and lots more abuse from people who know because their faces are covered they won't get arrested for it! Our shop is big enough that the 6 people who are allowed in at a time can easily stay distanced and we have screens at the till! I feel a lot more vulnerable now people have their faces covered!

If my area the shopworkers aren't wearing masks anyway? We are in an area that has had few cases throughout though.

I don't really see many wearing masks here. The ocassional person in a car or walking along a beach but generally few. I had a hospital appt just over a month ago and all the staff were wearing masks as expected.

I haven't been wearing a mask (don't go shopping very often) because it means I can't wear my glasses or see properly and feel vulnerable without my sight. If I could address this then I would wear one if not, I'll have to keep away from the shops.

I was at the salon for 2 hrs on Saturday, had to take my glasses off the whole time and could not see. Unfortunately, this means I can't return. The same would apply in shops unless I bought a visor, but not sure how they fit with glasses.

However, in one shop a woman without a mask was was coughing and spluttering and not even attempting to contain it and so I do take on board how this might impact staff.

None of the shop workers in any of the shops I've been in have been wearing masks and in some cases their social distancing from other staff or customers (mainly in High Street named stores) has been questionable so not sure why I'd think they'd want me to wear a mask.

Retail worker here. We have to wear a mask or visor (personally find the visor far more comfortable). I really don’t mind if customers wear a mask or not - we are strict on social distancing in our store, there’s a Perspex screen between the till and the customer, and we have gloves we can wear too, so I feel safe enough with what the company is doing to protect us

@DomDoesWotHeWants

I think everyone should wear masks full stop.

If you have a valid reason for not wearing one then don't go into areas where they are required. We all have had to make sacrifices for the health of the majority this should be another one.

No mask? Don't go there.

Don't be ridiculous. I wear a mask with no issues but you can't just put a blanket "no shopping, no public transport" rule on people with asthma, anxiety etc.

I honestly can't wear one, I just go into full panic mode that I can't breath always struggled with this never had anything covering my face as it causes me to stress out, plus the fact I struggle with my hearing has been a nightmare, some staff do not understand i lip read and them wear a mask mean I don't know what they are saying and get stoppy with me some staff are lovely tho and point or shout to help out

@DomDoesWotHeWants

I think everyone should wear masks full stop.

If you have a valid reason for not wearing one then don't go into areas where they are required. We all have had to make sacrifices for the health of the majority this should be another one.

No mask? Don't go there.

So how are people with conditions like asthma etc. meant to go to work? How are they meant to feed themselves or collect prescriptions or see a doctor?

What if they don't drive? How are they meant to get anywhere if they can't use public transport?

Blanket statements like "wear a mask or stay home" are actually pretty disables and only serve to isolate vulnerable people even further.

Supermarket worker here. It doesn't bother me, we have screens at the tills where we are closest to customers and if they speak to me on the shop floor I just maintain a suitable distance. It's much harder to understand them if they are wearing a mask.

The WHO seem to be behind on this one for some reason, they have had letters from groups of doctor's calling for them to recommend masks. Espicaly in confined spaces with poor air circulation.

I’ve worked all the way through this and never once have I entertained the idea of wearing a mask. We have a small shop but with a counter between ourselves and our customers, masks weren’t really discussed at the beginning of the pandemic and to put one on now, does seem like others have said “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”

What I will say, around were I live, with the introduction of gloves, no one bothers to wash their hands, and if they do it’s 5 seconds top. And the worst people for not distancing are the elderly! Since they’ve been told they can come out, they’re acting like the virus has gone! I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve had to ask them to step away from the person in front of them.

I wear a mask all the time in public spaces and I fully believe masks should be mandatory for all. Scotland is way ahead of England in saying they need to be worn in shops.

Many other countries manage it and there is nothing special about being in the UK to say our public can't do it. We all know masks don't completely stop transmission, but they go a long way to protecting others and in turn, ourselves. They are useful as part of an armoury of measures to help stop the spread.

I do think we need to get back to near-normal - we need to shop, to interact, to travel and so on...not only for the economy but also for ourselves and 'normal' daily living. Mask-wearing would make this transition back again so much easier and lessen the risk of second/third spikes and local lockdowns and so forth.

They’ll be mandatory eventually I reckon.

So how are people with conditions like asthma etc. meant to go to work? How are they meant to feed themselves or collect prescriptions or see a doctor?

I have asthma and I wear a mask for shortish periods. I was shielded for months, wearing a mask outside is far less of a restriction than that. It's for the good of the community.

And I know for sure there are people who just don't like them so pretend to have conditions.

I am more and more a wheelchair user and don't think it is disablist to ask anyone to look out for the rest of the community. I wear a mask, even though it's uncomfortable. If it gets too much I leave the shop and go outside and remove the mask. It isn't difficult to look out for other people's safety.

I think it is the decent, respectful thing to do. When I go shopping, I choose to be there, but the staff are just doing their job. I'm glad it's being made compulsory in Scotland although I do think it's late being applied.

In my lockdown experience, shop workers couldn't give a shit and pretty much go out of their way to get as close to you as possible.

I'd assume if they wanted people to wear masks they've be wearing them themselves. Round here only a tiny minority do, although after tomorrow I assume staff as well as customers have to. Most don't even ask you to stand back while they scan or stand back themselves while you pay as they used to.

I've got a mask but it feels like I'm being waterboarded if I wear it when doing anything other than sitting down. I've got asthma and it is hard enough to breathe as it is sometimes.

Plus in most shops the workers don't wear masks either, so no, I don't think they can reasonably expect customers to. Obviously in some places it's the law, fair enough.