Making the wearing of a mask manditory

[weepingwillow22]

Has anyone else noticed the worldometer projections for UK deaths have changed significantly since the relaxation of restrictions last week?
covid19.healthdata.org/united-kingdom

The deaths are now predicted to be back up to 800 a day by november with a second peak in cases surpassing the first one.

The graphs do however show that this can be avoided if mask wearing is made compulsory.

AIBU to think that the wearing of a mask or visor (excepting those eho cannot wear them for medical conditions) should be made manditory in all indoor public places in order to avoid this second peak.

If cases rise again to the extent projected here another national lockdown will be required resulting in more job losses, school closures and unnecessary deaths.

Surely the wearing of a mask is a small price to pay to avoid a second peak particularly as the scientific evidence now points to it being highly effective in preventing asymptomatic spread.
www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent

*mandatory (sorry typo)

Watching this thread with interest

Personally I think we're in the second wave. However In Scotland it will soon be manditory to wear masks. I'll wear one if I have to but I doubt I'll go to shops more because they are very uncomfortable to wear for a long time. (I have to wear one at work and I hate it).

The predictions will constantly keep changing. Hopfully they don't come true.

I don't think people mind wearing a mask in itself.

The issue is that from the start there has been conflicting advice regarding masks. We were told back in April masks did nothing and were pointless.

Secondly, there are a lot of people who have had to carry on some kind of normal lives out there without masks for the last four months when the pandemic was at its peak. Who haven't gone on to catch the virus. It smacks of too little, too late. IMO it's a flimsy attempt by governments to try and encourage people that the big bad world is safe and go back out there again to get the economy going.

Scotland is making the wearing of masks indoor compulsory from this Friday. I think the rest of the UK should folloW their example.

I'd like to see masks compulsory indoors, for example shops. I have noticed that not only is hardly anyone wearing one, but when I do I get funny 'oh dear, bless she's frightened' looks!

Second wave will either come or it won't. (I suspect we will have a blip but not a wave)
Mask wearing will not make an iota of difference. I haven't seen one being worn correctly. I have only ever seen one person not touch it in the maybe 30 - 60 seconds they are in my view AND the majority of them are like putting wire netting up and expecting it to stop sand getting through. Excepting full ppe ones.

They are hot and uncomfortable - so people touch them. They pull them down to talk and then pull the same one back up. They take them off, push them in a pocket and then reuse.

Lots of people can't wear them for medical reasons (be that asthma, copd, as, gad, claustrophobia or any one of a hundred other reasons). These people will frequently be treated badly by virtue signalling wearers which will be very distressing.

The whole idea is totally mad

I think we're probably heading that way...

Personally I've very recently started wearing a mask in the supermarket. They seem to be letting more and more people in, and there's less regard for social distancing.

Did and I were the only 2 wearing masks in Ikea yesterday. I can’t comprehend why people wouldn’t wear them. It should be compulsory IMO. I’m asthmatic and have glasses which stream up while wearing a mask so neither of those are good enough excuses not to wear one. I work in a university and won’t return to teaching unless they are mandatory.

Are these predictions from the same people who predicted 2.2 million deaths in the USA by August?

We have had “mandatory” masks here for some time. Well, the governor says they are mandatory but the legality of that statement is questionable but that’s another matter. Homemade masks are useless. The virus is around 1000 smaller than the gaps in the weave in regular cotton. It’s like using a chain link fence to keep out the mosquitos.

I think we should be wearing them when we go into public businesses or are otherwise in crowded areas. In some places they have rules to put on a mask when your waiter comes to your table, and remove it when they leave. I wear one, which protects the people around me, but have noticed since I started many people in the shops will get much closer to me than they did before. If they were wearing masks I would be protected too.

Yes, here in Scotland it will be mandatory to wear masks in shops etc but - unless someone tells me differently- I don’t think it can be enforced .
I was on a bus today and several people did not have masks on . Now I know there are exemptions however it is surprising that approximately 50% of passengers on the bus had a medical exemption.
One of my friends works in a well known store and says that several shoppers have already said they are not wearing a mask . One woman told her it would mess up her make up !

It will make a difference if you wear a mask if as evidence suggests it stops those who unknowingly (or maybe knowingly if you’re a selfish dick) passing the virus to others.

Am I right to think they can minimise droplets from coughs and sneezes from dispersing further? If that’s the case it seems sensible to wear one. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Aren't masks 'mandatory' in Israel but rarely enforced. Israel are heading into 2nd lockdown, iirc.

Call me selfish. I don't want face covers to be compulsory when I'm on outings in the countryside on my bicycle/runs/walks with DC, kayaking in the river. Or even nipping out to put the bins at the end of my driveway. I'd rather not be compelled to wear one while cycling or walking down empty streets to the shops, or cycling thru the city to run errands. The WHO guidance says don't wear facemasks while doing aerobic exercise.

No won't be complying and they can fine me

Very interesting point.

From what Public Health England told us back in March/April, I admit I was very "whatever" about wearing a mask. I also admit that where I've had the virus, I wasn't fussed about wearing one after I tested positive and then negative three weeks later!

But now I really do think, based on the data the OP has shared, that England and the rest of the UK need to make wearing masks in all shops/theatres etc should be mandatory.

I admit I was wrong to assume it would be okay without a mask.

Agree

I have a hearing impairment, would not look forward to it if it does. I can’t understand people easily without seeing their mouths and masks muffle their voice as well.

@lljkk I see what you're saying and agree. I think it's more important in enclosed spaces such as shops, pubs (I'm already wondering how masks would work in pubs haha) but you know what I mean!

I've not seen anyone wearing them properly, even some health professionals who should have had training in it.

I live in Scotland where it's mandatory in shops now, DH went to tesco yesterday and said that maybe only 75% of people were wearing them.

Masks are completely ineffective apart from making people feel 'safer' and giving the impression that something is happening.

@wink1970

I'd like to see masks compulsory indoors, for example shops. I have noticed that not only is hardly anyone wearing one, but when I do I get funny 'oh dear, bless she's frightened' looks!

Exactly this, the looks I get when I am the only one in the shop wearing a mask are frustrating. I am actually not afraid of getting the virus myself (no risk factors) but much more concerned that I could pass it on as an asymptomatic carrier due to key worker DH.

You are mis-reporting the worldometer projections. You said green line is mandatory mask wearing and red line is no mandatory mask wearing. This is not the case. You have to click on the i button by the graph to read what the two projection lines are based on.

The green line is 95% mask wearing in public places AND doing 6wk reintroduction of mandates ( ie social distancing, closing public places, or even lockdowns, etc) every time death rate reaches 0.8 per 100k (8 per million)

The red one is continued easing of mandates (ie no more social distancing, opening everything) and no reimposing them even if death rate reaches 0.8 per 100k.

There is NO masks vs no masks line. It is everything plus masks versus nothing.

covid19.healthdata.org/united-kingdom

I'm not sure either way as I've heard both pros and cons for both. I have a mask and keep forgetting until I'm half way round a shop and see someone else with one on. If It was mandatory I would but until then I just keep on trying to keep my distance and not lick strangers.

I agree. Although I must admit I haven’t been wearing one when out but today I did for the first time and my anxiety was much better. I’ve only been out to a shop 4 times since this started but I’ll be wearing it from now on.

Secondly, there are a lot of people who have had to carry on some kind of normal lives out there without masks for the last four months when the pandemic was at its peak. Who haven't gone on to catch the virus. It smacks of too little, too late. IMO it's a flimsy attempt by governments to try and encourage people that the big bad world is safe and go back out there again to get the economy going. This. At the moment I need a gas mask, because of all the gaslighting from Boris the clown and his band of merry men. And as others have said, when I've seen people wearing the muzzles, many of them fiddle with them all the time. If Boris decides to mandate the muzzles, he'll probably be wearing one while he speaks, so his waffle will be even less clear than it already is.