To mask or not to mask

[coffeewithmilk]

This thread might have some divided opinions

I have been wearing a face covering whenever I go into a shop or enclosed space where I cannot social distance - for example: went to IKEA this morning and put my mask on. I'm really shocked at the amount of people not wearing one.
I would have thought with everything that has happened the last few months that people would be inclined to wear a mask, but it's almost like nothing has happened... and feel like I even get some strange looks when I am wearing one.

Just for context: I'm not in the UK. Currently in ROI.

Do people think they are superior and won't catch anything so they don't bother putting one on?

AIBU with this?

Masks protect other people from you in case you're an asymptomatic carrier. If everybody wore a mask then infection rates would fall because asymptomatic and presymptomatic people wouldn't be coughing/ breathing out infected droplets in public areas.

People say that masks are useless because the virum is this small and the weave of the mask is that big, but the virums aren't floating around in the air by themselves like tiny helium balloons. They're carried in droplets which are much larger and don't fit through the mesh of the mask.

I have asthma and wear glasses so my glasses steam up when I wear a mask, however I still do it. It's literally the least I can do.

I live in a US state that has mandated mask wearing, and in the process has managed to reopen most businesses and services without an increase in cases. So I wear a mask.

Intrigued to see if the UK follows the path of those US states that didn't mandate mask wearing.

We need to get to the same kind of stage where the Far East is, where wearing masks is standard and not seen as different.

You don't even have to as far as Far East. Number of countries in Europe made them compulsory for a while and some still have them compulsory in certain spaces and people not only survived that, but also because everyone is wearing them, it's not considered odd.

I'm in Spain. Everyone here is wearing them out and about, no drama.

Just wear a damn mask, please. It's really not a lot to ask.

I don't and won't wear a mask.I don't need to explain why. I simply don't want to, so won't.

I don't and won't wear a mask.I don't need to explain why. I simply don't want to, so won't

And you're simply selfish.

@InFiveMins

I don't and won't wear a mask.I don't need to explain why. I simply don't want to, so won't.

Pout and stomp foot😂 Don't worry, young children are usually an exempt

Other countries have to wear them and have a lower transmission rate so I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t.

From The Guardian.

MPs have urged the government to clarify its position on face masks, after Boris Johnson hinted that it could become compulsory to wear them in shops.
Johnson said on Friday that ministers were “looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings, in shops, for example”, to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Not every disability is visible.

Please stop assuming every person who isn't wearing one is simply not wanting to.

The ignorance on threads like these is appalling.

It sets disability equality back years.

And so many people say ignorant things like "there is no disability that prevents you from wearing one" or "if you can breathe, you can wear a mask".

People don't realise how lucky they are.

What's the situation with masks and restaurants / bars? Enclosed space, potentially well spaced out but obviously you'll be there for a while. If you wear one but keep removing it to eat or drink, then you're more likely to potentially transmit virus on your hands to table tops, condiments, the chair etc.

I don’t wear one in shops because I don’t expect to get within 2m if anyone in the shops I go in. I wear one on the bus, but noted one passenger today put a mask on to board the bus, then took it off again and went round shutting all the windows.

I had to sit on the bus for an hour with that prat.

Are masks compulsory in the ROI?
I don't really see why the OP is shocked that people aren't wearing them if they aren't compulsory. If they are compulsory, then yes, absolutely, the vast majority of people should be complying.
I am in another country where masks were compulsory from the end of March until the middle of June. On the day the compulsion was dropped people stopped wearing them. I am glad they were compulsory for that period of time. I think most people wouldn't have worn them if it was only advisory. I find them hot, uncomfortable and unpleasant. Lots of people did object to it but complied (police were checking and fining people).
We are now seeing a slow increase in cases and masks have been made compulsory again in those areas where clusters are occurring.

Do people think they are superior and won't catch anything so they don't bother putting one on?

Ooh yeah that's definitely the only possible reason someone might not wear a mask. What is it with the small minded middle classes on mumsnet automatically assuming that any one who thinks differently to them are stupid?

Where's the actual scientific evidence that forcing an entire population to wear masks will have any positive effect, and that the effects on coronavirus will outweigh effects on other respiratory or mental health conditions?

I will wear one if i am likely to be refused service somewhere if I'm not wearing one, or of there's a sign in a shop asking people to wear one. But I'm not wearing one full time. I don't believe they are effective and are likely to do more harm than good.

Other countries have to wear them and have a lower transmission rate so I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t.

Presume then there's evidence that the lower transmission rates can be directly linked to masks and not to any other measures?

Since I spend my days in a poorly ventilated classroom with children of keyworkers, several of whom have already tested positive (KW not kids!), I wear a mask when shopping. This isn't to protect me.

I will wear one if they become compulsory. I shop online as much as possibel and limit my trips to actual shops. I carry antibac gel everywhere and am social distancing still.

However, the majority of mask wearers in my town do a mixture of things:

1. wear their masks on their chins.
2. wear their masks under their noses.
3. repeatedly touch their mask.
4. move their masks up and down to speak to their companion or take a phone call.
5. get really close to others because they seem to think a mask makes them invincible. Thats just in supermarkets.

If they aren't being worn properly and social distancing is not being adhered to, there is no point wearing them. They all end up chucked on the floor to join the rest of the litter anyway.

If we want the economy to open up again, if we want to be able to see friends, do stuff, open schools then EITHER we wear masks or we do it the Trump way (personal choice, bullshit, bullshit). I think the idea of being forced out to work when you know there's an epidemic ranging (a la Florida) is terrifying, so I vote for compulsary mask wearing in indoor spaces. Unfortunately I dont think we'll get that til it's all gone horribly wrong and our ICUs are full again.

@ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal what other measures? Do you think there is really some other magical thing they do in say, Vietnam, that we've not heard of?

Social distancing. Closing stuff down. Wearing masks. Test, track and trace. These are the weapons in our toolkit right now, each contributes a little to the whole. That's it. That's all there is. Magic thinking, waiting for the sun to kill the virus, getting bored and hoping it will go away are of no use to us. Neither is sitting on our arses refusing to adopt any measure til there's 5 years of evidence based research for it.

Social distancing. Closing stuff down. Wearing masks. Test, track and trace.

Where's the evidence the reductions in numbers is because of mask wearing and not the other things?

For 12 weeks we were all told masks don't help. Now they do. So what changed and where's the evidence?

If it becomes compulsory to wear a mask I will until then I will stick to social distancing.

InFiveMins

I don't and won't wear a mask.I don't need to explain why. I simply don't want to, so won't

Please don’t come to Scotland.

For 12 weeks we were all told masks don't help. Now they do. So what changed and where's the evidence?

All?

Most other countries were recommending masks long before the UK did.

Perhaps the problem is with the UK advice, not the advice given by the rest of the world?

Ok that doesn't answer where is the scientific evidence that masks help?

@ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal

Do people think they are superior and won't catch anything so they don't bother putting one on?

Ooh yeah that's definitely the only possible reason someone might not wear a mask. What is it with the small minded middle classes on mumsnet automatically assuming that any one who thinks differently to them are stupid?

Where's the actual scientific evidence that forcing an entire population to wear masks will have any positive effect, and that the effects on coronavirus will outweigh effects on other respiratory or mental health conditions?

I will wear one if i am likely to be refused service somewhere if I'm not wearing one, or of there's a sign in a shop asking people to wear one. But I'm not wearing one full time. I don't believe they are effective and are likely to do more harm than good.

I'm not small minded middle class - very rude of you to make that assumption.

I'm actually a front line A&E nurse.. and am speaking on behalf of experience with people I have come across (mostly younger people - who have the assumption they are invincible - hence do not wear a mask)

Thank you for your assumption that I'm small minded. Here comes the keyboard bully on a thread once again