Face masks. To feel that we have all been through enough....

[NiknicK]

And shouldn’t have to wear face masks if we don’t want to. I know it’s not officially been confirmed yet, but it’s expected to be today, and I don’t get it. If face masks truly help prevent the spreading of the virus, then why on earth wasn’t it made compulsory at the beginning of this pandemic, why now? I know you’ll all likely call me selfish but I can’t do it. I have to wear a mask for ten minutes once or twice month to collect mine and dh’s medication and I find it unbearable even for that small amount of time. They make my face itch and make me want to touch my face more, I can’t breathe properly and get panicky, they slide up as they’re too big for my face and hit my eye lids. My ds is autistic and I suspect I have some traits eg sensory issues, and the thought of having to wear these masks when I find shopping stressful enough as it is, fills me with dread. AIBU?

@merrymouse

Let’s face it, this new rule about face coverings is not about responding to new evidence or whatever. It’s about Boris deciding that pressure in the media (social and otherwise) is now such that he needs to be seen to be pro-face coverings.

No, its because there is growing evidence that wearing a mask does slow the spread of the virus, and wearing a mask is a fairly easy thing to do for most people.

That’s not why the government have suddenly introduced it right now though.

Let’s not pretend that this government is doing anything in an evidence led way.

As I said, I am (right now) wearing a bloody face covering. I’m not disputing anything about the actual evidence. But let’s be honest about how the government is operating.

Not least because it clear has an effect on public attitudes.

Just wear the bloody mask. We’ve been wearing them for months. Unless you have a medical exemption, it’s a small ask.

@byvirtue

Mask wearing is a fallacy based on the assumption that everyone you come in contact with has coronavirus which is simply not true. Last stats I saw were 1 in 3900 have covid.

But sure, anyone who questions whether mask wearing should be compulsory or optional is deemed selfish for even considering not wearing one.

It's based on you unknowingly having it so you can avoid infecting others, not that you as an uninfected person are coming into contact with thousands of the infected.

@NiknicK unfortunately it’s completely possible that you may not know you are a carrrier despite you feeling ill at the slightest thing. This is a novel virus, which means new which means you won’t have experienced anything like it so there is absolutely a chance you may have it and not know.

As people said previously, if you can not wear one then you should not be going into a situation where it will be mandatory. This is to protect not only the vulnerable but those who may become super spreaders by picking it up and having no clue either therefore spreading more misery and suffering.

This should have been made compulsory back in March, heck even in February it was evident this was airborne and masks would help minimise risk but as others have commented, the priority was healthcare workers having access to a supply.

It’s a simple piece of cloth over your mouth and nose, you don’t suffocate, you won’t die but you will be safe and you will protect others.

If you dislike a mask you will hate the ventilator, of that I am certain.

In all honesty get over yourself. Why are you so special that you shouldn’t have to wear a mask. They’re horrible I hate wearing one but I do it. Last time I was in a shopping centre I started to feel like I couldn’t breathe and I had to run to the entrance and rip it off my face to get some air. I still put one back on next time I went to the shop. The science is now there showing they make a huge difference to transmission. So wear one. I have started getting a rash too btw to see your itchy skin and raise you an actual blotchy face.

All this rubbish about how people didn’t wear one during peak. Well if you use an ounce of critical thinking maybe if everyone did wear one there would’ve been less cases.

Honestly people are so self entitled. I wear a mask to protect you. You should wear one to protect me not claim you have sensory issues as you don’t like the feel. No one likes the feel!! No one goes around going oh I’m loving wearing this mask it’s so comfortable

And some people do have a real reason they can’t wear one so everyone else who is just uncomfortable has to get on with it.

That said, my sister has a severe lung condition and still manages to struggle through For 30 mins doing shopping.

It's based on you unknowingly having it so you can avoid infecting others, not that you as an uninfected person are coming into contact with thousands of the infected.

But that is the other side of the same coin. The chances of you having it and not knowing it is vanishingly small and getting smaller all the time.

Christ, it's a mask not a suit of bloody armour. Just wear it.

Why are we doing this now when cases are much lower than they were a few months ago.

Because as people return to work and are allowed to meet up with family and friends and go to cafes etc, it becomes easier for the virus to spread.

Wearing a mask in shops is the cost of a life that is close to normal.

Will masks significantly slow transmission? Nobody really knows. However we don't get to do a test run of the next 6 months and then go back and try again.

@ChaToilLeam

Just wear the bloody mask. We’ve been wearing them for months. Unless you have a medical exemption, it’s a small ask.

This. I honestly can't understand why people have such an issue with it. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, and it's a simple action that members of the public can do to minimise the spread of the virus. Anyone who moans about masks curtailing their freedoms is a bit precious and entitled, and could do with putting a foot in the real world.

The chances of you having it and not knowing it is vanishingly small and getting smaller all the time.

This is wrong.

Symptoms typically appear 5 days after exposure.

Be interested to see if @NiknicK the OP comes back to this thread after the slew of piling on and abuse heavy criticism that she's faced.

FWIW I agree with others that it doesn't matter if you've done the right thing up until now, or whether you've had a hard time - masks are part of the next phase of this response and we should try and limit the spread of the virus. If you don't like wearing masks, then online shopping is the way forward.

I don’t see why people (anti mask) don’t see the drink driving analogy.

You think you know when you are safe, you think that you have only had a 1/2 bottle of wine with dinner and, anyway, chances are, if you crash, you will only hurt yourself. And stupid dementors think one rule fits all when you use your own common sense....

But if everyone thought this way, the roads would definitely be more dangerous for all.

Think about that.

@SockYarn

When you are in a large supermarket and the person passing you sneezes @SockYarn they are not useless at all.

Which is why supermarket staff have been falling in in huge numbers. Oh wait.... they haven't. And newsflash - there are lots of reasons why people sneeze other than Covid. Given the extremely low rates of community transmission, they are far more likely to have hayfever, or a cold.

Probably because community cases have been fairly low. As people go back to work, pubs open, etc this will change and we need to combat the likely impending increase as much as possible.

The more people who don't wear them the more likely we go back to some form of stricter lock down as well as the associated deaths.

But rather than admit this some people would rather hysterically bleat on about the covid police. Trying to convince themselves that it's the mask wearing people who are unreasonable. The selfishness of some never fails to amaze me.

And shouldn’t have to wear face masks if we don’t want to

You may not "want to" but it's a totally selfish view.

Masks don't protect you they protect everyone around you.

If we all wear masks, then rates of transmission go down to about 1.5% and those of us who KNOW we'd get very ill (or die) from COVID-19 can feel safer and actually leave our houses.

But oh no, you just don't want to. You like a tantrumming 5 yearsold.

@SockYarn

It's based on you unknowingly having it so you can avoid infecting others, not that you as an uninfected person are coming into contact with thousands of the infected.

But that is the other side of the same coin. The chances of you having it and not knowing it is vanishingly small and getting smaller all the time.

And if everyone who was unknowingly infected wore their mask, the chances would be even smaller and we could go back to normal, or something close.

What @alternativeperspective said. Get over yourself. I wear hearing aids and glasses - add a mask to that lot and I will be changing my name to wingnut. But I will do it, (and have been) because unlike a huge amount of people, you included, I am not precious or a bloody snowflake, 'I'll faint if I have to wear one' - really? Bloody good job you weren't working for the NHS then isn't it?

Don’t expect logic from the British government because they have fucked up every single decision they’ve made.

Just because they have only just decided masks are helpful, doesn’t mean all the other countries doing it from the start were wrong.

Symptoms typically appear 5 days after exposure.

And? Of course it's possible to be asympomatic. But the PREVALENCE is a different matter. There are so few people wandering around who are asympomatic - and not self isolating because they know they have been in contact with someone who is symptomatic - that the chances of me being one of them is almost zero.

So me virtue signalling with my mask in Asda is "protecting" you against a risk which is probably less than you slipping on spilled milk and breaking your neck.

heck even in February it was evident this was airborne

The World Health Organisation
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 29, 2020;

"Fact Check: COVID-19 is NOT airborne"

"The message spreading on social media that “COVID-19 is airborne” is INCORRECT. Help stop misinformation.Verify the facts before sharing."

who.africa-newsroom.com/press/coronavirus-fact-check-covid19-is-not-airborne

What a bunch of flakes 😂

I'll faint if I have to wrap a scarf loosely around my face - get a grip people

@larrygrylls

I don’t see why people (anti mask) don’t see the drink driving analogy.

You think you know when you are safe, you think that you have only had a 1/2 bottle of wine with dinner and, anyway, chances are, if you crash, you will only hurt yourself. And stupid dementors think one rule fits all when you use your own common sense....

But if everyone thought this way, the roads would definitely be more dangerous for all.

Think about that.

What a pile of sanctimonious rubbish. Getting into a car after drinking is dangerous. No debate.

But being out and about without a mask is not dangerous given that prevalence rates are low and dropping all the time, and that just walking past someone in the shop is not sufficient "close contact" to give them "the Covid".

Think about that.

They are dropping because of social distancing though and lockdown measures- the rate will undoubtedly rise now people are doing more non essential stuff and face coverings will reduce the spread not prevent entirely

@doodleygirl

I have just been listening to the news which says the next wave of the virus will be so much worse unless we do everything we can to ensure we keep it at a distance. This includes,social distancing, mask wearing and using our common sense in relation to how we behave.

Wearing masks may be a pain in the arse but they are one of the tools of fighting this really shitty virus. It really pisses me off when I hear people say I have had enough, or I've followed the rules up until now and I am not doing it anymore. Just a fucking stupid attitude.

The best thing anyone can do is get their immune system healthy.

Wearing a mask won't do that.

We have all 'been through enough' so you don't want to wear a mask? It's a mask to wear in shops, you're not being asked to wear anything really horrific. I've had three hospital appointments in the last week, which have been stressful as I've been shielding since March. I had to wear a mask as it's required on the hospital site. Is it nice to wear? No. Did I like wearing it? No. Will I do anything that may possibly help in the teensiest way? Of course, why wouldn't I.

I accept that some people cannot wear them for medical reasons (and of course that's fine) but if you just don't feel that you want to then I really can't be arsed with that attitude. It's not exactly a fucking hardship for a few months. People can be such twats about the smallest things, most of us have got bigger things to worry about than having to wear a bloody mask when we go to Tesco.