Will face masks make you more likely to shop and eat out?

[CamDram]

I understand the reasons for making face masks compulsory. But I’m not sure whether I’ll want to go out into the shops or restaurants and spend money on the high streets unless I really need something specific once everyone’s faces are covered.

Will compulsory face mask make you:

YES - MORE likely to go out shopping/ eating out on the high street

NO- LESS likely to go out shopping

W

It would be difficult to pinpoint trade being directly and solely affected by masks so a tricky one to argue

It would be the easiest thing in the world. Trading figures from 15 June to 24 July, compared with 24 July to 9 September alongside some market research on mask wearing. It would be the main differential in those two periods.

It does sound unpleasant. If it's any consolation to the pp who wrote this, it's actually impossible to pass out when you're having a panic attack because your blood pressure raises and you take in more oxygen when you breathe.

I started wearing a mask pre lockdown when everyone was still pretending nothing was wrong and that masks were unnecessary. Feels like a lifetime ago now.

Anyway I'd just had my baby so I wanted to be extra careful.
People in Sainsbury's stared at me like a loony!
Anyway I didn't last longer than a few weeks because I started having breathing problems.
At first I thought I was having some kind of asthma related problem but it wasn't happening in the house only while out and my inhalers weren't making a difference.

Then I thought maybe I was anxious being out and risking the virus - going to the shops- and that's why I was panicking. After a while I realised it was because I couldn't breath properly with the mask on so stopped wearing it.

I don't understand why now in July it's being mandated when we needed it in bloody March at the latest. What the actual fuck is with this government??? They didn't even do it to coincide with shops or pubs opening they've just picked a random date and said yup wear one now.

I will of course wear a mask now when I go to Sainsbury's.
The truth is I haven't been anywhere else, despite shops etc reopening I haven't stepped foot in any of them. Just regular trips to the supermarket, sanitising and washing hands. Clothes off as soon as I step in and in the washing machine. Sanitising everything we buy even bank cards.

Gosh reading that back I think this has driven me mad! I've not been called unhinged on here (yet) but wouldn't blame someone if they thought I was!!

I've stopped watching the news now anyway and most of those things have become routine to me and less about being ultra anxious.
I see @enlightenedowl I think the name is posting on boards a lot, she isn't fucked with the virus and I'm starting to think she might be right.

Anyway that was long and I've forgotten what op asked now.

@crossstitchingnana

Because the evidence that it makes a blind bit of difference is shaky at most and in some models it's worse. I wear glasses and when I wear a mask (eg public transport) I steam up, can't stop it so a bit dangerous walking around. I also have realised how much I lip read, I have made an appointment for a hearing check! Plus if it's safe to sit in a restaurant without one, how is it dangerous in a shop when you aren't next to someone for long? There's been no cases in my town for 6 weeks, what is it protecting me from, the seagulls???

@Snailsetssail

I don’t mind wearing a mask- if they had been introduced at the right time of the pandemic when scientific research suggested they were beneficial.

Right now they are being introduced for financial reasons only. To encourage more people to spend money. It isn’t at all about safety.

Ohhh I see. People haven't been going out enough so they introducing masks so unwilling people will go? That makes more sense now, I honestly couldn't understand why they've just randomly put it in place now after all this time!!

Yes. It will put me off going out and eating out

The very vast majority of the population to do not use or dispose of masks correctly. Fed up with seeing people wearing masks under noses or chins. Wearing what is very obviously a damp paper mask that should have been changed ages ago. Taking masks off by the contaminated front part rather than the straps. Stuffing said mask in their pocket which then contaminates it. Then there will be the 30degree C brigsde refusing to wash masks at 40+ as it is bad for the environment. Wrongly fitting masks as no fit test. On and on and on

Starting to ask why we spend a fortune on clinical waste annually when masks and gloves are shoved in bins or dropped in the street.

This is politics not evidence based medicine or correct usage and disposal info would be provided. It is so something is being seen to be done and to try and encourage those who are demented with fear (despite to risk factors etc) to get out, go to the shops and go back to work

Masks:
Are great news for Amazon and Ocado, bad news for high street
Give false sense of security
Are widely misused
Are generally ineffective unless in specific situations (like hospitals and care homes, or meatpacking factories) where they are mandated or widely used already.
Distract from far more important and effective actions like self-isolation and social distancing (masks are a terrible substitute for either of these)
Didn’t help us reduce the infection rate by nearly 98% over the last few months
Were not a factor in avoiding spikes post VE Day, Bournemouth beach, BLM protests etc etc - nobody wore masks, no spikes
Most worryingly, demonstrate that Governments are not to be trusted because they make bizarre decisions for such illogical reasons

No, there are other differentials as well, crucially disposable income. I know a lot of people who have saved money during lockdown and gone on a bit of a splurge which they'll be reining in over the next few weeks. Also more people in the second period will be facing possible redundancy and this number will continue to rise as furlough winds down. Transport is a big one too - the free parking schemes will be coming to an end during the second period. And those who are back at work won't be queuing outside primark for two hours.

If you think wearing a mask is uncomfortable you''ll really hate it if you contract covid 19....

I said it would be the main one, Lineman. I’m very careful to be precise on MN!

db11 - the rbry vast majority of people who contract Covid will NOT need to be ventilated. Stop spreading fake news

What is correct is that incorrect mask wearing can give a fall sense of security so important measures like good hand hygiene are ignored. That can risk transfer and raise risk for vulnerable groups who may (as many do not) need ventilated

Ah ok fair enough! I dunno, I just think it would be a difficult point to argue as there are so many things about covid that affect retail spending.

I wish they'd given us that five hundred quid they were on about. I'd happily mask up and go spend that in town

I wear one at work. I often feel faint with it on as find I am drinking less but am slowly getting used to it. I am wearing one in the shops but will be eating out less and am not really keen to just browse in the shops at the moment. I will go if I need something specific but a lot of the joy has been removed from shipping for me.

I've only been to supermarkets since Lockdown and now that there are more grocery slots available, I think I'll be less likely to go even there. I was ordering all our clothes online well before lockdown any way. I get odds and ends from Amazon and ebay.

I'm so angry with he situation and while I know measures are needed, I just want as much normality as I can.

A whole cottage industry has sprung up on mask sellers. Usually around £5 per mask and if you are now going to need them for shops as well as public transport each person probably needs a least 3 masks.
A lot of people just one have the spare money so will either buy a cheap pack of five disposable and just reuse or won’t bother at all.

I know someone is going to come along and say you can make one from an old t shirt and to watch you tube for how but given that there is a whole section in society that don’t know how to cook their children a meal that doesn’t involve Iceland’s ready meals I don’t think they will be wiping out a pair of craft scissors to make a marks. And it is these people who won’t be able to afford a £5 Etsy mask for every member of their household.

Won't make a difference to me - the not trying on clothes is making me less likely to go clothes shopping than mask wearing

I wear one in work and have got used to it now, I haven't routinely been wearing one if I go out outside of work but if it becomes compulsory then I will

We will probably see loads of masks hanging from car mirrors, airing out between shopping trips.

I do worry about the affordability aspect particularly given as you say not being able to afford sufficient is likely to lead to ineffective use. Really wish we could do as Spain and other countries do and hand them out to people when they are made compulsory. But then that would require a degree of organisation and forward planning that our government don't have.

Ah ok fair enough! I dunno, I just think it would be a difficult point to argue as there are so many things about covid that affect retail spending.

Too right.

I will go if I need something specific but a lot of the joy has been removed from shipping for me.

Too right. And the thought of breathing in Covid virus whilst doing it has put the tin hat on it.

As plenty of other countries have mandatory mask wearing in shops I wonder how it has affected their takings?

I will go to supermarket as usual but of course I won’t want to spend the day browsing the local shopping centre. It will be a horrible experience, and browsing and selecting things in person is, for me, primarily a leisure experience. If I’m not going to enjoy it then I why would I do it?

I’m not AGAINST masks per se if the science is good, and I have no idea if it is at this point. I just hate wearing one so will minimise the times in which I have to.

If I have to wear one, I will....however I have to say that I'm not entirely convinced that the logic is completely sound. From what I can see it's now compulsory to wear a mask in a shop, but the rules don't apply to the shop workers. You have to 'mask up' to get your food shopping but don't need to wear one if you are buying a pint in a pub. I'm not disputing the need to protect the vulnerable but because the requirement to wear a mask is not being enforced across the board it makes it feel like there is a little bit of virtue signalling going on here. I think that it will put people off going out shopping on the high street too - it won't make me feel safer, it will just encourage me to buy more online.

I keep getting mixed messages for face masks

I’m deaf so rely a lot on lip reading.

I keep reading I need to wear one, but the person I’m communicating with can remove it so I can hear them.

Then I get others saying no I won’t need to wear one

If the majority* start wearing face masks, yes, I will be more inclined to revisit my local high street. If not, it will remain essential trips only and I'll keep doing all my shopping online whenever possible.

*I'm aware some people are exempt from wearing face masks.

Read the update and Supermarket workers are exempt from wearing them when there at work. Good news for me