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 won’t stop me from food shopping or nipping into a shop that I need but I won’t be going to places like the Trafford Centre where you spend a lot of time indoors. TBH, I think the whole concept of shopping as a leisure activity is quite grotesque now, just wandering around looking for something, anything to buy.

No. I'm already shopping and eating out perfectly happily without one.

I'll cut the shopping trips as I really don't like being made to wear a mask. However, I will do so without being prompted because that's where we're at.

@HorseChestnutTree

People can’t complain about the “death of the high street” if they are the ones refusing to shop because they don’t like wearing a mask

But I am not sure that many people are stamping their feet about it. It seems to be the government is now worried about the economy, so they are hoping this will make people feel safer going out and about. Only some people have said they don't want to go out and about in a mask so they will stay at home. Why is that causing so much venom in others? What is it you want? For people to be frog marched to the high streets to be forced to spend money? If people don't want to shop, for whatever reason, then that is perfectly fine.

I am sorry you have had a difficult time with COVID but surely people staying home rather than going out and about even with masks makes it safer for you? I can't understand why you are getting worked up about others choosing to stay home, I really can't.

Noooo you’ve got me wrong. I don’t care if people stay at home, but I do care about them publicly stating how stupid they are and how they refuse to do it. You only have to look at this thread to see the number of people saying that! It encourages a culture like in America where people have literally had tantrums in shops, adults laying on the floor refusing to wear a mask! It’s mad!!!

@ScrapThatThen

I think this is a sensible time to take additional precautions. And it would be nice if people stopped commenting negatively to people wearing them.

And I think it would be much nicer if people stopped commenting negatively about people not wearing them and not wanting to wear them so there you go.

There is fuck all chance of me going out for a meal and wearing one however.

Well you don't have to, you obviously wouldn't wear one in a restaurant.

I couldn't vote as it will make no difference to how frequently I shop.

I haven’t gone to the shops since the start of lockdown as I didn’t feel safe as I was heavily pregnant

Now I’ve had baby and infection rates have dropped massively I was looking forward to getting out again and was starting to feel ready to

I really don’t want to be out with a mask during the summer heat. I wear glasses and each time I’ve been to hospital in the last few weeks I can’t see a thing from being steamed up

So I won’t be going to the shops or restaurants now

Since I'm not a massive jerk I have been wearing one since the start when shops opened back up.

It's really not that big of an issue, it prevents the spread of an airborne virus so really don't understand those who are getting funny about it

So I won’t be going to the shops or restaurants now

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR THEM IN RESTAURANTS.

Jeez.

I am in a situation where I am exempt from wearing one. However, for fear of running into a self-appointed covid-policer and the toxicity of social media shaming non-wearers etc... I won't be going out and spending money when they become compulsory.

"Think about us retail staff who have to wear them for hours on end and now Boris wants us to encourage shoppers to wear them.

Sorry Boris but I'm not encouraging shoppers to wear masks it's not.my job to do that so you can stick that idea where the sun dont shine."

Good job literally none of that is the idea then

@OoohTheStatsDontLie

I'll go out more. I haven't been wearing one because it felt pointless when 90pc of people weren't, but it did make me uncomfortable and I do think it should be compulsory for those who arent exempt. Last time I went to the shops some manky guy was sneezing all over the place and not even attempting to do it in a tissue / elbow. Gross.

To me, putting up with a slight inconvenience to help make vulnerable people safer is a no brainer. I am surprised about how many people say 'I don't want to wear them, it only protects the old and vulnerable'...that's millions! It's slightly uncomfortable, that's all. Unless you have a genuine medical reason not to wear them eg panic attacks, autism, asthma, get over it. Yes the government messed up the message and it's a bit late, but that doesnt mean that doesn't help spread the disease

I've not been wearing one (but not going out much) and my experience of the 10% of people who were wearing one was they seemed to think it made them immune from everything - and they utterly failed to observe any social distancing and often came close and even pushed past me.

Don't mind wearing a mask if it helps, but I hope it doesn't make everyone forget the other precautions.

You know that they are NOT mandatory in England in restaurants or pubs right? I've eaten out in a hotel and had a drink outside a pub and no masks were worn except by staff.

So the only thing it might change is people browsing the shops and I can't see the pleasure in that when you can't try anything on.
I already wear one to the supermarket.

Hate them - already ordering Tesco online but was popping to my local shop when I needed bits. Probably will stop doing that. Won't be going to pubs or restaurants or clothes shopping if we have to wear them there.

@BakedBlossoms

So I won’t be going to the shops or restaurants now

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR THEM IN RESTAURANTS.

Jeez.

This, so much this. Are people really this ill informed or willfully ignorant of anything which doesn't fit their narrative??

I am so sick and tired of all the threads about how awful masks are and why should anyone have to wear them if they don't like them. there is now evidence that masks do help stop the spread - not to the wearer, but to the people they come into contact with. So yes I get YOU may not like wearing it, but don't you care who you might infect by NOT wearing one? Someone with significant helath problems already? someone elderly? someone's granny? FFS the self centred attitudes of the fed up and bored drive me insane. Noone likes our new life - but we are stuck with it for now, so can we at least have a go at remembering none of us have anywhere to run to, so we just have to get on with it.

I wont be coming back to read any replies to my post, I dont have time or inclination to read justification posts that really are a cover for the fact that so many poeple know all about their "rights" but dont give a fuck for their "responsibilities"

I'll be much less likely to go into shops after 24th July. I'll be doing online shopping wherever possible.

I think we should just keep with the 2m that has on the whole been working - well enough to bring the transmission rates right down.
We're not expected to wear them in pubs or restaurant (or how would you eat/drink properly) yet it's more likely to be transmitted there as people are closer for longer.

It’s not really going to affect me either way. I’m not someone who went shopping much for leisure before, so that might influence my answer. We went away this weekend, maintained social distancing and hand washing but we also wore masks in shops. More to make the locals feel safer, as even though we’re from somewhere with very low cases, they don’t know that. We actually spent more money wearing our masks this weekend than we have on previous shopping trips without masks. Back home, DH did the food shop yesterday and he wore a mask just because we’ve been around a lot of different people (socially distanced but still) and it was the socially responsible thing to do. However, as he got into Tesco he saw they’d done away with the one way system and it was just a free for all with people stood chatting in the aisles with no social distancing and no masks. That is more likely to reduce the already small amount of time I spend on the high street than mandatory mask wearing.

I don’t see how they can work in pubs, restaurants and coffee shops though as you’ll need to lower the mask to eat/drink. We didn’t wear masks in the restaurant or coffee shop this weekend but we were always sat further than 2m from someone else and/or outside. I would probably choose not to go to a restaurant that was trying to cram people in. Although I do understand how they’re going to struggle to be economically viable with lower footfall. I’m also prepared to lower my mask for people who need to read my lips to understand me.

There was a virologist on the news this morning who seemed very on the fence about wearing them.
Yes they reduce transmission by say 30% but then you touch your face a lot more when wearing one, so transfer virus to your hands and then onto anything you touch.
It will certainly stop me going out, think the high street will be dead in 5 years.

No I'm less likely to go. But then again I was only going to the supermarket anyway. I dislike wearing masks but understand the need

Yes they reduce transmission by say 30% but then you touch your face a lot more when wearing one, so transfer virus to your hands and then onto anything you touch.

So don't touch your face then.

Yes

How are you supposed to go out to eat in a mask? It has to be removed to put the food & drink in your mouth.

Are you expected to replace the mask between bites? If not, what’s the point of the mask in the first place? If so, the more fiddling you do, the more chance you have of touching the parts of the mask you shouldn’t and transmitting infection (I’ve already seen plenty of that). So again, what’s the point?

It will put me off, tbh.

Perhaps I'll get used to it and not even notice it after a bit, but at the moment I think I'd struggle to go in and out of shops for a couple of hours without taking it off (which is obviously not great when you shouldn't be touching it).

I'd be more likely to just go to big shops (buy my cheese in a supermarket rather than our cheesemonger), or go for something specific, rather than pop in and out of a few shops on our high street.

But like I say, I might get used to it. Perhaps finding a style that fits me well, and practising getting it on securely and comfortably will help.

Since the non essential shops have reopened, I have really enjoyed a pootle about and have spent a LOT of money on bits and pieces. If I have to wear a mask in the shop, as well as queue to get in to the shop, then no. I won't be doing it, which is a shame because it felt like a slice of normality.