If masks are so important

[whatdoidonowffs]

Why is it not becoming compulsory now instead of ten days time ?

So people like me have time to buy some

@Badmemorieshouse
Obvious!

Because there was a little thing called a PPE shortage at the start, and what government would make people wear masks if they couldn't even get enough for medical staff?

Because schools will have broken up!

Because not everyone has masks and need to buy them?
Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower. 🤦🏻‍♀️

yep masks were expensive up until recently. now I can buy washable ones for a £1 each

To give people 10 days in which to whinge incessantly and come up with an excuse for why they can't possibly wear one.

Op, is that a serious question?
Many people don't have them yet. Would you ban them from going to the shops to get one, or from buying food until they've ordered and received one online?!?

YouTube and the Govenment website show ones made from t shirts.
We all have old t shirts we can cut up.

Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Not really as it's not over so there is still benefit. They absolutely should have done it earlier though.

Is anyone else finding that wearing one is making your acne worse?
I am finding the warm moist breeding ground is not doing my skin any favours at all. My skin can make me feel suicidal at the best of times.

Because the UK government lacks the leadership necessary to make it happen more quickly?

They are being made compulsory now because lockdown is being relaxed and we are going to be in closer proximity to other people. At the start of the pandemic it was relatively easy to stay 2m from other in shops. Now it seems to be a free for all, more people are being allowed into shops and supermarkets and it is impossible to socially distance so masks are more important.

It was inevitable that as they started to relax things and let people do more that there would be different rules introduced.

Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower

Well .... that condom might prevent further 'consequences', so it's probably the right decision. Do I like the idea? No. But it is what it is.

Because despite the whole world wearing them many in England will only wear them if told to. They won't have used their common sense to get any. Despite it being July and this has been going on months, many will now panic and start wondering where on earth to get them from. It gives those that haven't bothered the time to get their arses in gear.

It is a shame we needed to be told to do it, our family all wear face covers but it is definitely the minority that wear them in shops.

'Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower'

Why doesn't it make sense? 4 months ago it was everywhere, face covers would have been futile. Many shops were shut, remember?! Now everywhere is open, it is under control so if it contains someone's exhaled droplets from infecting someone else surely it's worth doing now when the rules arent 'stay at home'.

Honestly, this country must be the only place hand wringing about face covers.

On a side note, ridiculous Lorraine on telly said this morning 'England follows Scotland's Lead!' as if scotland has invented mask wearing

My local shops have all sold out this morning. There were loads yesterday but all gone.

It's a bit Captain Obvious isn't it OP?

Anyone who doesn't have a mask right now will need time to get one.

If they don't shop online (like many elderly people for example) how are they going to get in a shop to buy one?

If it was that important, it would have come in on 15th June when non-essential retail opened. It would have had a lot more credibility then.

If they had said you have to wear them from today what would people have done if they didn't have any?

They are mandatory already in Scotland. I have had masks since April and can’t fathom why other people don’t have them already

I still don't understand how all the shops who have to ID people for alcohol cigarettes and age restricted products and who also have to look out fir barred customers are going to ve aboe to do this when everyone is wearing a mask...

Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower

Though I agree with a pp that there's still plenty of benefit.

I still don't understand how all the shops who have to ID people for alcohol cigarettes and age restricted products and who also have to look out fir barred customers are going to ve aboe to do this when everyone is wearing a mask

The most aging part of the face, other than the neck, is the area around the eyes, which will be visible. And maybe it will lead to a different approach as it's ridiculous that you have to be over 25 when the law says you have to be over 18 (or 16 for some products).

@GinDrinker00

Because not everyone has masks and need to buy them? Makes no sense to make them mandatory 4 months into a pandemic though, it’s like bringing a condom to a baby shower. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Given transmission rates are now low, this hopefully will keep them that way.

The virus still exists - not using something that could help just because we didn't use it before is pretty stupid.