If masks are so important

[whatdoidonowffs]

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

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

But its nothing alike. The virus is ongoing so it will still help even now. Unlike a condom at a baby shower, its not lile you keep getting pregnant once your already pregnant.

No one needs to buy a mask. It’s a face covering you need so any scarf would do
I'd still have had to buy a scarf then. Or fabric to make a mask (by hand, I don't have a sewing machine). Not everyone has these things already.

There are a few videos on line for making basic masks. One is a rectangle of t shirt material folded over a couple of elastic bands, no sewing required. It looks fairly easy and I will be trying it for all my teens who haven't needed one so far.

You may have to sacrifice a t shirt if you don't have any old ones but you can probably get several masks out of one garment.

@whatdoidonowffs

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

Because our government is handling this pandemic atrociously.

I don’t understand why pubs and restaurants are exempt from this? Obviously I get you can’t eat or drink with a mask on but why is it deemed safe to be in an enclosed space like a restaurant or pub but not a shop? 🤷‍♀️

@SoupDragon

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

If the comments on my local newspaper page are anything to go by you are right.

I just don't get the issue, we have been wearing them all the way through so no different for us. If you have no conditions that make you exempt then it really isn't a big deal at all.

@ChaoticCatling

No one needs to buy a mask. It’s a face covering you need so any scarf would do I'd still have had to buy a scarf then. Or fabric to make a mask (by hand, I don't have a sewing machine). Not everyone has these things already.

You can make them out of a sock. Surely you have a sock!

@ForTheLoveOfCatFood

I don’t understand why pubs and restaurants are exempt from this? Obviously I get you can’t eat or drink with a mask on but why is it deemed safe to be in an enclosed space like a restaurant or pub but not a shop? 🤷‍♀️

Surely I t's not so much that it is "deemed safe" but, as you said, you can't eat and drink with one on but you can go to a shop.

For those using home made could I mention they also do look into the filters. China and Japan are often used as examples of mask wearing (Im not from there) from talking to people from there, and various local stuff, even their reusable masks use filters.

CDC America for example also has additional suggestions about material types, as do other countries (sorry I forget which easy to search. though).

Globally there are contradictions about PPE shortages. The N is the main one, others are also mentioned.

I hope this helps someone

I would spend less time in a shop than a restaurant so I find it hard to understand why it’s treated differently but I’m not planning to go to either anytime soon so I guess don’t need to worry

There’s a scientist in Israel who has made a mask specifically for eating. It’s a bit creepy. Very clever. But creepy.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-52728998/coronavirus-remote-controlled-mask-invented-to-allow-eating

@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. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Love the analogy

You can make them out of a sock. Surely you have a sock!
Yes, but my socks don't look like the ones on the tutorials! I'd cope until I could get hold of a mask I guess, but I'd never expect a teenager without access to money to wear a well worn sock on their face in public. I do agree with people being given time to get hold of one.

@ChaoticCatling

No one needs to buy a mask. It’s a face covering you need so any scarf would do I'd still have had to buy a scarf then. Or fabric to make a mask (by hand, I don't have a sewing machine). Not everyone has these things already.

You can use just about any item of clothing to cover your nose and mouth - and I'm pretty sure you have a scarf!

blanche85 What makes you think I have a scarf when I've said I don't?

[quote canigooutyet]Hang on retail staff don't have to wear anything?

59 fines issued by tfl, 18,500 stopped since June 15th.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53397617[/quote]
Where does it say retail staff don't have to? Not true in Scotland anyway.

I've got hold of a couple of masks now anyway. The assumption that everyone has spare clothing they don't wear, or scarves or fabric lying around is annoying though.

I don’t understand why pubs and restaurants are exempt from this? Obviously I get you can’t eat or drink with a mask on but why is it deemed safe to be in an enclosed space like a restaurant or pub but not a shop?

Pubs and restaurants generally are doing very well with enforcing social distancing, i.e. screens between tables, limiting number of people, ordering via app at tables, bans of standing at the bar, etc etc.

It's a free for all in shops - far too many people appear incapable of following arrows, waiting at lines, giving people space, etc.

It's a VERY different environment.

People were given guidance to social distance, they were given guidance to follow the revised 1m plus rules. Far too many people ignored all that, so we now have a rule rather than guidance.

Just like back in Feb/Mar when people were "asked" to wash their hands, social distance, avoid busy places, etc., and again, far too many ignored the guidance which led to the lockdown.

@Batteredoldchesterfield a quote from that article: "Environment Secretary George Eustice told BBC Breakfast the new mandatory rule for face coverings in shops does not apply to retail staff.
"It is about managing the overall risk," he added. "Any type of covering will be sufficient for this purpose."

I imagine Scotland has its own rules and guidelines however, might be worth checking BBC Scotland news.

Also, forgive me, but Chaotic it does strike me as quite odd that somebody would have absolutely no spare items of clothing to use as a makeshift mask. You don't have to cut up a T-shirt to use it as a mask, you could just fold it and use it, and if you're really against that idea but were struggling to find a mask in the shop, then you could have bought a cheap scarf from Primark (other clothes retailers are available). Of all the things that the government unreasonably expects people to have access to, I wouldn't place a piece of material on that list. I'm glad you've found some masks though.

Sorry Canigooutyet, just read it in another article. How odd! I'm a store manager and I and all my team wouldn't want to not wear one!

@Batteredoldchesterfield

Environment Secretary George Eustice told BBC Breakfast the new mandatory rule for face coverings in shops does not apply to retail staff.

Its near the top, just under the mention of 11 year olds.

@Batteredoldchesterfield
Honestly are you surprised is makes no sense 🤣

@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. 🤦🏻‍♀️

We're trying to limit how bad a second wave will be.

It makes sense though in a way that retail staff wont be required to wear them, just maybe in a different way to others.

Not required in an office
Not required in restaurants
Not required in schools

Many workplaces will also be following not required because of the government guidelines.

If government say retail staff they aren't needed then how can Tesco or whoever force their staff to wear them for doing their job legally?

I have been wearing one for a while whenever needed, though I go out as little as possible as I am shielding. But, I struggled to buy one as many were out of stock and even then, it took almost 10 days to get to me with the post