Masks - GET A GRIP.

[Changednamesorry]

Ok.

So. Lots of whinging about masks at the moment as BoJo finally hauls his arse into gear and says that you have to wear them in the shops and on public transport.

In Catalunya where I live masks are obligatory. Every time you are in public. Including in the street. Inside and out. The exceptions are

Medical conditions (you need a paper justifying this)
When playing sport
Children under the age of 6
If eating or drinking

If you don't comply - 100 euro fine. No arguments.

Most people here were already wearing masks anyway (because we saw the horror at the beginning of the pandemic here and we know what a real lockdown is like - not allowed out at all, children locked inside for nearly 3 months, etc)

People arent whining and complaining nor imagining how they can invent aome excuse to mean that the rules don't apply to them and the overwhelming majority of people are wearing them all the time.

Tourists not so much but they getting fined. Good.

So England. PLEASE. Stop with the selfishness. Literally dozens of countries have mandatory mask wearing and citizens comply because they care about each other and don't spend their time acting entitled and "I'm all right Jack"

There are articles in the European press about this. Literally "English people are selfish - is it any wonder they are so resistant to wear masks". It's embarrassing. As a nation, as a society, it's time to grow up and just put the mask on like everyone else.

English people. You aren't special. You are starting to look like the kid who gets thw whole class detention because they just keep on breaking the rules.

Wear the mask. Please. It's for the safety of everyone.

And if you ABSOLUTELY MUST come to Spain on holiday, even more so.

@GabsAlot no idea what you’re on about. I wear my mask happily.

@MolyHolyGuacamole

So, does that mean people who are unable to wear a mask shouldn't be allowed to get on a bus? Go in a shop?

You mean like everyone who's been shielding?

Nobody is being banned from shops. They're being advised to stay at home for their own health reasons. They don't have to do it.

Advising people to stay at home for other people's benefit when the reason they apparently need to do that is because they are UNABLE to wear a mask because of health reasons or trauma etc is discrimination.

For masks to be effective they need to be worn correctly and changed regularly. Happy to wear a mask appropriately but I fear that unless we have some robust public information across all media with simple to understand “rules” regarding use of masks then it’s all a bit pointless.
I have N95 and FFP3 masks and a visor to work in which give me a high level of protection so I can work closely around patients face.
The public need to be informed very clearly that face coverings and disposable masks are for the benefit of everyone else and will not offer protection against infection. Masks slightly lower the risk of the wearer passing the virus to others but do not reduce the risk to the wearer.
Also investing a lot of money in higher filtration masks is pointless because for them to be effective they need fit testing which will cost upwards of £35 if they can find a qualified fit tester.
Public information needs to be clear that mask AND social distancing are essential for mask wearing to have any effect.
However it will reduce the common cold spreading and they are brilliant for halitosis. Wearing heavy makeup is pointless and you don’t need to remove facial hair as often so money can be saved.

@ Ofitck

We in the UK never had a proper hard continental European style lockdown. Even an infamous senior government adviser Cummings broke his own rules and same for the former Scottish Chief Medical Officer and another UK government scientists during the so called soft government advice to stay at home. It was never a lockdown as there were made up free her out of jail cards like leaving the house to shop for apparently essential food and medical supplies and to exercise with unlike many continental European countries self regulated as no paperwork nor permission required. In short some Brits took liberties and did as they please ignoring government guidance. These guidelines were also not enforced by the authorities. Therefore comin on to PPE and face coverings most Brits never wore and still today anti face coverings. Not sure if it is anti rule adherence psychology or just lack of community cohesion and mutual safety respect?

@MolyHolyGuacamole there are myriad health issues which make wearing a mask impossible and very far from all of them place a person in the shielding group. For example, I have trigeminal neuralgia which makes it impossible for me to wear a mask. I also have rheumatoid arthritis so I'm higher risk, but still not shielding. Because I'm higher risk I understand the need for wearing masks and I would if I could - and I'm so grateful to those who do, in order to protect others, particularly those of us who are higher risk.

@oralengineer
I agree. I know my mask doesn't protect me. It protects others.

That's why there needs to be a mass uptake for them to work. And for people to put other people's health and safety as a priority over their own comfort.

most Brits never wore and still today anti face coverings

No they're not.

Kinda makes it hard to care about other people's health and safety when they're selfish arseholes who only care about themselves and not the wellbeing of those people who actually can't wear a mask though doesn't it?

The OP is simply goading. Ignoring replies she doesn’t like or that fail to fit her agenda to wind people up. Such as ones that point out the German tourists acting like idiots in Majorca and the French bus driver killed for confronting people refusing to wear masks. She thinks because she’s moved overseas she’s somehow superior. I’ve met her type plenty of times - if she can generalise it’s clearly fair game. They become absolutely cringeworthy and criticise everything about their home country, almost to the point that it appears they’re desperately attempting to justify their move.

I'm an immigrant not an expat. I will never go back to live there.

Then why not describe yourself as Spanish rather than British?

I think its fine for me to be worried about what's happening in the UK.

Nope it’s extremely crass to rant at people when you don’t even live here.

Cadent - you misunderstood: I didn't say staff were not helpful in anyway, I said that every shop has to be too helpful and give you its own shop policy H&S lecture before you go in because your government has left you to fend for yourselves. And every shop has a different idea of what to do and it's ridiculous. Going from m&s to boots today for the annual sudacrem and teabag stock up was so weird

You'd rather have Boris than Sanchez, that's fine, lucky you because that's your reality and I pity you. can't pretend to understand it, but who knows where you've got your news about Spain. I've lived through the Spanish lockdown and I'm now in England so I don't need to rely on Mumsnet or the gutter press - these are my real life observations of both countries.

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

@ Ofitck

We in the UK never had a proper hard continental European style lockdown. Even an infamous senior government adviser Cummings broke his own rules and same for the former Scottish Chief Medical Officer and another UK government scientists during the so called soft government advice to stay at home. It was never a lockdown as there were made up free her out of jail cards like leaving the house to shop for apparently essential food and medical supplies and to exercise with unlike many continental European countries self regulated as no paperwork nor permission required. In short some Brits took liberties and did as they please ignoring government guidance. These guidelines were also not enforced by the authorities. Therefore comin on to PPE and face coverings most Brits never wore and still today anti face coverings. Not sure if it is anti rule adherence psychology or just lack of community cohesion and mutual safety respect?

I hope it's not a general lack of respect. Actually I think the British are in general a very respectful people, but people (of all nationalities) think they know best; and without proper leadership (I saw that about Cummings - very annoying when I was forced to quarantine on arrival again!) You get people interpreting the rules as over or under enthusiastically as they like causing endless argument and drama.

People here were/are very rude about the Spanish response but I was grateful for the clarity! It stopped curtain twitchery!

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

@ Ofitck

We in the UK never had a proper hard continental European style lockdown. Even an infamous senior government adviser Cummings broke his own rules and same for the former Scottish Chief Medical Officer and another UK government scientists during the so called soft government advice to stay at home. It was never a lockdown as there were made up free her out of jail cards like leaving the house to shop for apparently essential food and medical supplies and to exercise with unlike many continental European countries self regulated as no paperwork nor permission required. In short some Brits took liberties and did as they please ignoring government guidance. These guidelines were also not enforced by the authorities. Therefore comin on to PPE and face coverings most Brits never wore and still today anti face coverings. Not sure if it is anti rule adherence psychology or just lack of community cohesion and mutual safety respect?

I hope it's not a general lack of respect. Actually I think the British are in general a very respectful people, but people (of all nationalities) think they know best; and without proper leadership (I saw that about Cummings - very annoying when I was forced to quarantine on arrival again!) You get people interpreting the rules as over or under enthusiastically as they like causing endless argument and drama.

People here were/are very rude about the Spanish response but I was grateful for the clarity! It stopped curtain twitchery!

Covid is a global pandemic that impacts all of us so why the antagonism as to who's from where and who in entitled to have a say due to nationality or geography?!

It is refreshing to have a grown up international discussion as Covid does not evidently discriminate on geography nor nationality.

We all live in a small global village and welcome movements of culture, people, goods and services. It even applies to Brexit lovers!

We are here to politely discuss life threatening issues and if needed agree to disagree. Diversity is good and not a barrier!

I didn't say staff were not helpful in anyway

So who are the ‘People in England are either totally holier-than-thou smug unwanted volunteer covid police’? You can’t mean MNers because you say you’re not relying on MN or the ‘gutter press’. Where have you made these ‘real live observations’? Examples or they didn’t happen.

I've lived through the Spanish lockdown and I'm now in England so I don't need to rely on Mumsnet or the gutter press - these are my real life observations of both countries.

I didn’t vote Tory and I didn’t want Boris. But to try and hold up Spain as a shining example on how it handled CV when the internet is awash with articles like below is ludicrous.

Didn’t realise the Guardian is the ‘gutter press’. Article is titled: How did Spain get its coronavirus response so wrong?

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/spain-coronavirus-response-analysis

As long as the Brits stay away from Benidorm and the likes it might be ok.

A week or two there for cheap beer ugh.

One woman cutting up her Tory card said she had never voted Tory before and never will again.
Probably the Conservative and Unionist Party will not miss her!
I get a FB thing from a Right Winger in the USA.
He complains that the Californian prohibition on singing in churches violates his right to freedom of worship.
He therefore urges against voting for the Democrats in November.
Duh!

In SE London and last time we were out wearing masks, a man pointed us out to his child: "look masks!!". Clearly we are a sight to behold.

There are hundreds of posts on this thread, @Crispsginchoc I am not replying to all of them, but I have in fact replied to several calling me everything under the sun.

I don't understand why it is so unreasonable for me to explain that the UK response isn't typical and isn't ok.

I don't think I'm a "superior expat".

Never have. I moved here when I was 19.

[quote Cadent]I didn't say staff were not helpful in anyway

So who are the ‘People in England are either totally holier-than-thou smug unwanted volunteer covid police’? You can’t mean MNers because you say you’re not relying on MN or the ‘gutter press’. Where have you made these ‘real live observations’? Examples or they didn’t happen.

I've lived through the Spanish lockdown and I'm now in England so I don't need to rely on Mumsnet or the gutter press - these are my real life observations of both countries.

I didn’t vote Tory and I didn’t want Boris. But to try and hold up Spain as a shining example on how it handled CV when the internet is awash with articles like below is ludicrous.

Didn’t realise the Guardian is the ‘gutter press’. Article is titled: How did Spain get its coronavirus response so wrong?

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/spain-coronavirus-response-analysis[/quote]
Sorry don't know how to do your selective quoting thing...

You asked who the smug covid police were:
So far not the lovely shop staff who all have been very friendly and polite, but today in a cafe a woman shouted "stand back" to my elderly companion (we were in masks!) because we were standing on an arrow and not an X. She then kept staring and muttering to herself so strange. Also yesterday took my son into a charity shop to buy a book and total random stranger shouted "only two customers in the shop!" - the other person in the shop was the shopkeeper so we weren't breaking a rule but it's so weird this random
Passerby thought he would take it on himself to shout through a shop door at us! And it's happened to friends on my Mumsnet antenatal group all over the Uk. Maybe isolated incidents but I've only gone out twice!

Your second question about why did Spain get it wrong. I never said that they got it right I said I'm glad I had Sanchez and his
Govt in charge and not Boris and his govt (as I do now!). A massive difference though was that Spain had very little warning compared to Boris and when we locked down we locked down hard and fast. There was the outbreak in Gasteiz and I think three days later we were picking up the kids from school for the last time. The speed was scary. I was pleading with my English friends in at risk groups in the UK to stay safe at home and they were laughing at me, like "it'll never happen here." The Uk had the opportunity to learn from Italy and Spain's mistakes and instead waited and made more.

And I read the guardian, so I've read that article. Would you like to see what El Pais thought of Cummings Barnard castle trip?!

I was just reading that simple masks/face coverings protect the wearer as well as others. They prevent so many virus particles being inhaled, meaning that the wearer is less likely to be so I'll due to lower viral load

It makes me feel a bit better about selfish non-mask-wearers (ie by choice rather than inability to wear a mask). They don't wear a mask, they don't get the benefits.

And OP, I'm with you all the way. Ignore the vile comments people are making about you and your right to comment.

100% agree OP; it's just embarrassing. People who are on home/portable oxygen; with very low oxygen sats or very severe autism do have reason not to wear them. The vast majority of people do not.

@Ofitck So you’ve formed a view about that ‘people in England are either totally holier-than-thou smug unwanted volunteer covid police’ based on two experience where one comment was ‘stand back’ and the other was ‘only two customers in the shop’?

That’s as bizarre as me saying all Brits are wonderful because I’ve only had positive experiences while out and about.

Spain should have learned from what happened in Italy. Neither Spain or UK showed a stellar response. More than happy to criticise all governments but certainly don’t like yours and OP’s holier than they approach.

Face coverings do not prevent virus getting through. Jesus how hard is that to understand.
As for other virus go ahead walk around resr of your life then and weaken your immune system for every virus.

Grow up im not selfish for deciding not to wear a mask, but I would be selfish if from when the law comes in I dont wear a mask in a shop or on public transport. Otherwise oit here qalkong the streets and other places I wont wear one.

Wearing masks in supermarkets and shops mandatory in Scotland already. No bloody fuss like I saw on here the other night . I've honestly seen full compliance ... i assume those without can't. Find it bizarre masks are rare elsewhere in others experience