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.

Totally agree op. Though I haven't met any English people as I'm in Scotland, but there's plenty threads on here whining away.

MN, I have found, is really NOT representative of the world outside. Just look at the schools' threads.

So true. MN before every election is always entertaining, but not as much as the sheer disbelief and shock the day of the results

Do kids (over 6) wear masks in school? As the Op said, schools finished on about 20th June in Spain and they had all been shut since about 14 March before that. Completely shut, not open to keyworkers or anyone. What did key workers do? Used family, worked opposite shifts? i don't actually know, but no children have been in school anywhere in Spain since mid March. (children weren't allowed out of their houses at all for about 2 months)

My kids are now in a summer school programme that the regional government in Andalusia is running to help kids catch up on what they missed. They wear masks to go in the morning but as the classes are so small (6-8) and the rooms large, they aren't wearing them in their bubbles. From 10 years old up they may have to wear them at school in September. They might need to start wearing them at summer school this week actually as the Andalusian govt has decreed that masks must be worn everywhere now, as in Catalunya.

I agree with the OP. Nobody likes wearing a mask, but people here do just get on with it. It's 40ºC where I am, I fucking HATE the sensation of wearing it, it's gross. My sunglasses fog, I feel totally horrible, but it's the law and I can fined if I don't so I do and that's that. So many people on here seem to be making up reasons why they are a special case and exempt.
It's not a sensory issue to not like the feel of it, nobody does! Try it in all settings except your house, in 40º heat! But it's how things are, get on with life.

I am happy to wear a mask by the way but want to know why they have thrown school staff to the wolves??

I’m moaning because I can’t remember which ‘safe’ place I put mine in

@Timeforanotherusername

Great question.

I would say no as we have already confined 9 areas in Catalunya (mostly near Lleida) L'Hospitalet has a spike in cases, the Spanish news is full of "rebrote" and "brote" news.

Now, the state of things is nowhere near as bad as the UK, but we are seeing increasing numbers again, although mercifully it seems, fewer deaths.

No ones hiding it here, at least.

OP - the tone of your post is just awful, so no I won't be taking your advice. People always seem so quick to generalise and hate English people, if this post was about another country it would have been deleted. It's disgusting.

Anyway- I hate wearing a face mask. I find it difficult to breathe properly in them and I've tried a few. I practice social distancing and will stick to the rules so when it's mandatory I will wear one outside. I really resent the notion that we mustn't voice any dissent about this, we can give our opinion freely, some will agree and some won't but no one should be told to STFU.

I am pleased our government seems to be reluctant to enforce these kinds of measures in law, I'm wary of how many of our freedoms have been taken away recently.

Out of respect for those working in retail who have no choice to do so or accept unpaid leave you should wear one, that’s even before we start with the list of protecting others. I think a lot of guys will dislike wearing them as hey perceive masks as being weak, and I expect a lot of ladies will dislike them because of their makeup. We need to normalise wearing a mask right away.

Presenters on tv shows and the news should wear them.

I'd much rather live in a country where people are allowed to question officials, express their opinions without fear of consequence, and where individualism is valued

FFS. Nobody is taking away your freedom of expression, just your ability to spread a deadly virus to vulnerable people. Cop on.

@897654321abcvrufhfgg

I want to know why I have to wear a mask in a supermarket but it’s ok for me to come into Close contact with 150+ Children everyday Whilst working in a primary school??

This definitely needs addressing. It's completely unfair on teachers and all other schools staff. The NHS were hung out to dry at the start due to lack of PPE and now teachers are being hung out to dry for the same reason.

Oh god. Not another bloody mask thread. Can we have a mask board for people to Wang on about this shit somewhere else please?

OP, you get a round of applause from me! I 100% agree.

@creamorwhite you’ll breathe easier in a mask than on a ventilator.

Also it’s not about freedoms it’s about protecting others and yourself from being infected by a potentially horrific virus with unknown future implications.

Hopefully it will be rigorously enforced and people will have to have papers to prove their exemption here. Otherwise there's no point.

YANBU at all OP.

I have been saying similar myself.

My brother in law was moaning on Facebook about how he's not wearing one, they weaken your immune system etc.

I said fine don't wear one, just don't expect to be allowed into shops or the gym which you're so eagerly anticipating reopening.

He then says he has asthma.

He is likely exempt from needing to wear one due to that condition, which he knows, but still wanted to have a moan and say he won't be complying.

It's any excuse to kick back at the government. Fools.

There's only one thing that's annoying about the masks and that is it wasn't made compulsory earlier.
I do wonder how people with hearing loss are going to manage though.

You must be a very delicate and special flower to find it such a profound threat to your being.

And the twats who cannot accept that others have the right to complain and express their discomfort with wearing masks are the most delicate flowers of all. It was the same with bloody lockdown. It wasn't enough for the sanctimonious for people to comply with lockdown. No they had to positively revel in it or be accused of being selfish and wanting to kill people if they expressed any negative opinions.

I agree op . What a fuss people are making. They don’t reduce your oxygen levels, they don’t cause any harm and there is evidence about them reducing transmission. I wish folk would just get on with

It's really embarrassing and making the situation worse for people who genuinely can't wear them.

It's a request to wear a face covering in shops to try and control the spread of a global virus. Yes it's uncomfortable but the way some people are acting you would think the government were demanding everybody shaved their heads or wore uniform or something.

It

@CallmeAngelina

Look at 90% of the threads on here. People are losing it at the idea of wearing a mask.

MN, I have found, is really NOT representative of the world outside. Just look at the schools' threads.

No it's not representative. Many MNers just like kicking off.

There was a poll on Good Morning Britain this week and 70% were in favour of wearing them in shops.

Some people can't wear them

some people can't wear them, but judging by the number of threads that have popped up today, almost no-one on MN can wear them as they don't want to endure the tiniest bit of discomfort.

It was the same with the exercise guidance - "waaaah, but I don't want to do that" and the shopping for necessities guidance "waaah, but I need to get my shopping from 4 different shops".

As it happens, I don't live in the UK either. I would have liked to do lots of things during lockdown, but they weren't permitted so I didn't. If I had, I would have been fined - and quite rightly so.

@DibDibDibduh

I'm English and I haven't heard anyone moaning , or are you just looking for an argument?

Unfortunately I have.

I’ve been wearing a mask in shops but not when outside and not near other people.

I’m not allowed to wear one at work (school) as it “scares the children” there is no distancing there so I would love to wear one.

YANBU op, so much whingeing.

Just wear the damn thing for the 30 mins you’re in Tesco or whatever once or twice a week. How hard can it be?!
Other people in other countries with legitimate concerns are being shot for protesting etc. and we can’t wear a mask that protects all of us for a few minutes. Ridiculous.

I hate wearing a mask, I'll be staying at home rather than going out wearing one. But I agree with op, the English do have a weird attitude. Op said the English are 'selfish' but I think it's something else, cant quite put my finger on what though. There's definitely a reluctance to do anything that's an inconvenience and the endless stream of Very Good Reasons why they cant/shouldn't/can't wear a mask is really tedious and spectacularly missing the point. Maybe it's 'entitled'?