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.

Bugger - I haven't used a disposable glove at any point, of course. I can't fathom why anyone that wouldn't usually wear them is wearing them.

I am English in England and agree with what you have written. We are a selfish nation, I am embarrassed to be English sometimes. Please note I say English; Scotland, NI and Wales have handled this better.

YANBU OP . It's so nice to read some reason on this instead of the hysteria across social media and some sections of MN. It is embarrassing how England is reacting to this. And it is England. As a PP said, masks are already mandatory in Scotland.

We have friends in Italy and Germany. As a family, we've all been wearing masks since March too and actually since lockdown I've seen some people wearing masks every time I've had to go out.

As a side note, it really grinds my gears that the Spanish press/TV use the words for England/Britain/UK interchangeably.

I am quite relieved that some people are still prepared to question such a remarkable imposition on the individual. I can't think of another example where we are told by law to wear something. Whatever the rights and wrongs on health grounds, you must surely concede that being forced to wear an item of clothing is a pretty significant step for the state to take and is not one that should just pass without debate?

@frumpety
It has to be a total face mask.
Visors also not accepted on their own as they protect the wearer but not so much everyone else. I know someone with medical mask exemption who wears a visor to protect themselves and also because they feel it's better than nothing.

www.facebook.com/688675523/posts/10163894300405524/?d=n

Indeed OP. People do need to get a grip

@1984looms

I am quite relieved that some people are still prepared to question such a remarkable imposition on the individual. I can't think of another example where we are told by law to wear something. Whatever the rights and wrongs on health grounds, you must surely concede that being forced to wear an item of clothing is a pretty significant step for the state to take and is not one that should just pass without debate?

@1984looms : Seatbelts?

NOS4A2

"Spain 608 per Million deaths
UK 660 per Million deaths"

UK population 68 million
Spain population 47 million

Does that answer the question?

I agree..to a point. I wouldn't complain about a whole nation in all honesty. If you didn't/don't wear a mask in the midst of this pandemic your a bit of an idiot, no matter where or who you are. To go on a holiday and not where a mask is even more so showing how stupidity is clearly as catching as this virus! but I think your a bit bunged up to complain about all English/British people..I am English and have been wearing a mask every time I have to go to the local shops..have never complained about it and I wouldn't as needs must. I think in this situation we are ALL in we must pull together and treate people with respect as when one person is out for themselves other people see that and follow suit..then we end up a dog eat dog world because of one jackass who was out for themselves the whole time..I mean America's statistics are literally the worst country for doing this ignoring advice ..but I don't see you mentioning anything about them in this post which I find a tad condescending as it isn't one country doing this it's most/all of them. There will always be people who disagree with the government advice, god only knows why.

why are people so fucking grim on here? like delighting in slating an entire country of people, a lot of whom have really struggled, as I'm sure have many countries, with mental health and their lives being upheaved, not to mention those who have lost their jobs and livelihoods. okay so some are complaining about wearing a mask. SO FUCKING WHAT - once it becomes mandatory they wont have a choice will they! so why does it matter and why do you care?? find something better to do with your time. those who are ashamed to be english can piss off too

@SockYarn

I know what happened. I live here.

I do think if the govt want us to use them they should arrange for say 100 per adult to he delivered. But they’d never sort the logistics of that out due to their own incompetence.

Or perhaps we should stop infantilising adults and hold them responsible for buying the things they need, @Youngatheart00. You can't go out in public naked (in most places); should the government buy everyone's clothes for them, too?

I've been wearing a mask in England since March. People who don't actually infuriate me, unless of course they're exempt for specific reasons. I only go out to get my food shop once a week and every single time, its a pain in the arse. People sneezing, coughing, vaping, smoking around me. Yes, you might not have Covid, but are you 100% sure? Why would you even want to create anxiety and making others around you feel uneasy? Wear a fkn mask and let us all get on with our lives. I'm embarrassed to live here atm.

@TheChiefJo yeah but spain is over 2x bigger than the UK.......so we are effectively packed like sardines over here in comparison

@1984looms and motorcycle helmets. And clothes full stop.

I actually disagree with laws making us wear clothes (I side with the naked rambler ) because I believe in personal freedom - but not at the cost of people's health and lives.

I totally agree with you OP. I'm also in Andalucía and the mask rule has been made stricter down here too. Sure, it's bloody uncomfortable in this heat, but it's for the greater good. I have asthma and I would rather wear a mask and not get covid. Those who say they can't breathe with a mask clearly aren't managing their condition adequately.
During lockdown I didn't feel like I was "forced" to stay inside. I knew it was for the right reasons. I also live in a flat with no terrace or balcony. I had very little sympathy for friends or family in England with lovely gardens who were moaning about the so called lockdown there.

A few months ago you could buy a massive wodge of masks for under £10. A couple of weeks ago I saw that my local shops were selling them for £25. Today I saw the same masks in these shops for £32.99. Some people cannot afford that. It is actually hard to get your hands on masks unless you are gifted like Kirsty Allsopp and have a stash of material squares that were waiting to be turned into bunting and a roll of elastic.

I am not paying for masks and I am not making them. I am going to wear a thong on my head and face and if anyone doesn't like it, too bad.

The masks are uncomfortable, especially if you wear glasses (as I do), but it's only going to be mandatory when inside a shop. It really isn't a big deal, unless there are genuine medical issues which mean you can't wear one. (In other words, not just that you don't want to wear one.)

You do get used to wearing a mask, even with glasses. And the benefits make it worth some discomfort.

I have a 50 pack of grips. DS still moans that the pencils hurt his hands. He will not be wearing masks because of autism and being under 11.

I'm not sure how any of the grips will help us with a poorly timed policy on mask wearing.

It's not grips we need. It's trust worthy politicians, logical policy and an exit strategy.

@Autviaminveniamautfaciam best response ever

Stopping people going out for exercise or making them use one supermarket only would have had zero effect on the number of cases or deaths.

Do you have some figures which show that?

I live somewhere that didn't impose quite such draconian measures as Spain, but exercise was only allowed if you remained 1km from your front door (cycling was not allowed as exercise) and you were obliged to use your nearest supermarket. You needed dated and timed documentation with you at all times to prove how long you had been out, and you needed to be able to prove your address. So no leaving home at 9am and driving 30kms to your "preferred" supermarket, or driving 5 miles to the lake because it was "nicer" to have a walk there. For several weeks you could only be one person in a car (with some documented exceptions). It was tough, but it did mean that people stayed at home.

The department where I live has a quarter of a million residents. There have been 6 deaths to date.

Masks are not compulsory here except on public transport I believe but sofor shops, but some shops are insisting on them being worn.

Interestingly, I have been to the local market every week since it re-opened. Masks aren't compulsory there, but today there was a noticeable increase in the proportion of people wearing them (kids included) - although that may have something to do with the fact that it is a public holiday and visitor numbers were probably three times normal levels.

I've been wearing a mask in England since March. People who don't actually infuriate me,

Even though it's not a legal obligation until July? Seriously??

Again, a poster who takes delight in flagellating the nation. When what they actually mean is "people who don't agree with me".

No, I mean we're a nation of total pillocks. You think that gives me delight?

@NOS4A2

well, of course we have! We have more than 10%fewer deaths per million despite
a) not being an island

B) being a significantly poorer country economically
c) being hit by the virus several weeks earlier.

So yes. I'd say we have done better. But its not a competition is it? Its not some jingoistic Catalán /Spanish pride post I'm making.... Its asking

Why is it that English people have so much issue with mandatory masks to help protect others but
Spain, Italy, Taiwan, China, Singapore etc etc

.
No problem.

And a general plea for people to stop moaning and comply. It's to protect everyone.