To ask people to show a little more understanding to those not wearing masks

[Fuckinellitsme]

Apologies for another mask thread.

First of all, I'm not an 'anti masker', I absolutely see the need and the importance of wearing them. I'm unable to wear one myself - I have trigeminal neuralgia and when I've tried to wear one, the resulting attack has left me bedbound for days. I want to wear one, but I can't. I also have rheumatoid arthritis so I'm incredibly grateful to all the people who do wear masks, therefore protecting others and especially those in higher risk groups (though not vulnerable enough to be shielding) like me.

However. I've seen some truly awful comments on here in the last few days directed at those who don't wear masks. We should be treated like lepers if we enter a shop without one, for example, or should be banned from them outright. And we ought to stay at home if we are exempt, not use public transport or go shopping or go to work. We have 'made up' health issues and disabilities and are 'woe is me' 'snowflakes'. I've also encountered bus passengers passing comment and tutting about my lack of mask.

Those of us who can't wear a mask (and are acting within the law/guidelines, being exempt) still need to go about our business. It would be lovely if we could do so without fear of comment or judgement. I understand that there will be those who don't wear a mask because they just don't want to - however, please, if you see someone without a mask (particularly if they're wearing a sunflower/exempt lanyard) try to be understanding and give them the benefit of the doubt.

The nastiness and ableist comments on here (and elsewhere) in the past few days have been genuinely upsetting for those of us unable to wear masks. Please don't assume we're all stupid/selfish/conspiracy theorists/don't care about your health, or that it's a choice. For many, choice doesn't come into it.

A bit of empathy goes a long way, especially in these weird times.

Fuckinellitsme

Well, I've just posted the criteria from my council. I have it everywhere and take a load of opiates and anti epileptic drugs to control the pain. I'm not going to apply for PIP and not take pain killers or talk about my worst days only as I've been advised to so that I can claim benefits. I work. My husband works. I don't expect the state to pay for me when I can pay for myself. But that doesn't mean I should have to get off multiple buses, and pay each time, in order to avoid people not wearing masks.

Why are some people happy to assume that everyone not wearing a mask is a selfish idiot because they've seen the (absolutely ridiculous) arguments of mask deniers on social media...

Because it makes sense. Based on the sheer volume of vocal social media posts by the idiots going on about their rights, its logical to assume they would be the majority of non mask wearers because they said they have declared they wouldn't wear them.

But are equally unwilling to accept the pleas by disabled people for acceptance, which they've also seen on social media?

Myself and others are accepting your reason. I've stayed that you fall into the "medically exempt" category. What I am not prepared to do is assume every person not wearing a mask has the same level medical condition as you because that's likly not true
As previously stated, I will not go up to random people and demand they give a reason for not wearing a mask because that would be rude. However, I will silently judge them for putting mine and others health at risk and I don't see why you or anyone else can insist I filter my own private thoughts. I'm not vocalising them

But if I am wearing a mask and washing hands and using sanitiser and keeping my distance then they are highly unlikely to infect me. If someone doesn't want to wear a mask or can't wear a mask I am not going to berate them for doing so. I think it unlikely that people are going to change their minds after reading a meme. It's natural for people to assess their own risk.

Stupid typos meant stated* not stayed

@Whatevernext1

I'm so worried about this coming into action. I work in a supermarket as an online shopper which is not my usual role but have been put on there during the pandemic.

I'm asthmatic and have been really struggling,I've tried to wear a mask because believe it or not I would actually like to wear one! Unfortunately I lasted around 20 minutes before I had to take it off,I couldn't breathe properly,my glasses had steamed up and I felt unwell.

I shop from 5am until approximately 3-4pm with a half an hour break,sometimes for 12 days before a day off. We're constantly being got on at to up our speed and go quicker.
I really won't be able to do my job whilst wearing a mask,at least not without making myself really ill.

I have also tried to wear a visor but with my glasses I found it distorts my vision and makes me nauseous,I worry about it starting a migraine and as somebody who has had to be hospitalised several times after a change in symptoms really concerns me.
I'm also under Moorefileds eye hospital in London for this and other visual problems.

I do also have a muscle condition that affects my voice box,sometimes I have no voice at all and other times it's a husky whisper,the public also don't like that I talk this way so I can't imagine how i will sound behind a mask.

I've already been spoken to like absolute crap from the public during this time and been told I should die as I work in a supermarket by at least 3 people now. I don't know how I will handle the abuse if i don't wear a mask to work.

I do try to wear a mask if I'm just nipping in to pick up a prescription,petrol,post office etc and feel I can just about manage the short amount of time doing that but not the many hours trying to do my job.

Starting to wonder if I should see if I can get signed off by my GP but at the same time I don't feel I should be at risk of losing my job.

I do feel that masks should be encouraged but not mandatory. I don't like that people will have to explain themselves to strangers about their personal medical conditions. I just wish the world was a nicer and more understanding place.
Don't judge others for issues you don't have,people manage with their conditions in different ways and that should be ok.

Try searching for "optically correct" visors not sure if they'll exist full coverage wise but they might.

Big example is motorcycle helmets where distorted vision would be dangerous.

The plastic is engineered not to distort vision

Be all means silently judge away, acid only eats away at its container.

There are face shields!!!

For those who can't wear the other masks. This is the top of your head. So won't reach that nerve

HTH xx

WRT the EA, an exemption from wearing face coverings for people who can't because of a disability is a reasonable adjustment.

If face coverings were extremely effective at preventing transmission - if they were the One True Thing that could get us all 'back to normal' then this adjustment might not be reasonable, but this is not the case.

There is some evidence that cloth face coverings can potentially help prevent transmission, in situations where people cannot distance, by catching the droplets from the wearer, who may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic.

But face coverings on their own will not prevent transmission, they will just reduce the chances of spreading it in certain specific situations. Nobody knows definitively by how much yet, we need more research, and effectiveness will vary widely depending on the type of mask people use. There is no evidence that they make any difference at all in situations where people can physically distance so you can mitigate the small additional risk of being around someone who is not wearing a mask by staying 2 metres away from them.

We need all the things - hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, distancing, face coverings, testing, isolation, contact tracing, quarantine ... and lockdown measures for when these fail, although hopefully these will only be very local and well targeted as we go forward.

There might be people in the shop with you who pick their noses and don't wash their hands. There might be people there who have shagged 5 different people at 5 different parties in the past week. There might be people there who have symptoms and have not sought a test, or who have been contacted by test and trace and asked to isolate but have gone out shopping anyway.

You can't see any of those things though, all you can see is the person who is not wearing a mask.

We need all the things and we need enough people to comply with each of them. None of the measures are much use on their own and none will be complied with 100% for various reasons, but if we use all the tools we have and enough people comply we can still drive infections right down.

So in this context it would be massively disproportionate to not have medical exemptions to mask wearing, just because it's the thing you can see. Especially as it would completely exclude some disabled people from accessing goods, services and transport.

@GreytExpectations

I do feel that masks should be encouraged but not mandatory

Nobody would wear them then.

Most people want to do what's best for everyone, not just what they'd prefer to do.

Wait. You can't wear a face shield?

It doesn't even touch the face some of them. Some hang off the top of the head. I've also seen ones connected to the back of the shoulders on one woman in a hospital. It comes over the top. Surrounding the face and head but not touching it.

I went to the supermarket today and the majority of people were wearing one.

Because I'm immunosuppressed I'm meant to stay away from anyone with chicken pox. If I'm exposed I have to contact my Dr. Given the number of customers that have thought it totally fine to bring their chicken pox covered child shopping in the supermarket with no thought for anyone else, I am certain that a good number of non mask wearers will be those who simply could not care less about anyone else.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

Fuckinellitsme

Well, I've just posted the criteria from my council. I have it everywhere and take a load of opiates and anti epileptic drugs to control the pain. I'm not going to apply for PIP and not take pain killers or talk about my worst days only as I've been advised to so that I can claim benefits. I work. My husband works. I don't expect the state to pay for me when I can pay for myself. But that doesn't mean I should have to get off multiple buses, and pay each time, in order to avoid people not wearing masks.

My husband works, too. Lots of people who qualify bus passes don't qualify for benefits or don't claim them. There is no shame in it. My husband pays his taxes so people like you and me can access the help we need. It's the only help I get or need, as it stands. That may change in the future.

Nobody has asked you to like about anything - talking about your worst days when asking for help is not lying. The attitude that this is the case sadly upholds the idea that disabled people are scroungers and liars, claiming things they're not entitled to. Your bad days are valid.

It sounds as if we're on the same medication and I sympathize - the side effects are awful

DH is fixing a dashcam to his mobility scooter just in case he gets hassled or discriminated against.

@butterpuffed I agree, I hate them but I’m going to wear it because I can.

@Hoggleludo

There are face shields!!!

For those who can't wear the other masks. This is the top of your head. So won't reach that nerve

HTH xx

They've already been suggested, but thank you. I'm afraid anything that puts pressure on the side of my head is not suitable.

I have the same condition. Mine isn't as bad though. It's bloody painful. Mine was due to a dentist who hit the nerve during a tooth extraction. However I can wear a face shield. So I do that. As the face shield goes on like a headband. So isn't touching my face. My check. My neck. Nothing.

Can’t you just get a halo OP, that touches nothing ☺️ Plus you’ll look holy.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

Because I'm immunosuppressed I'm meant to stay away from anyone with chicken pox. If I'm exposed I have to contact my Dr. Given the number of customers that have thought it totally fine to bring their chicken pox covered child shopping in the supermarket with no thought for anyone else, I am certain that a good number of non mask wearers will be those who simply could not care less about anyone else.

It's unfortunate you think that, because it's not true. I hate that I can't wear one.

@PablosHoney

Can’t you just get a halo OP, that touches nothing ☺️ Plus you’ll look holy.

@PablosHoney

Be all means silently judge away, acid only eats away at its container.

I'm sure I will be fine. But I'm high risk so you can understand why I won't be thinking the "best of everyone" when this pandemic has proved how selfish our society is as a whole.

@Rhine

It's not an autoimmune condition usually.

It's USUALLY caused by something damaging the nerve.

@Rhine

It's not an autoimmune condition usually.

It's USUALLY caused by something damaging the nerve.

@Fuckinellitsme

Why are some people happy to assume that everyone not wearing a mask is a selfish idiot because they've seen the (absolutely ridiculous) arguments of mask deniers on social media... But are equally unwilling to accept the pleas by disabled people for acceptance, which they've also seen on social media?

This.

I just managed three minutes with a buff (which is thin) over my mouth and nose before I had to remove it was it was impeding my breathing and starting to make me feel faint (hard to control asthma and POTs caused by ehlers danlos type 3 hypermobility type).

My train journey to work is 25 mins, plus a 20 min walk, or a 5-10 min bus or tube journey if my other disabilities mean I can't walk 20 mins on that particular day.

Thankfully I have a good employer and am able to work from home as I have been since 16 March.

I would much rather be able to wear a covering though. Fortunately it's unlikely I will need to go to a shop or on public transport any time soon, but if I do need to I have the worry that I'm going to be challenged by members of the public.

I'm happy to show a bus driver/shopkeeper the asthma UK exemption graphic and say that I'm exempt for medical reasons. However, there's still a risk I will be refused entry, or that I will be accosted by the public.

It's unfortunate you think that, because it's not true. I hate that I can't wear one.

But based on what people have declaring on social media it likly IS the majority that won't wear one because they can't be bothered. Yous aid yourself your condition is rare and not many people know so how can you assume most people not wearing them have the same level of exemption as you?