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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pop to the shop today without a mask?

125 replies

Popsie17 · 17/07/2020 06:39

I know they don’t become mandatory until next week so I don’t have to but I believe most people in my area have started wearing them already. Will I be frowned upon for not doing so?

Basically, I’ve only ever bought one pack of masks and not wore them. I live in the countryside, don’t use public transport, don’t go to busy places and generally get my shopping delivered.

I give the only masks I had to my granny because she was struggling to find some (doesn’t do online shopping etc). So I re-ordered some for myself but they aren’t here yet.

Need to pick something up from the shop today.

Aibu?

OP posts:
RandyLionandDirtyDog · 17/07/2020 08:25

I’m in rural Ireland. I have been wearing home made face masks since March and have now sewn lots of them for friends and family.

Face coverings in shops was made mandatory this week and when I went into my local Supermarkets - Aldi and Supervalu, I’d say at least 90% of shoppers were wearing a face mask. I shop in the morning between 9-11am so it might be different at other times of the day.

I’d estimate that the non wearers were mostly in the 40’s - 50’s age group and I think many of those people will start to wear them simply because they don’t want to stand out from the people who are wearing them.

ShutUpaYourFace · 17/07/2020 08:26

No one where I live is wearing them, semi rural outskirts of big town. I've not been to a local shop or supermarket since lockdown just work and the school run. I popped to the pharmacy yesterday and didn't even consider it. No one else waiting was wearing one. I've ordered some but don't intend on wearing one I unless I absolutely have to.
I will avoid going out shopping in order not to wear one. Horrible things.

QueenofmyPrinces · 17/07/2020 08:30

Bookmark

@QueenofmyPrinces Wearing a mask for up to an hour while you shop is bearable. Wearing one for an 8-hour shift is less so. Some staff choose to wear one anyway. I cannot imagine how tough and unpleasant it is for healthcare workers who have to wear masks (and not even a soft cotton one) all day every day. By doing our bit and wearing a mask when we shop, we should be able to help prevent infection, which might eventually lead to far fewer cases and healthcare workers not having to mask up all the time.

Maybe that’s why I can’t understand the logic behind it being ‘unbearable’ for 8 hours. I’m a nurse and have to wear one for 13.5 hours a day and we just get on with it.

If shop workers find it unbearable then surely it’s better for them to maybe wear it for 3-4 hours, then have a break from it (which they will do anyway during their break) and then put it back on again.

I can’t believe that the only two options are: wear it for 8 hours or not at all.

Frownette · 17/07/2020 08:46

Would you still get fined £100 if you use a scarf?

BananaPop2020 · 17/07/2020 08:47

If you need to go to the shop, go to the shop. There is no need to make such a meal of this.

TheLegendOfZelda · 17/07/2020 08:47

@Standardy

and lots of us will choose not to shop in person from then

Doubtful. Although less queuing for the rest of us I suppose.

Why doubtful? The high street was already dying?
PhilCornwall1 · 17/07/2020 08:49

I know they don’t become mandatory until next week so I don’t have to but I believe most people in my area have started wearing them already. Will I be frowned upon for not doing so?

Frowned upon? Probably, if all the people in the shop are like some of the posters on MN.

ButterMeCrumpets · 17/07/2020 08:51

@Standardy

and lots of us will choose not to shop in person from then

Doubtful. Although less queuing for the rest of us I suppose.

I never went to the supermarket during lockdown because I thought the queuing was a faff. I stuck to online deliveries.

I have started to shop again in the high street but am now going to stop again because it will be too much of a faff.

I have gone to restaurants and it was bloody lovely with no faff. If it becomes a faff I won't continue as I tend to spend my money on pleasurable experiences.

TempsPerdu · 17/07/2020 08:52

If it's necessary in a week's time, why is it not necessary today

Or... if it wasn’t necessary a fortnight ago, why is it necessary now?

Autviaminveniamautfaciam · 17/07/2020 08:53

So, I need to wear a mask and stay 2 m away but it is OK for me to scoot through a rail of sale clothes that hundreds of people in my city have touched in the past week. Retail are not obliged to clean shelves or edges of shelves where everyone touches. I am much more concerned about this, rather than wearing a paper mask whilst I stand well away from others.

slashlover · 17/07/2020 08:53

In Scotland two of the exemptions are

shop workers if they maintain a 2 metre distance from customers or members of the public

staff such as drivers or checkout assistants who are physically separated, by means of, for example, screens, from passengers or customers

so if we're manning the front door, on the shop floor or working on the till then we wear one (no proper screens) but if we're in the warehouse or staff area then we have the option.

I wonder why there wasn't all this complaining when they were introduced in Scotland, we just got on with it. Maybe because we have a competent FM who suggested masks before they became mandatory and who actually wears one?

LillianGish · 17/07/2020 08:54

Just wear one. I can’t for the life of me understand why Brits are so reluctant to do so. Get a couple of reusable cloth ones, stick one in your pocket or handbag when you go out, if you are going inside put one on. It’s not difficult. It’s there to reduce the likelihood of you passing on the virus if you a carrier - you are wearing it to protect others. If everyone does the same it will reduce transmission - look at countries where mask wearing is the norm when you have a cold. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s better than nothing until we have a vaccine (which doubtless half the UK will refuse to have rendering it totally useless anyway) I think not wearing one is as anti-social as spitting in the street or weeing in the gutter. What do people think they are demonstrating by refusing to comply?

TempsPerdu · 17/07/2020 08:55

For weeks the majority of us were clapping to show our appreciation of the NHS, care workers, paramedics etc. I never saw anything about them complaining so why should we

Tell that to my consultant gerontologist friend who complains at length about having to wear PPE whenever I see her socially and refuses to wear a mask out of work unless she absolutely has to. And FWIW she didn’t much like the clapping either.

HarleyD45 · 17/07/2020 08:56

As someone living within the Leicestershire lockdown boundary, I say wear a face covering of some kind if you can’t wear a mask. The if’s and but’s aren’t worth the debate tbh, we need to do anything that might help us improve this horrendous crisis

vanillandhoney · 17/07/2020 08:59

Even though they're being made compulsory, barely anyone around here is wearing them yet.

Maybe carry a buff or scarf with you so you have the option?

SockYarn · 17/07/2020 09:00

If it's not the law, then you don't have to. It's your choice.

Personally, I think popping into a shop is one of the lowest risk activities there is. As long as you're not planning on snogging the shopkeeper while you're there picking up your groceries.

Gardenermumtobe · 17/07/2020 09:00

I've just been to Aldi this morning, had my mask ready and ended up leaving it by the front door. I forgot my shopping bags last week! More people than usual were wearing masks but not everyone. Going to keep some in the car now!

ReviewingTheSituation · 17/07/2020 09:01

No-one would bat an eyelid at you not having a mask on round here. There is still good social distancing going on in the 3 local supermarkets I've visited, which I think will massively diminish when people start wearing them.

I will wear one when I need to shop from now on, because I've followed all the 'rules' so far, but I won't lose any sleep if I need to pop in somewhere and don't have a mask before next Friday. I've got my sewing machine ready to make a load later!

ifonly4 · 17/07/2020 09:03

For now, a scarf will do. Around here about 60% are wearing them in shops or using a scarf. A lot more outside as well.

If you haven't ordered any masks, maybe pop into somewhere like Boots and get them while you're out. You're not going to live the next year or so without going out or general retail shopping. You might need to use public transport at sometime, need the doctor or a hospital - DD forgot to take one with her to see the nurse a few weeks ago, they asked her to cover her face with her cardigan.

SockYarn · 17/07/2020 09:04

Just put a scarf on! Face coverings have been mandatory in scotland for a couple of weeks and our stats are showing the benefit

Sorry poster but that's total bollocks. The number of cases in Scotland was very low before the masks became compulsory just a week ago - 10th July. It's far too early to say whether masks in shops have had any effect at all. And probably impossible to disentangle masks from the hundreds of other factors determining whether someone passes on Covid or not.

Dahlietta · 17/07/2020 09:05

It isn't about doing the right thing for you, is it? I suspect it's about whether anyone will judge you.

Literally admits this in the OP: Will I be frowned upon for not doing so?

BobbieDraper · 17/07/2020 09:07

If you have a t-shirt and 2 hair bobbles, you can fold a mask. You dont need to magic one up.

Just wear one. It really isnt difficult. It isnt an infringement upon your rights. It isnt a conspiracy.
It could very well help stop the spread. Just fold a t shirt, pop the bobbles on, fold again and stick it on your face with the bobbles around your ears.

If everyone just did it from the start, like a lot of people chose to, then we wouldn't be in such a mess.

HalloumiSalad · 17/07/2020 09:07

I did a big shop last week after the announcement of the upcoming change. The shop had gone from mall wearing being a minority to just over half wearing them I'd say. I wasn't wearing one that day and no-one reacted. Everyone seems to feel fairly ambivalent about them here so do or don't isn't a social crime. Rural place, low case numbers.

contrmary · 17/07/2020 09:07

I wore one to the shop for the first time yesterday and was very conscious of the fact 90% of people weren't wearing one. So I think it's fine not to bother until it is mandatory.

Givemetrees · 17/07/2020 09:13

Personally, if it’s a choice between being locked down again in the depths of depressing winter or wearing a mask, I’ll wear a mask. Anyone see what’s happened in America - more than 60,000 new cases a day and rising, all because they opened up too soon and refuse to wear masks. Personally, I’m happy wearing a mask outside of the house if it avoids another lockdown

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