To think unless you are actually medically exempt you can't get out of wearing a mask?

[Simsie]

People on social media are telling others to download a basic picture of text saying "I am exempt from wearing a mask" to present at supermarkets if they don't want to wear a mask.

Not medically exempt, no hidden disabilities, just for those don't want to wear one.

Surely that crap isn't going to work?

@annabel85

What is wrong with people in this country? Are we that self absorbed and fragile?

Go to other countries (even over the border to Scotland or Ireland) and nearly everyone just puts a mask on without any fuss.

Why does everything here have to be such a trial? We should have had them on since March.

Agree. It's even worse that people are using disability as an excuse. Only a very few disabilities genuinely prevent people from being able to wear a mask. On the other hand many disabled people are at increased risk of serious illness from coronavirus. They, more than most, rely on other people having the basic decency of wearing a mask.

Why are we so much more petulant about it than other countries? The only other people whining are Trump and Bolsonaro supporters (and Corbyn's conspiracy theory obsessed anti vaxxer brother). It's embarrassing.

Well it would clearly only go to court if someone with a disability quite rightly challenged the store and took them to court... The shop isn't going to be the one instigating the court proceedings. hmm

Yeah, quite. Hadn't taken that thought right through to the end. And for that, I have no excuse. Apart from lockdown and ensuing mental deterioration

So many people in that position will continue to isolate when they shouldn't have to, potentially damaging their mental health. It's infuriating.

Conversely, there are many extremely clinically vulnerable people instead having to isolate because not enough protective measures are being put in place as things start to re open.

@Jaxhog

Exempt people will have a letter saying they're exempt. No letter, you have to wear a mask. I gather the police will be doing spot checks and on-the-spot fines.

Really ? Where do we get this letter from ? I had to wear a mask at the GP yesterday.

I'm actually ok wearing a mask, so have no plans not to. However I am diagnosed Autistic, and I have plenty of friends who just cannot wear masks due to the sensory issues.
Weve been told to wear the sunflower lanyard with the exemption card on it, and a copy of our NHS diagnosis.

I know my local GP surgery won’t be issuing anything. I’m exempt and I won’t be tolerating any kind of abuse or discrimination from stores or people in them. If I am I will be going down a legal route. I was shopping In Aldi today and I and a child of about 5 were the only ones without a mask- most people are wearing them. I don’t need things to be made any more difficult for me through mask wearers trying to police me. I am genuinely exempt and have had so many dirty looks and muttering in the one outing today that I dread to think what it will be like considering this mandated mask is for 12months and reviewed in 6. I think you’re just going to have to expect some people will break the rules. A lot of people will of only started wearing masks today and be heavy with their opinions. To be quite frank we are all just going to have to get on with it.

it's not up to you as a member of the public to go about asking people. It's none of your business to expect people to disclose their personal or medical history to you.

What a ridiculous post. Nowhere in my OP or subsequent posts have I said anything of the sort.

Please go back and quote the part where I said I would be "going about asking people" and while you're at it also quote the part where I've said I expect people to "disclose their medical history" to me

Seriously

All this continued discussion does is frighten people who genuinely can't wear masks and prove why

This is also the sad thing about it. Especially as some of those who can't will get challenged.

The selfish, reckless prats who won't wear a mask (but can) will relish being challenged about it. Partly because they don't give a shit about anything or anyone but themselves and partly because they'd enjoy the argument.

I just saw a young couple in Tesco's not wearing a mask. Makes my blood boil. If one of you is exempt then fine but you don't both need to go in!

Sounds to me like folk will just carry on regardless
.
There are folk who are medically exempt who can’t wear a mask.

There are folk who will not accept being told to wear a mask.

There are folk who are medically exempt from wearing a mask who will wear a mask.

There are folk who might have a bit of a wheeze or a worry who won’t wear a mask .

There are folk who will just wear a mask.

This can’t be policed and shop workers are reluctant to challenge.

I don’t think that that the advice will be adhered to after a couple of weeks.

@BBCONEANDTWO

Why can't people wear a scarf rather than a mask if they don't like to wear a mask. In the winter when it's bloody freezing people will have a scarf on and pull it up over their mouth etc to keep warm.

I'm sick of people moaning about masks.

You can wear scarfs as face coverings on public transport so that's a good question to raise.

@Jaxhog I don’t know where you’ve got that from. The police aren’t doing anything. It’s civil matter for a start and they can’t be issuing fines to people on the spot who say they’re exempt. Cressida Dick had more or less told the public to shame those who aren’t wearing them so eventually they do wear them. How are they to police it? I’ve spoken to my local station and they’ve said they won’t be policing it unless aggression breaks out and that will be handled accordingly. They explicitly told me they don’t want to make it worse for those who are exempt and they can’t treat everyone without a mask as if they’re making it up, as it becomes discrimination.

The new law says you must wear a mask unless you have a reasonable excuse not to.

Here is the list of reasonable excuses. Medical evidence would only be useful for a subset of one of them.

Just like the list of 'reasonable excuses' for leaving your home during lockdown, this list is non-exhaustive. There may be other reasonable excuses that are not on the list.

Also, this does not apply to business owners, employees, contract workers, the police, emergency responders, H&S inspectors or council officers. Children under 11 are also exempt.

@msbevvy - I have asthma and am therefore exempt. I fully intend wearing a mask anyway

If you can wear a mask then you are not exempt. It doesn't depend on having a specific condition, just whether you can wear one or not.

The shops will not enforce this because they do not have the authority to enforce it. Only the police, PCSOs and TfL staff have enforcement powers. Only the police can physically remove you.

Full text of the new law is here:

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/791/contents/made

The shops are also bound by the equality act which, contrary to popular opinion, has not been cancelled because of the virus. If they refuse entry to someone who cannot wear a mask because of a disability, or demand that people disclose personal details of their disability, they could be taken to court for discrimination.

The government is very clear that it is not necessary to show evidence and the exemption cards they provide are not certificates. They are for people to use to help them explain that they have an exemption. That's all. They suggest a home made sign as an alternative.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Sorry, forgot pics

I think the best solution is that everyone just stops being an arsehole.

If you can wear a mask then wear one.

If you see someone not wearing a mask then assume that they have an exemption and leave them alone.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

So many people in that position will continue to isolate when they shouldn't have to, potentially damaging their mental health. It's infuriating.

Conversely, there are many extremely clinically vulnerable people instead having to isolate because not enough protective measures are being put in place as things start to re open.

Yes. England following other countries including our immediate neighbour, Scotland, means many disabled people are finally free to safely venture outside. Something necessary for their mental health.

As it's a tiny minority who genuinely can't wear a mask, it shouldn't be too hard for us to set something up for them. Perhaps a doctor's note stating they're medically exempt. I think that's what happens in some countries. For privacy it doesn't need to give the actual condition.

@LangClegsInSpace

I think the best solution is that everyone just stops being an arsehole.

If you can wear a mask then wear one.

If you see someone not wearing a mask then assume that they have an exemption and leave them alone.

A refreshingly sensible proposal.

Who's issuing these £100 fines then if not the police?

www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/07/13/shoppers-without-face-masks-risk-100-fine-government-moves-make/amp/

[quote Simsie]Who's issuing these £100 fines then if not the police?

www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/07/13/shoppers-without-face-masks-risk-100-fine-government-moves-make/amp/[/quote]
It's not that there is zero attempt being made, rather that as there aren't anywhere near enough police to actually fully enforce the rules, your OP is wrong.

The problem with this is the actual customers in shops, the general public. To show something to a member or staff to be allowed into a store is one thing, but it doesn’t stop the general public from discriminating, it doesn’t stop the aggression or comments which are unnecessary. Once someone makes a comment they can’t take that back, Some people not wearing them is for mental health reasons. It’s not as black and white as it seems.

Sadly too many of the public in this country are far too selfish and self absorbed and think rules don't apply to them.

However, say a week or two ago mask compliance in shops was maybe 5-10% and now it's compulsory that number jumps up to maybe 80-90%. That's a huge difference. It's 1 in 10 not wearing one rather than 1 in 10 wearing one. And that person not wearing it stands out rather than the 1 in 10 before that was standing out for wearing a mask.

The problem is down the line, as there's a psyche in this country of doing what you can get away with. If the 1 in 10 person not wearing a mask is never challenged or policed then it soon becomes 2 in 10 and then 3 in 10 and before you know it it's only the minority wearing one again. Lockdown went exactly the same way. Things need policing in this country, or rules fall by the wayside very fast.

I wouldn't go as far as to say it was "fucking repulsive"

No, Jaxhog's comment was fucking repulsive

I think there's another sub-set of people - those who will wear a mask because it is now the law and they don't want to put shop staff in an awkward position, but actually think it's bollocks. Tomorrow one of the shops I'll be going to is a smallish butchers. They have screens between the staff and the customer area and are restricting entry to one person at a time (or a couple). When I go there in a mask tomorrow, who exactly am I benefiting by doing so??

[quote Simsie]Who's issuing these £100 fines then if not the police?

www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/07/13/shoppers-without-face-masks-risk-100-fine-government-moves-make/amp/[/quote]
I should imagine that the police, like shopkeepers and transport workers, have decided that it's too much of a potential mine field to police this. With no official exemption certificate there's no way to prove who's telling the truth and who isn't. It's up to the public to do the right thing - time will tell whether they do or not. In the meantime I wish government would give extremely clinically vulnerable people access to n95 or ffp3 masks if they want them so that we can protect ourselves instead of being reliant on other people to protect us.

@LangClegsInSpace

I think the best solution is that everyone just stops being an arsehole.

If you can wear a mask then wear one.

If you see someone not wearing a mask then assume that they have an exemption and leave them alone.

I'll wear a mask and I won't challenge anyone that doesn't. However, if it's not policed then more and more people will stop wearing them very quickly. A lot of people in this country will do what they can get away with.

Take train fares. If there's an inspector on every day who checks their ticket, they'll buy one. If there ticket isn't checked for a while, they'll stop buying one.

Let's stop relying on the Great British Common Sense.