When do you think we will be able to go in to shops without a mask?

[GetOutOfMyPub1]

And on public transport? Obviously I know none of you can give a definite answer but wondering when you all think this might be.

@LizzieBennett70

Give it a month or so until retailers report the massive downturn in trade.

Then they'll drop it.

When you piss off the majority to appease the minority, it doesn't take long for sparks to fly.

People say this, but recent polling showed a clear majority in favour of masks. I think there's a noisy minority opposed.

It also, probably, matters who has most spending power, not just pure numbers.

Plus tourists need to feel they can return. And no masks makes us look bad internationally.

went into Liverpool City centre today, hardly anyone was wearing a mask and our shops aren't enforcing it. If there isn't another spike, I think in many places it will be abandoned

I'm so surprised at this

I live in Kent and most people wore them today, everyone asked at the door, Sainsbury's , Boots etc, how come it's different in Liverpool?

I was surprised in Costa though, I walked in ordered a drink and sat down , no one mentioned a mask

Young girl comes in and woman at till said ' have you got a mask', she didn't ask if she was eating in and poor girl said no and left

Shops use security on the doors to enforce it, primark etc , m&s all had someone on door

Its not just the mask wearing but all the other rules, confusing 1-way systems etc. I like to potter round the charity shops, but they all insisted on handgel even though I'd literally just done it in the previous shop. They were all closing early too, presumably either for cleaning or staff off sick.

I can imagine only using a few shops in future: large supermarket for groceries and buy household items and clothes at the same time; Marks and Spencer for treats and any other clothing (I had to get bras and need to actually see them) garden centre, and Boots for makeup and Footner.

On the other hand, once I was in M&S I didn't want to return, so bought 2 bras in case 1 didn't fit; but I will end up keeping both so have actually spent more than I would usually. I don't know if the small independent stores will survive.

@BluebellForest836

Whenever you want, just say you’re exempt

This

I was surprised in Costa though, I walked in ordered a drink and sat down , no one mentioned a mask

Costa was one of the companies who said they will not enforce.

Around this time next year, I reckon.

From the latest news it looks like the second wave may already be starting.
If the deaths start going up the shops will have to close again, so the masks question will be resolved

Not until there's an effective vaccine. Give it a year or so.

Not long as the high street will suffer as most people are now just going to the shops to get what they need and are not impulse buying.

*I was surprised in Costa though, I walked in ordered a drink and sat down , no one mentioned a mask

Young girl comes in and woman at till said ' have you got a mask', she didn't ask if she was eating in and poor girl said no and left shock*

My Costa experience today was that when I went in for a takeaway, everyone sitting in wasn’t wearing a mask (obvs they were eating/drinking), myself and other queuers were wearing masks, a man came in and saw us in the queue all wearing one and asked the server “would you like me to put my mask on” and she said “we really would prefer it if you would wear it, if you don’t mind”. So I think although the policy is that they won’t make you wear it, they prefer that you do, especially when you are in the queue. I noticed a big email/promo push re reusable cups but instore they actually don’t want to handle them!

I think within 4 weeks people will naturally stop wearing them.

I really hope not - the only thing which will make rammed public transport tenable in the autumn and winter is everyone wearing a mask.

@bigchris I wonder if you live where I do in Kent, as I went into town today, I'd say 99% compliance in shops in town, including clothes stores and indoor shopping centre and our Primark had someone on the door politely requesting you use their sanitizer on your way in, I don't know if they were asking about masks as we still had ours on from a previous shop

Oh those one way systems are annoying.

I know exactly what I need thank you co op I know it’s exact location in your shop as well but now I need to do a tour of the entire store to buy it 🤦🏻‍♀️ And you matalan men’s jeans, but again whole lap of the store making the trip longer than it even needed to be because I know the layout I knew the exact ones that where needed.

Also this whole sometimes there is someone on the door sometimes there is not. Can I come in or not? Are you full or not?

April next year is my guess

September. Certainly November at the latest, to encourage Christmas shoppers. But I think Sept is more likely because rather than this encouraging more people to go out and shop, it's having the opposite effect. And there is already so much damage to the economy if mask wearing makes things worse they won't leave it for too long.

Yabu

But I think Sept is more likely because rather than this encouraging more people to go out and shop, it's having the opposite effect

Mask wearing made me feel safer and enticed me back to the shops.

Other people’s ignorance, selfishness and stupidity over social distancing, some disgusting hygiene, an inability to read signs/arrows/rules and generally other people not giving a fuck will now make me stay away from anything but online shopping for the foreseeable future.

We've been wearing masks in Germany since April
in shops, public transport, taxis etc

Compliance is still very high, even though deaths (hospitals + care homes) have been

Boris said yesterday that Covid should not be a big problem after next summer, so that's presumably his estimate of when things can get badk to normal
(he estimates vaccine rollout then ?)

@anon5000

Wearing a mask gives me no protection. It merely assures the people around me that I'm a "Good Covid Citizen".

Exactly this.

Wearing trousers offers me no protection. But apparently I'm not allowed to go out in just my knickers.

Point being: we accept all sorts of social rules that are nuts when you actually stop and think about them. I'm happy to accept one more social rule, on the off chance it might have a minor public health benefit (I, too, am sceptical that the rubbish masks most people are wearing incorrectly will have a significant effect).

I don't like wearing a mask, but it's not that bad once you get used to it. I'll keep doing it where suitable at least as long as it's mandatory, and maybe longer. I'd feel pretty shit in a year if we find out that masks would have had a significant effect on minimising spread, and I'd not been wearing one because they're a bit weird and annoying and I don't feel like they're much use.

@BigChocFrenzy

Boris said yesterday that Covid should not be a big problem after next summer, so that's presumably his estimate of when things can get badk to normal (he estimates vaccine rollout then ?)

That's quite a backpedal from "normal by Christmas." I'm sure he onle said that less than a week ago!

By the end of the year, hopefully.

Anon5000 " don't much fancy living in a world where people think wearing face masks to go grab a pint of milk from the shop is a new normal."

I don't think anyone is saying that they fancy this as the new normal, the masks, the virus, the deaths, the global economic and social impact and everything else that has come out of this shit show.

I think Johnson just makes it up as he goes along, he naturally wants to be jolly then he gets bollocked I assume so he just pings backwards and forwards.

It was exceptional bad luck we have him as PM for this crisis, he's really not up to the job
.