To think shop workers shouldn't be asking people why they aren't wearing a mask?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

My friend is epileptic. She can't wear a mask because it takes very little to trigger a fit, and wearing a mask creates too much of a risk. Over the last 2 days she's been asked in 3 different places (Greggs, Morrison's and the Co-Op) in an abrupt and snotty way "Where is your mask?" By staff. This is with lots of other customers around. She responded "I'm medically exempt" and has been asked why she's exempt in two of those places. She's also been told (online) that she should stay in to protect others and get someone else to do her shopping etc.

AIBU to think this is appalling ableist behaviour to put someone on the spot in front of others? She doesn't owe anyone her medical history. Yes there's sunflower lanyards she can pick up but she's apprehensive about wearing anything around her neck for obvious reasons. Why can't we just trust others that they're doing it in their best interests?

[catnidge]

I've just been to France where wearing masks is compulsory in public. Wearing enforced by police officers.
Only a very small number of people were mask free and I would imagine these are those who genuinely need to be exempted.
Back in the UK, tube and train about half the young people (20 to 30) age bracket not wearing one. Highly unlikely to all be exempt. Its the selfish people not compiling that means we have people like the friend of the Op put in a difficult position.

I wish we had more police to enforce like they do in France. The police there were in large groups with dogs and the one person I saw who needed to be spoken immediately complied and put their marks on.

[Clockworkprincess]

I work in a shop and we ask people if they have a mask as they walk in. If they say they're exempt we leave them to it but the amount of people who say they don't believe in them is disgusting. We all wear masks ourselves as we feel you cannot ask a customer if you aren't.
I do understand the point being made but 50% of customers weren't wearing a mask because they had forgotten. I wish people would stop having a go at us about it, the names we've been called etc is wrong

[PhilSwagielka]

@incognitomum

YANBU x 100

It's absolutely appalling. The amount of distress I've seen because of the muzzling is unreal.

Can your friend wear a lanyard? Might make her have more confidence. You can print a badge online.

'Muzzling'. Let me guess, you're one of those people who's been on the recent protests. Are you going to start cunting on about Bill Gates?

I agree shop staff shouldn't be asking people why they're not wearing masks though.

[Aridane]

Retail workers (and transport and construction workers) have higher death rates from Covid than medics (carers apart) - see ONS.

They are the unsung heroes

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

[quote Haenow]@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

I am immensely grateful to all those who continued to work through the pandemic to keep society ticking over. I recognise my privilege in being able to do my job from home, despite shielding. However, you do a huge disservice to suggest supermarket workers risked their lives in such a hyperbolic manner. Delivering prolonged and intimate care to multiple confirmed Covid19 positive people with inadequate PPE is utterly incomparable to many other roles.[/quote]
I haven't said that supermarket workers faced the same risks as healthcare workers who were caring for Covid patients but they certainly were at risk. Not all drs and nurses worked in patient facing roles but you said that supermarket workers didn't deserve to be thanked for the contribution that they made during this and I think you are wrong. The outbreak in a Coventry supermarket shows that there is a risk for supermarket staff. Personally, I think anyone who left home to work during this deserves our thanks and appreciation.

[Haenow]

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

I am immensely grateful to all those who continued to work through the pandemic to keep society ticking over. I recognise my privilege in being able to do my job from home, despite shielding. However, you do a huge disservice to suggest supermarket workers risked their lives in such a hyperbolic manner. Delivering prolonged and intimate care to multiple confirmed Covid19 positive people with inadequate PPE is utterly incomparable to many other roles.

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

LadyofTheManners

Are you for real? Screens weren't in place straight away and were only for checkout staff anyway. Staff working on the shop floor have no protection.

And nurses and medical staff who were extremely vulnerable weren't doing patient facing roles.

So, yes you are being unreasonable. These people working in supermarkets faced incredible abuse and worked throughout while many of us stayed at home, safe. I feel very guilty that I was shielded at home while my colleagues put their lives at risk and worked throughout.

[BamboozledandBefuddled]

I can't believe I'm actually saying this but I agree with hooves Is it too early for - purely for shock, of course!

[LadyofTheManners]

@Drumple

I also don’t think working from home has been cushy. It hasn’t for me. Whilst I can do my job, it is not the same at all And I need to be able to get back to the office to work effectively.

That and the amount of furloughed who now have no job to go back to. At least supermarket employees had job security.

[LadyofTheManners]

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

I've even heard people complain there wasn't a clap for them like NHS staff which is ridiculous.

Really? Why do you think it's ridiculous that people who risked their lives throughout lockdown, with no protection at all don't deserve any recognition for what they did? I don't particularly agree with the clapping because I think the way we should thank the people who risked their lives, while the rest of us stayed at home, should be rewarded through better pay and safety measures at work, but at least the clapping was a show of thanks and gratitude for the people who kept the country running. Strange that you don't think supermarket staff are in that category. What would have happened if they didn't go to work?

Are you for real?

Most supermarket staff had regular stated hours, breaks, and if sitting on a till they had big huge screens.

Nurses had home made PPE (a bin bag and a hastily constructed mask), no breaks, hugely long shifts, right on the front line and coming into contact with the disease and death. They would've had to field calls from worried relatives. They also still had to sort out the usual hospital admissions and ensure they didn't come into contact with the virus. All this, and no pay rise. How many hospital staff died of the virus?

Sorry but to clap someone who works in a supermarket is a bit far fetched. They also had the protection that if they were at risk they could be furloughed. Nurses don't get that right.

[DishingOutDone]

@Crumpets111 you've probably summed up the entire thread right there

[BamboozledandBefuddled]

I know it's a very common attitude but I've always thought it must be horribly depressing to live your life assuming the worst about everyone.

[durdlestairs]

I wish we could trust people but many people are liars, not just those in government.

Asked politely, and the option to refuse service should always be there as with any shop.

[BamboozledandBefuddled]

This is what the Government want, to turn on one another, divide and conquer.

Absolutely. It's been a key factor of every policy they've announced and has probably succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

[Crumpets111]

This is what the Government want, to turn on one another, divide and conquer.

Today is my 1st day out of shielding having spent 6 months struggling as a single mum. I am also back on nights tonight as a Staff Nurse. I am eternally grateful to all the supermarkets who delivered much needed shopping when I had no one else to get it, to my pharmacist for delivering my medication.

If I have had to stay in for 6 bloody months I think others need to start trying just a bit to help. Let's support each other instead of turning it into a competition.

[Drumple]

I also don’t think working from home has been cushy. It hasn’t for me. Whilst I can do my job, it is not the same at all And I need to be able to get back to the office to work effectively.

[Drumple]

The clap was for key workers and the nhs staff wasn’t it? I certainly include shop,workers in that (one of my children works in a shop and one is in the NHS - I clapped for both of them)

[Vivana]

I will also add she was working to as a shop worker right through it till may and also had 2 very young children.

[Vivana]

Well shop staff did deserve a clap if it was not for us then you would not of had food. We worked right through this with no protection and customers going mad for toilet roll. Abusing staff we were not on cushy furlong or working from home. Shop staff are keyworkers if you like it or not. And shop workers have died from covid to so dont forget that and I know someone who passed away from covid a lovely lady young and had her life in front of her.
So think before you post nonsense.

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

I've even heard people complain there wasn't a clap for them like NHS staff which is ridiculous.

Really? Why do you think it's ridiculous that people who risked their lives throughout lockdown, with no protection at all don't deserve any recognition for what they did? I don't particularly agree with the clapping because I think the way we should thank the people who risked their lives, while the rest of us stayed at home, should be rewarded through better pay and safety measures at work, but at least the clapping was a show of thanks and gratitude for the people who kept the country running. Strange that you don't think supermarket staff are in that category. What would have happened if they didn't go to work?

[LadyofTheManners]

@Vivana

Also supermarkets have got rid of arrows etc far to quickly my store got rid of them even before the government came in with new guidance and stopped the queues
I dont know what companys are playing at half the time.

Probably because the stores don't know what the government is up to most of the time.

It's guidelines this and fines that. But then the police say they feel they have no power to act and the guidelines don't stand up in a court of law.
Many people fined have already had their fines overturned. Some forces pick and choose who they fine.
We have a street with one household determined to ignore it all because, according to him, it's racist to do lockdown at a time of year when they celebrate their faith more than most. People have reported him. Number of times police have visited; 0
A street away, a group of students had a party last night. At 1am, 3 police cars turned up, stormed in and closed it down. One person (friend thinks the girl whose party it was) was taken outside in handcuffs and then given a fine and let go. Others were threatened to disperse.
That party, although a rule break, was mostly in the garden and a one off. So why target this one with 3 cars, shouting and hollering from police, yet ignore the behaviour of others who have been reported regularly for months?

This whole situation has shone very bright lights on the ineptitudes of the police, the brazen ignorance of the government until it hit the purse strings of their mates like Branson, and that some shop staff really do like to think they have the right to lord it over the people who pay towards their wages.
I've even heard people complain there wasn't a clap for them like NHS staff which is ridiculous.

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

Well, the arrested woman was in the wrong on both counts wasn't she? She should have been wearing a mask and assaulting someone is not justified because they asked to wear the mask properly.

[HeIenaDove]

//www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8596669/Woman-25-arrested-attacking-liver-transplant-recipient-54-Staples-store-mask.html#comments

New Jersey woman, 25, is arrested after 'attacking recent liver transplant recipient, 54, in Staples store and breaking her leg' when she was asked to wear her pulled-down mask over her mouth

Terri Thomas, 25, charged with aggravated assault in July 29 attack at Staples in Hackensack, New Jersey
Thomas is accused of knocking down Margot Kagan, 54, during argument over face mask at Staples store in Hackensack on July 29
Attack was caught on surveillance video, which shows woman identified as Thomas throwing Kagan to the floor after brief exchange
Kagan, who underwent liver transplant four months ago, broke her left tibia and required surgery to put steel plate in her knee

[Spikeyball]

"A lot of people make reasons up not to wear them when genuinely they could and should be wearing them."

Perhaps you should reconsider who you choose to associate with because they don't sound like nice people.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

his