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?

hooves what the hell do you want people to say?

If people are just being generally disgusting then a mask won't help, all you can do is ensure that your behaviour is minimising your risks Inc hand washing, not touching your face. If your employer isn't supporting you in being able to refuse cash that has been in someone's mouth then it is them who you should be directing your ire at.

Today 05:41DarkMintChocolate

Show workers are there working and we cannot always maintain social distancing. Customers are the worst tho and all it takes is the customer to nicely ask the assistant to move and they will. Customers want the shelves full dont they. If not customers will moan then.

@Vivana

Social distancing is still not happening. Customers still going right up to staff and asking where something is. They dont like to be asked to move back nicely and get all stupid about it

Yes! I’m sick of people now, keep the hell away from me. I’ve been sworn at, had customers getting far too close etc, I won’t be asking where your mask is! the company I work for have told us not to, but I wouldn’t be asking anyway. It’s not up to us to police the public. A colleague had a customer tell him another customer wasn’t wearing a mask and what was he going to do about it, he was told nothing, it’s not down to him. If customers are that bothered then ask them yourselves.

I saw someone get challenged yesterday, he had a sunflower lanyard but wasn’t wearing it. He just held it up to show the security guard then tucked it back in his pocket. Maybe that would work? Your friend certainly shouldn’t feel the need to explain her medical history to complete strangers.

@Whichoneofyoudidthat
They’re not nosey, or self righteous. They’re doing their job

Exactly this ^

Shop assistant, "madam, where is your mask?"
Exempt person, "I am medically exempt"

Job done.

Really nothing to get worked up about but this is the world of MN, where everyone is perpetually professionally offended about some bollocks or other

@TheGreatWave

hooves what the hell do you want people to say?

If people are just being generally disgusting then a mask won't help, all you can do is ensure that your behaviour is minimising your risks Inc hand washing, not touching your face. If your employer isn't supporting you in being able to refuse cash that has been in someone's mouth then it is them who you should be directing your ire at.

People on here are saying that we should take the view that anyone not wearing a mask is exempt. Ok. Then lots of people who are exempt are doing other things that put me, and everyone else at risk.

If you can't wear a mask then the least you can do is be stringent about everything else.

Well I said that and you responded that people did poo's in the middle of the shop.

I'm with you OP. My OH is epileptic and cannot wear a mask as it would very likely kill him if he were to seize whilst wearing it. A visor is also impossible due to the nature of his seizures, removing it would be impossible without risking serious injury to whoever would be brave enough to try.

He did get asked in one shop why he was not wearing one and the answer to his reply the he was exempt was...and I kid you not....." well who told you you were exempt, and where's the proof?"

To those saying that other people need protecting do you not see the irony in saying "we risk death if others don't wear a mask" to those that risk death if they do? You're quite happy for other people to risk their lives in order that they don't risk yours and yet they are the "selfish" ones.

@splot

Actually the police came round and issued this to our town.

That was very wrong of Humberside police not to mention the exemptions in their guidance.

Today 08:44SurreyHillsGirl

Well said. Shop workers are humans to and put up with alot of crap

There will be a law going through soon about abuse on shop staff. I wish it hurried up so people can think there will be consequences for there actions

[quote MummytoCSJH]@Bananabread8 er, the difference being it's NOT required though, whereas it is in some workplaces. You choose to work there and have clearance. I do not choose to have a disability. Every time a disabled person is asked it's essentially assuming that they do not have a valid reason. We KNOW it's a rule. We KNOW if we are exempt. My disability IS personal and it's not something I want every nosy fucker to know about just because they can get away with being nosy. It's not up to shop assistants to enforce or to pry. I'd much rather protect myself and others but I physically and practically cannot wear a mask. I do not think that means I should have to be locked away like some kind of animal because people who don't even know me disapprove.[/quote]

This!!

Listen to disabled people FFS.

Your friend/those who believe there should be exemptions to mask-wearing - can you please inform your doctors/loved ones that you would also not like a ventilator? It's much more hassle than wearing a mask so you probably wouldn't be comfortable with one anyway. Don't worry - I think I read that COVID doesn't impact those who can't wear a mask for a ReAlLy good reason

Why do people always trot out this "well you wouldn't like a ventilator" as if it some sort of clever little "gotcha" line. Aside from the fact that very few people end up on ventilators, it doesn't change the fact that a mask poses a huge risk. She isn't refusing out of badges SHE CAN'T WEAR ONE!!! When will you get it through your thick skulls?!

I wonder how many of you will moan when people like my friend take up hospital beds and medics' time because they wore a mask against their better judgement to please the nosey twats who think everyone else are "dicks" for having a disability

@camelsandcaramel

Interesting thread. The country where I live there's absolutely no exceptions to the rules. Non at all. I genuinely hadn't heard of the sunflowers or lanyards in the UK until I'd read this. Those unmasked here are given on the spot fines by police. It's really got me thinking...

Well I'm sorry you love in an ableist country

Some people behave disgustingly in shops. I worked in retail during the 6th form and after I graduated.

In a clothes store I worked in we had a customer who used to try on women's underwear, wank into them, and then leave them in the unisex changing rooms for other customers to find. Someone changed their tampon in there once and left the used tampon behind.

I worked at a meat counter in a supermarket and a customer let their toddler lick the glass meat counter. I asked them not to as we open said glass when putting raw chicken etc. out so it may not be safe but the customer did nothing and the child just smirked at me. We had to remove all the meat to thoroughly disinfect the counter afterwards.

At Lush a customer dried her hands on my scarf and clothes after I demonstrated a product to her, even though I was offering her a paper towel!

I can well believe that people would poo in a shop, sadly.

I think that people who were shielding until a few days ago shouldn't be back at work unless very Covid secure - so not a supermarket! Or certainly not serving customers. However, employers can't bar customers unable to wear a mask from their stores and the onus is then on the employer to keep vulnerable employees safe. For example letting them work in the stock room away from customers, or giving them paid special leave. My employer has allowed anyone vulnerable or extremely vulnerable aka shielding to take special leave on full pay if they cannot work from home (most of our staff can WFH, but some roles can only be done on site).

Employers have a duty of care to employees. I think at most it's okay to have someone at the door to say something like 'are you able to wear a mask? 'No, I'm exempt' 'ok' or to issue a general reminder to customers to 'please wear a mask if you are able to do so'.

In no circumstances should anyone be asking someone what the nature of their exemption is. The guidelines are very clear that this isn't permitted. Also, there is no point to this - someone working in a shop is unlikely to hold a medical degree and specialise in the relevant area of medicine for a particular customer's condition, and they certainly won't have access to the customer's full medical history. So what are they going to do with the information? 'Why are you exempt?' 'A mask affects my asthma' 'well I know someone with asthma who is able to wear a mask so you can't come in'.

This is really interesting; I live in Portugal and as far as I can find out there are no exemptions allowed at all. If you are indoors in a public place you must wear a mask and if you don't then you aren't allowed to enter.

I have no idea how people who struggle to wear a mask or visor are coping.

My OH is epileptic and cannot wear a mask as it would very likely kill him if he were to seize whilst wearing it

Well according to @Miniminiminimini he shouldn't be exempt (apparently this person is a epilepsy expert) and she reckons he's a dick. Isn't that a nice attitude of our fellow citizens? So pleased this pandemic is bringing us all together.

On a serious note it's disgusting that he was challenged like that. Was that by another customer or a shop assistant?

@Vivana

Today 08:44SurreyHillsGirl

Well said. Shop workers are humans to and put up with alot of crap

There will be a law going through soon about abuse on shop staff. I wish it hurried up so people can think there will be consequences for there actions

But if staff are abusive and ableist, what do they expect back?

Actually on reflection I know how they are getting essentials- the government and volunteers deliver groceries to the vulnerable and there has been an excellent community programme of caring for those who need extra help.

I guess you can't just go for a wander around the shopping centre or whatever though.

So as long as disabled people stay indoors everyone's happy?

I can imagine those unable to wear a mask who also don't have any family/friends/community to help them right now must be feeling terrified right now. Gosh what a horrible state of affairs.

Also, agree, if shop workers are taking it upon themselves to police mask wearing, then I'm not surprised that customers are taking it upon themselves to react unfavourably.

@DomDoesWotHeWants

I'm still not clear why you believe you are exempt and your posts seem very cryptic and more than a bit snotty.

@LangClegsInSpace

*I don't believe I am exempt. I am exempt. My GP says I am. Yet amateur medics on here, like you, think they know better. They don't.

Can you say which one you fall under?

You really think I should expose my confidential medical history on the internet to random trolls? Er, no.

You have no right to ask, that's what this thread's about, yet here you are demanding that I give you my medical history. Behold the irony.

Of course I'm not asking for your medical history!

I don't know how you could think that if you actually have read the exemptions. Let's go through them shall we?

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/791/regulation/4/made

You don't have to wear a face covering if:

a) you cannot put on, wear or remove one because of a health condition or disability, or because it would cause you severe distress

b) you are accompanying or helping someone who relies on lip reading

c) you need to remove it to avoid harm or injury to yourself or others

d) you've gone in the shop to avoid injury or escape a risk of harm and you don't have one with you

e) you remove it because it's reasonably necessary for you to eat or drink

f) you remove it to take medication

g) the shop staff ask you to remove it for ID verification

h) a pharmacy employee asks you to remove it to help them provide you with healthcare or healthcare advice

i) you are asked to remove it by the police, PCSO or TfL staff
------------
It can't be a) because that only applies to people who cannot wear a face covering and you said you choose to wear one.

All the others apply to one-off situations - you are exempt in those specific circumstances but not generally.

I'm not at all interested in your medical history and I'm not asking you to disclose it. I'm asking which of these exemptions you are relying on when you say things like I could be exempt but choose not to be.

I can imagine those unable to wear a mask who also don't have any family/friends/community to help them right now must be feeling terrified right now. Gosh what a horrible state of affairs

Yes, I think people on this thread need to remember that not every has friends, family, neighbours etc willing to help out and not everywhere aha community champions. I wonder if it's the same people who, when someone is stuck for childcare, they say "just ask an auntie" 🙄

I will say to anyone with well controlled lung disease and asthma that wearing a mask is not a problem. It isn't for me, anyway. That is meant to be helpful and not critical.

@onlinelinda

I will say to anyone with well controlled lung disease and asthma that wearing a mask is not a problem. It isn't for me, anyway. That is meant to be helpful and not critical.

But there are people with asthma who are saying it is a problem - but because it's ok for you, it must be ok for them right?

You can't just label countries where compulsory face coverings are efficiently policed as 'ableist'. People just get on with it here (Italy) as it's the law and that includes all kids over the age of 6, even those with SN. Friends with kids who have autism, Down Syndrome or are deaf still manage to go to shops together. How? Through practice, patience and finding a face covering which can be tolerated. Visors, snoods etc. I can't believe that there are so many people claiming to be exempt in the UK and makes me wonder what they would do if they were told by a medical professional not to leave home without a mask if they were seriously immunocompromised following chemo for example. Would they then find themselves able to tolerate wearing a mask after all?