Wearing masks everywhere indoors is so depressing

[Sossen]

AIBU to feel frustrated and, at times, a bit upset that I can’t really do anything indoors now, either on my own or with my kids, without wearing a god damn face mask? I’ve just about been able to tolerate wearing them whilst food shopping but that’s because I now take a lot of time to write out a list and meal plan beforehand and I get in and get out, as opposed to before, when I took the time to browse, picked out what I fancied, and maybe tried on some clothes whilst there. I can cope with this ok but what is depressing me is that my ds is desperate to go to a few indoor places like the trampoline park (our local one has strict guidelines in hygiene social distancing and staggering sessions) and I’ll take him but the thought of sitting there for an hour and a half opposite my dh trying to talk to him with a mask on or watching my ds play and he can’t hear me because of the mask, well it fills me with dread. I had a cinema pass which i’ve has for years but I’ve already cancelled It as there is no way I can sit for up to 3 hours with a mask on, it would be unbearable. Every day out we go on that is predominantly outdoors but have some indoor areas I’ll have to remember to take masks with me. If I nip to post a letter, pick up my medication, go into a public car park to get my car after work I have to wear a mask. I expect to be told I’m moaning but I can’t help it. I fully resent the fact that I am being told to cover my face and I have no choice in the matter. Please tell me I’m not the only one.

I sympathise because I don't like them either. I wear glasses all of the time and wearing a mask makes them steam up which is irritating. Can't take the glasses off in a shop or whatever because I'm as blind as a bat. Obviously, I wear a mask when required but it doesn't mean one has to like it.

I am pretty much only going into food shops now. I would have gone to the cinema with ds but I don't want to try to watch a film wearing a mask.

We are mainly doing things outdoors at the moment. I took ds on a nice little walk locally yesterday and we stopped off at a cafe which we use regularly. Sat outside and ordered at the window so no mask required.

When the weather gets colder in Autumn/Winter, it may be more difficult but we will most likely stick to outdoor activities and swimming. Plus occupying ourselves at home. Not perfect but that's the way it is.

Posters that are saying masks don't do anything - can you provide links to studies (published in respected journals and peer reviewed preferably) that back up your claims?

If you dont like masks buy a face shield.

@Sossen

Yes my ds will not be wearing one and god help anyone if they dare question this. Yesterday I seen a toddler around 2/2 and a half walking round with one on and I thought omg poor child.

Really? I think your child is picking up anxiety about masks from you.

I hate wearing them too- but I have to in certain circumstances. So I wear one calmly when I have to, and my dc 9 & 12 do so too.

We teach by example

PumpkinPie2016

I've bought an anti fog cloth that you clean your glasses with - it stops them from misting up. I have to wear a mask at work and I wear glasses. I also tape the top of the mask too but I found that wasn't working on its own. Using the cloth really stops it.

@Thelnebriati

If you dont like masks buy a face shield.

Not allowed. Mask or nothing. Nicola Sturgeon changed the rules in Scotland yesterday. They have never been allowed in England.

I will continue to wear a visor as it works for me and it's better than the alternative, which is nothing.

My husband isn't the biggest fan of wearing a mask every day for 10 hours for more than 5 months. But he does and will do for the foreseeable future, partly because many people in the uk are so selfish.

So sad that NHS staff will pay the price for people winging about their rights.

The people I really feel for are those who genuinely can't wear a mask, they are suffering because too many people are flouting the rules.

Social distancing has gone down the pan here since compulsory mask wearing. There are a staggering amount of people on MN who want everyone to go skipping around with grubby bits of tissue/cotton/scarves/buffs over their faces because it gives a false sense to security. The message of keep your distance and wash your hands is dead and buried.

Yanbu and I’m fed up of the fact everyone has just accepted them. ( including me in that I conform) even WHO, if you believe them , say there’s only marginal positive benefit and that’s if they are worn properly - he put in when guy leave house, don’t touch them, only remove when entering house again. Etc- no one does that !
We need a Reality check As this is not the way to lice and can’t continue indefinitely.

I agree with this poster and have yet to be convinced that they are of any other value than purely symbolic. Im exempted from wearing them due to a breathing difficulty and have a very official looking plastic card on a lanyard to wear. Even the lanyard is printed with the words "mask exempted". Still I have run up against nosy officious people who ask "why arnt you wearing a mask" or "whats wrong with you".

I always say "Well before this conversation goes any further I need so see your ID because I assume you are an official from the government or local council who has the power to enforce the regulations, yes??"

"No? So you are nobody and nothing. Just some officious little twat who goes around telling your betters what to do? Eff off!"

I feel the same op. I admit I haven’t read all the replies. I don’t think the economy will begin to recover until we are able to stop wearing masks. I’ve changed things I normally do because it’s no fun wearing them one and reading the posts a lot of other people feel the same.

I am half British and thank God every day that the other half of me is from a country where people just get on with things instead of being whiny babies

Which country is that? There have been plenty of countries where compulsory mask wearing had led to protests or at the very least, grumbling.

FWIW I don’t think blindly complying with everything asked without questioning is a sign of a healthy society.

Studies about the efficacy of mask wearing are based on preventing the wearer from transmitting an infection they are carrying.

But if the wearer doesn't have the virus, there's no point in the mask. You don't need a scientific study to prove that, it's common sense.

@PurpleDaisies Not moaning is not the same as blindly accepting. There is a world of possibility between those two dichotomies.

Yep
Just cancelled my holiday as the hotel emailed to remind guests that new guidance now requires face masks in hotels too. I’m the fifth cancellation since they sent the email at 9am this morning. Now googling hotels in wales but suspect everyone is doing the same.
Honestly, I’d prefer lockdown to this miserable existence. At least lockdown actually was driving cases down. But this is life forever now as there is no escape from this unless there is a vaccine.

I wear one because I have to, not for any other reason. They are 2 ply cotton so more face coverings than masks but still comply. I wear them for the absolute minimum amount of time I can get away with but I do make sure they cover my nose properly. However because they are so uncomfortable and move around when I speak I'm touching my face far more than I did before.

They'll tell you it's a conspiracy theory and it's being run by Big Pharma
@Hearhoovesthinkzebras, they're the same people who are spewing all over FB that the footage of the army lorries taking the dead out of Bergamo was footage from years ago of the aftermath of a refugee boat capsizing and the coffins are those not Covid victims.

I think it's a peculiarly British thing- it's change and being asked to do something for the greater good. Nobody can truly say that me wearing a mask is going to help limit the spread of Covid, but it might. That's actually good enough for me.

I think the govt also made a mistake with trying to be PC and warm and fluffy and saying "face covering" which has led to the imbecile comments like "muzzles" and likening wearing a mask to the oppression of women.

Additionally, so much of the responsibility for "managing" this has been devolved to the individual that seemingly half the population has been vulnerable/networker/exempt from wearing a mask to the point that the terms are virtually meaningless. (I just reread the criteria, such as it is, and fit all three categories- I knew about the keyworker bit but not that I could call myself vulnerable and also not wear a "muzzle" )

Nobody (except little kids who seem to love them, it makes them feel all grown up somehow) likes wearing a mask. But, ultimately, the longer people don't, the longer others are going to have to.

The only thing that truly beggars belief (and does explain why, despite what the scientific community has said all along) is why so late into the pandemic. THIS is what makes Joe Conspiracy Theorist Public get on his soapbox. "Surely if masks were useful we'd have been wearing them for 4 months?" And you can understand why people would ask that question tbf.

Networker? Keyworker obvs!

Nobody (except little kids who seem to love them, it makes them feel all grown up somehow) likes wearing a mask. But, ultimately, the longer people don't, the longer others are going to have to.

Mask wearing won’t get us out of this. We’re going to be wearing them until there’s a vaccine.

We went out yesterday to an indoor attraction it’s really shit. I had to keep adjusting my mask and glasses until I got them in the exact right place so they didn’t steam up every 5 breaths. Once it was in the right position I dare to take it off to eat or drink because I knew it would be ages to get it back right. You could hear half the guides because some obviously weren’t very clear speakers to begin with whilst others had more naturally projective voices. I love museums and art gallaries but I won’t be visiting whilst I have to wear a mask it’s a nightmare with glasses And yes I’ve tried everything -wreaking a pair of glasses en route.

I understand the need to wear masks inside at the mo but it doesn’t work for me so it’s outside visitors attractions for me. Luckily I’ve never viewed shopping as a leisure a activity -it’s always been run in get what you need -back out ASAP, cries of “let’s look round the shops on Saturday” have always represented a certain kind of hell for me so I’m not missing out on that.

@wanderings

A balanced response, unusual for MN in this issue. Is the tide turning? My bingo card so far is blank.

Sooner or later the public will vote with their wallets. Saint Boris threw this at us to make it look as if he was doing something (no coincidence he announced it in the same breath as squeeeeeeezing the brakes and cancelling Eid), and because he thinks the public are still in favour of the face nappies. He’ll backtrack if someone tells him people are refusing to spend money if they have to muzzle up.

I've no patience with people who refer to muzzles and face nappies. And you have the nerve to talk about balanced responses?

@Jojobar

Studies about the efficacy of mask wearing are based on preventing the wearer from transmitting an infection they are carrying.

But if the wearer doesn't have the virus, there's no point in the mask. You don't need a scientific study to prove that, it's common sense.

So you accept that masks are effective then? How do you know who has the infection? If we knew that before anyone became infectious then we wouldn't need any of these measures would we? We could Sony quarantine that person and the virus would quickly be eradicated. All of these measures - masks, SD, quarantine, test and trace, hand washing - are needed because people are transmitting the infection without realising it so we all need to adopt these measures in case we have it.

The thought police are well and truly out in force today. No doubt Boris's next announcement will be that moaning is banned. Then Mumsnet will cease to have any posts except for recipe and gardening tip requests.

But if the wearer doesn't have the virus, there's no point in the mask. You don't need a scientific study to prove that, it's common sense.

Well, obviously.

However, how do you know if a person has the virus? How do you know if they have it the day after a negative test? Or the day after that...?

However, how do you know if a person has the virus? How do you know if they have it the day after a negative test? Or the day after that...?

Well, at the moment only 1 in about 1900 people have it in the community depending on exactly where you live. Statistically you’re pretty unlikely to meet someone with it or have it yourself.