To want to know when we can stop wearing face masks?

[ihatefacemasks]

That's about the size of it. I loathe the bastarding things for every possible reason. Obviously I have to wear them because I don't have a reason not to (I could perfectly easily pretend, in order to obtain exemption, though this would seem unfair on the people who genuinely can't wear them). But AIBU to want to know when we will be allowed to stop with this nonsense? Does the R rate have to reach a certain target? Does there have to be a vaccination? WTF will make a difference? Why has nobody given us any indication?

"But I reckon shop staff and public transport operators will still be lax at enforcing them"

As if these people don't get enough shit at work you want them to enforce the law. Do you/ Would you go round shops and train stations telling people to wear masks?

Can we stop wearing them if we identify as somebody who is exempt?

Speaking as someone who can't stand this government, wears a mask but finds them depressing, I find it interesting that posters who are "mask police" also seem to hate the government. But will do what they say wrt masks. Those who love the government (or voted them in) hate wearing masks. And won't wear them.

Funny times.

Honestly? The moaning is wearing a bit thin with me now. It helps to wear a mask, it prevents infection.

I have worn a mask, as an NHS worker, since March. All day recently, in this heatwave. It's shit. It makes me feel ill. But please don't moan to me when u can take ur mask off after half an hour or less, some have to wear them for hours on end no matter what. (Obviously medical/psychological reasons aside)

Would you go round shops and train stations telling people to wear masks? It could be a full-time job. Plenty of Mumsnetters would be delighted to do it.

@HeIenaDove

I think if the Government brought back ECT treatment to "correct the wrongthink" of people who dont like masks but ARE wearing them a lot of posters here would be all for it.

You are so right that I want this comment on a t shirt 👏🏼

I went to the opticians in early March, the assistant who was fitting my glasses was in tears, she told me she as a single parent with no support or family she was scared to death of getting Covid, she was scared of losing her job. She wasn't putting it on, I can't forget her distress and if I'd had a mask ( at the time we were told don't bother) I would wear one - just to alleviate her distress. I'm lucky I can work from home, avoid the Tube etc, but staff in people facing roles are not so lucky.
That is not virtue signalling and wearing masks is really annoying and I constantly have to return home to get "the mask" cursing as I do, but lots of people were out there applauding the NHS, who seem to want us to wear masks. Its not great but also its not that big of an inconvenience is it?

@fwwaftp

Never mind the bloody masks, I want to know when the mask-police are going to fucking shut up. Absolutely sick of the way some people are going on about them. I am way more fed up of other people's sanctimonious behaviour than having to wear a mask which I don't like either but am doing and will do until they are no longer compulsory. I'm in another country and the mask compulsion was removed in June but the number of cases immediately began to rise so we've had to wear them since July again.

For real!

I guess we can stop once there's no chance of another spike in infections. And judging by what's happening in other countries including France, Germany, Spain and Greece, all of which are now having a surge, it isn't going to be any time soon.

I hate wearing the bloody things, but if it helps prevent another lockdown and thousands more deaths, well then I'll carry on if I have to.

@EveryPlanetHasAYorkshire you can't. But the amount of people without masks on in shops in the UK seems very large compared to the number who genuinely can't wear them I feel really sorry for those that can't as they will be judged. Whereas if the majority wore masks the odd few that didn't you would assume had a genuine reason.

Can we stop wearing them if we identify as somebody who is exempt?

Oh FFS.

We've had the "You'll feel worse on a ventilator", now the "Why don't you identify as...". Just waiting for someone to mention Dominic Cummings/Barnard Castle/driving to test eyesight.

I don't know why people seem to think the government are desperate for us to all wear masks when they clearly didn't want to introduce them in the first place AND have just spent a fortune on facial recognition.

Totally agree OP

As there is currently 1 in 4000 chance of even coming into contact with someone with CV outside health and care settings, they are just virtue signalling and will have no beneficial effect.

The transmission of CV is currently extremely low.
Flu however is still out there. Many of us are vaccinated against flu. Most people are wearing masks in enclosed spaces, those not wearing masks are generally more vigilant about distancing in my experience. BUT flu (you know this thing that kills thousands every year despite vaccines and that Covid isn't) is killing more people than Covid EVEN IN SUMMER. If the masks were reducing virus transmission they would be reducing the number of people catching and dying from flu and respiratory illness other than Covid.

Last week in July there were 8,946 deaths (that is one weeks deaths and is slightly LOWER than average.) There were 778 deaths from respiratory illnesses (such as flu) and only 193 from Covid.

Figures from the ONS

The 778 deaths include the Covid deaths

Whilst I hate wearing a mask, I have asthma, but feel safer wearing one than not. We are incredibly fortunate though, I have a friend who lives in Hong Kong, masks are to be worn whilst diving if your window or roof is down. Even if you have no passengers. The fine is substantial.

""I'm in another country and the mask compulsion was removed in June but the number of cases immediately began to rise so we've had to wear them since July again.""
Well that sums it up.
I would never confront anyone who is not wearing a mask.
No one likes them. No one really wants to wear them, but its not forever and if it inspires confidence in people who have no choice but to be in a public facing position - what's the actual harm?

@ihatefacemasks I certainly don't think you are selfish and understand why you want to know.
Unfortunately as pp have said it is too early to know at the moment.
I think once schools and back and more things open up plus the cold weather we will be able to see what the number of cases is doing and the cpuntry will plan from there.
I still think that all the people not sucking it up and getting on with it (again, I do not mean anyone who genuinely can't wear a mask) will make this more drawn out for everyone else.

I see you’re a conspiracy theorist. There’s no logic or compelling rationale can ever reach conspiracy theorists

I know what you mean op. I find the comments on here that these are here to stay very chilling and make me want some reassurance this is not so. Something uncomfortable which hampers normal human interaction? As a temporary measure to get us through this present situation, yes. If something similar occurs in future, yes. For the common cold and flu as we all experienced and dealt with without recourse to PPE pre-2020, absolutely not.

Are people seriously suggesting a world where everyone dons a mask in public forevermore is necessary or desirable? Depressing.

There's more to the Covid issues than death figures. There are people on here who had it weeks/months ago and are still suffering the effects of it.

Nobody knows so nobody can tell you.

I would like to stop having to wear one asap. I wish they would give us an indication of when we can expect to stop wearing them just like they did with the easing of lockdown.
I think many people feel really reassured by wearing them, still not entirely convinced at the logic, visited the garden centre and you had to wear them inside and out , people carefully maintaining 2 m distance, one way system , trolley sprayed etc but in the onsite cafe people were sitting at tables 1m apart chatting,eating and drinking as normal all taking advantage of government eating out offer. Obviously the there was an invisible shied around the cafe area protecting everyone🤣

I don't know why people seem to think the government are desperate for us to all wear masks when they clearly didn't want to introduce them in the first place AND have just spent a fortune on facial recognition.

Very good point. I think as soon as the government thinks it is safe, the mask requirement will be dropped for this reason. They don't want people wearing masks because this causes problems with facial recognition.
In the country I am in, there was a law passed not long before the Corona crisis began forbidding the wearing of face coverings in all public places - this included the facemasks that almost all of the tourists from Asia were wearing everywhere in public. It also included people wearing fancy-dress masks and things like scarves over your mouth and nose except in low temperatures.
The idea was that people could be identified - that's what they said anyway. But the people who were pushing for it were people wanting to ban the niqab and burka.

I'm pretty sure that the government here and probably the UK government too will want to remove the mask requirement when it is safe and therefore it won't be "forever, so suck it up" as some people on here are saying.

@malmi

If you think a mask is uncomfortable, try being on a ventilator

You are sedated so you don't notice whether it is comfortable or not. This sort of rhetoric helps no one.

I'm with you, OP. I hate them. It would be good to know what needs to happen for them to end.

At the weekend, I went into two shops, each one for around 20 minutes and I honestly had a headache afterwards. I don't know why or if it's linked, but it's the second time I've been shopping in a mask and the second time it's happened to me.

Also, as a glasses wearer, I find it so much more difficult than my partner. My glasses steam up and I can barely see a bloody thing.

Shopping is already a hassle, queuing outside, distancing in shops, queuing 2m apart at the tills etc., (which I don't dispute, I will do it to keep me, my family and the fellow shoppers safe), and this is just another added hassle.

I think I will find myself shopping a lot less often as a result, both for groceries and for leisurely shopping trips.

I’d say when people are no longer dying of COVID but that’s likely to be never. Have a feeling it’s here to stay like the flu or common cold.

I hate wearing them and take them off as soon as I can. Today I had one in for 10 minutes in a queue (not king but in this heat they get so sweaty and uncomfortable) it’s also annoying when about half people in Costa aren’t wearing one, makes you think, why am I bothering?