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Original poster

Is this not the most stupid covid rule?!

144 replies

CovidStoleTheRainbow · 31/08/2020 09:41

I understand why you can't try clothes on.
I understand all the rules they all make sense generally.
But I just took DS to Asda to try on plimsoles and we were asked not to by a staff member. It's the rules.

So we can pick up shoes, look at them closely, put them back and pick up more but the second your foot enters them all of a sudden it's a coronavirus risk?!

OP posts:
middleager · 31/08/2020 10:25

If I could spell.... Blush

Ginfordinner · 31/08/2020 10:28

@slipperywhensparticus

blunts have food bags over your feet to try them on with maybe duggest that as an option?

I dont personally try on plimsolls just buy a pair in their size

You must have a pretty standard shape and size foot. I have to try on footwear before I buy. Wearing badly fitting and uncomfortable shoes is bad for your feet.
Ponoka7 · 31/08/2020 10:28

I tried uniform on my GC in Asda. They're letting everyone in without a mask, if you ask people to stand back and they get aggressive there's no back up from security guards and no pulling up of people walking around coughing into the air.

It's become rules for rules sake, so they can do one.

clopper · 31/08/2020 10:30

hollyhead you have summed it up perfectly ‘ hygiene theatre ’ just like performative mask wearing where people are not really buying into the safety aspect by washing/ bagging it/ changing it regularly. ( I count myself in this group), just wearing it as you have to be seen to be ‘doing something’ and avoiding looks from others.

TheWernethWife · 31/08/2020 10:30

Bought a pair of shoes from TK Maxx last week, they have pop socks available to put on over your feet/socks before trying on. After use you put them in another box.

SockYarn · 31/08/2020 10:31

Of course it's ridiculous. Of course nobody's going to get covid trying on a jacket or pair of shoes which someone has tried on that morning.

But scientists are all-out looking for a vaccine or developing effective treatments. Nobody's funding research to prove that disinfecting your groceries is an utter waste of time, or that it really doesn't exist in sufficient quantities on packaging or clothes to do any harm at all. So shops are forced to err on the side of caution. People are reluctant enough to venture into shops, shops have to strike a balance between making enough money to stay afloat, and making nervous shoppers feel "safe" with visible measures like tape and closed fitting rooms.

Anyway. You just do what I did when shoe shoppig with DD. Buy the shoes, take them outside, try them on and return if they don't fit.

RiftGibbon · 31/08/2020 10:32

I completely understand not trying on anything that has to pass over the head but I don't understand the shoes thing either.
DC has "awkward" feet and the only way to determine what shoes fit is to try them on. Whilst we can pick the right size, the shape affects the fit, and so we may need to go up or down a size accordingly.
Perhaps shoe shops/shoe aisles should be supervised - sanitise hands on entry and when leaving - and use gloves or paper towels (provided) to handle items?

ptumbi · 31/08/2020 10:32

The huge majority of these 'rules' are made up by the shops themselves.

The 'trolley' rule, the one way systems, the not-trying-clothes-on, the quarantining of stuff - all made up. They are not reducing the 'risk' - in fact, a lot of these actually increase the risk - and in most cases that risk is absolutely minuscule anyway. The virus is very unlikely to be transmitted by touching an item of clothing (or paper/cardboard, tins etc)

Soon, shops will start to wonder why people are not shopping. The whole experience is so miserable from start to finish, and not made better by bossy, bullying shop assistants and nonsensical rules.

leiaskye · 31/08/2020 10:32

I don’t understand why trying soneth8ng on in the store is more dangerous than buying it, taking it home, trying it on in your home, not liking/doesn’t fit, taking it back.

I saw a really nice jacket in House of a Fraser, but was worried about trying it on so just walked away. I wasn’t going to buy it only to have to take it back later.

We have to put things into perspective & find the new way forward otherwise there will no be jobs for our children.

SockYarn · 31/08/2020 10:33

ust wearing it as you have to be seen to be ‘doing something’ and avoiding looks from others.

And avoiding a £1000 fine. That's the main reason people are covering faces. Because they fear the financial penalty. Not covid.

Chickenitalia · 31/08/2020 10:34

Hygiene theatre is absolutely spot on. Yanbu.

I got asked to leave Primark for daring to get my dd to try on school trainers, and wasn’t allowed to buy the other items I already had in a basket. I wasn’t rude or breaking any roolz, there were no signs indicating I couldn’t and other stores had let her try on, they just didn’t fit. So we didn’t spend anything in there and on principle I now won’t.

Ended up ordering 6 pairs on my Next account and then returning the ones that were no good. At least I’ve not actually paid up front, so I would recommend account shopping for sure. I know a friend bought multiple pairs of shoes in Sainsbury’s, went out to the lobby area, tried them all on and went back in to return them. It’s a faff, and I fail to see how shoes are such a risk.

SockYarn · 31/08/2020 10:34

@TheWernethWife

Bought a pair of shoes from TK Maxx last week, they have pop socks available to put on over your feet/socks before trying on. After use you put them in another box.
Is Covid leaching out through the soles of people's feet now? What a total nonsense.
Unsure33 · 31/08/2020 10:36

What I don’t get is that people don’t understand that even the scientists don’t have all the answers. There is still a huge amount of research going on about how long the virus survives on many types of surface and then how likely you are to catch it if you touch that surface . Same with viral load and temperatures. This is why even the advice from WHO keeps changing and then the government’s ( of all countries) keep changing . We are all in the middle of a giant experiment to learn more about this virus . Personally as we have members of the family in high risk category and have also lost people to covid then I prefer to err on the side of caution . I went into a supermarket this week where I guess the staff have the option to wear masks and the lady on the till was wearing hers under her chin . Fair enough her choice but my main thought was that she was then chatting away to customers who said they had forgotten theirs . She was quite elderly and I was more worried for her . Especially as we know a lady in her 40s who worked in a supermarket and died of it and she was only in her 40s .

The facts are .......we don’t know the facts and neither do the scientists and doctors yet . ( and the media definitely don’t)

Things will change as we go along .

Linaya · 31/08/2020 10:36

Next let you try shoes on kids. They had a notice saying please use hand gel first and provided bottles of gel to use which seems sensible to me.

Namechangr9000 · 31/08/2020 10:38

But I suppose lots will forget to return them or just not bother so likely it does reduce the amount of stuff in quarantine. All part of the crazy situation..
I imagine that shops hope they will sell more items if people buy 2 sizes, try on at home and forget to return the one that doesnt fit. In reality people will probably just put off buying anything!

IndiaMay · 31/08/2020 10:38

Theres a lot of stupid rules, the stupidest rule is that a father cant walk his daughter down the aisle Hmm but you can have driving lessons/driving test with a complete stranger

MintyMabel · 31/08/2020 10:41

The stupidest Covid rule is in M&S where they keep forcing me to take a trolley even when I just want a pint of milk or a sandwich. For social distancing apparently.

That is a brilliant idea. Too many idiots ignore SD, it's harder for them to come too close if they have a trolley. A quick wipe of the handle is hardly time consuming.

GabsAlot · 31/08/2020 10:41

tk maxx have socks for you to put over your own socks dont know if that makes any diffference

JellyBabiesSaveLives · 31/08/2020 10:42

Gloves are the most stupid rule. We’re moving our dd into uni halls and we’ve been asked to wear masks (great) and gloves (stupid).

If I’m wearing gloves and touch my face, and I unknowingly have covid, now I have covid on my gloves. But I’m not going to use hand sanitiser to get rid of it because I’m wearing gloves and I’m safe. And I’m going to touch every surface and even other people because it’s safe, I’m wearing gloves. Much safer not to wear them and be careful!

But shoes - they just need to provide hand sanitiser and ask you to use it before picking up and trying on shoes.

MintyMabel · 31/08/2020 10:43

Bought a pair of shoes from TK Maxx last week, they have pop socks available to put on over your feet/socks before trying on. After use you put them in another box.

This has been in pretty much every shoe shop as far back as I can remember. I can't believe so many people have not been using the socks provided when trying on shoes.

GabriellaMontez · 31/08/2020 10:44

@Hollyhead

I am sick to death of hygiene theatre when the most important thing is social distancing and staying the fuck home if you’re ill. I feel we’re wrangling ourselves into more economic hardship for no reason.
This!! The "Hygiene theatre" is driving me mad.
Cheeseismymiddlename · 31/08/2020 10:45

It may be more to do with wanting people to be in and out the shop in the quickest possible time. To avoid a number of people “gathering” in close proximity to each other. But I agree stupid.

This is also a contender.... In Nandoes, asked to lift our own drinks from the tray. 5 drinks, waiter had the jiggle the tray to keep in steady while everyone took a glass . How did they get on the tray ? Grin

Sailingblue · 31/08/2020 10:47

I would be amazed if anyone has contracted Covid from trying on shoes. You’d be much more likely to catch it from being in the inside space in the first place.

drivingmisspotty · 31/08/2020 10:47

Kids not being allowed to practice their very beginner style butterfly in near-empty pool (so about 4m from anyone else) because ‘It’s one of those strokes you can’t do now because of coronavirus’ seemed pretty stupid to me.

Not trying on shoes I can kind of understand (you do handle them a lot more than just picking up to look at the size) but if you don’t also lick the shoes, probably pretty safe.

MJMG2015 · 31/08/2020 10:47

@CovidStoleTheRainbow

I'm with you! Shoes yes, clothes no - isn't complicated. FGS. Even if people try on sandals without socks I'm not imagining the trf of Covid to be any more likely than handling the sandals in the first place!

I know shops need to be careful and I know it's not easy to make places 'Covid Secure' but I swear some places have chosen the least bright muppet to sort it out.