Verbally attacked for not wearing a mask

[8catsaremycoven]

Wow, had a great experience in Lidl today - I was verbally abused and intimidated by a bloke in his 40s for not wearing a mask.

I'm minding my own business, choosing some fruit for DHS when random angry bloke walks past and hisses "You should be wearing a mask ". He doesn't stop and ask me directly why I'm not wearing a mask, just walks past me and says it in an undertone.

I catch up with him because he's browsing and tell him I'm exempt because I'm asthmatic. Apparently anyone can claim to be exempt and it's my personal fault that people are dying?! I told him that I wished that I was able to wear a mask to protect myself if nothing else, he just carried on ranting at me. No security guards in the store, other shoppers just stood and watched. I ended up crying in frustration and walking away.

I can't wear a mask because of my asthma but I also suffer from PTSD because an XH put a pillow over my face and raped me.

Am I expected to explain everything to anyone?

YABU - get over everything, risk a major asthma attack and wear a mask

YANBU - asthma is enough to excuse me from wearing a mask let alone my other reasons, which I don't feel I should have to explain to anyone

Bring it on, I'm sure someone is going to roast me but I truly hope that you're going to be behind me.

I left the shop shaking and in tears

Just wear headphones and switch off from annoying rude people in future! I couldn’t bear to do the shopping or take public transport or anything like that without headphones - can’t hear what anyone has to say - don’t care what they have to say - have seen people try tell me something / get my attention - I don’t respond!

Makes like easier - people like this don’t deserve acknowledgement

@Elsiebear90

Could you wear a visor?

You have very valid reasons for not wearing a mask, and the guy was an arsehole, but a visor would be better than nothing.

This is obviously a horrible experience but I also wonder about what Elsie said or even a scarf/snood.

On the one hand, people should be able to go into shops and on public transport without being exposed to other people's germs and the risk of contracting a disease that could kill them.

I wouldn't call that a right, it's pretty much the necessary condition of going out at all times in all places.

Masks or face coverings catch droplets that are breathed or coughed out that may contain virus particles. In this way face coverings help to prevent others being infected. Many people with Covid are asymptomatic which makes face coverings even more important. Surgeons have proved that wearing a mask does not inhibit breathing so asthma is not a valid reason for not wearing a face covering. Given the high rates of Covid now asthmatics would be well advised to avoid going out because of the risk of serious illness if they do catch Covid. I wear a face covering to protect others, I expect others to do the same to protect me. Given the high incidence of Covid in many areas everyone should wear a face covering or stay home, both for their own and for others benefit. YABVU.

I do go all guns blazes at these people. I don't swear but I can have a sharp tongue when I want to and it shuts them up. OP, don't cry, that's what he wants, just tell them to get lost.

@m0therofdragons

I find it weird that in shops there’s quite a high number of people not wearing masks yet in the hospital I haven’t come across anyone walking in our doors that doesn’t have a mask on or isn’t willing to come and take a mask on entry.

Yes, that's a bit weird.

A lot of people really don't have good reason not to wear them but just have a 'I don't give a toss about other people' attitude. I think they're probably more scared of personally catching Covid in hospital so that's why they're willing to wear them.

I do think the OP is an exception though as she had such a horrific experience with an ex. Asthma is more debatable as most doctors seem to say that it makes little/no difference.

@m0therofdragons

I find it weird that in shops there’s quite a high number of people not wearing masks yet in the hospital I haven’t come across anyone walking in our doors that doesn’t have a mask on or isn’t willing to come and take a mask on entry.

Good point - I work in a hospital too and have seen very few visitors/patients without masks on in the corridors, but lots more in Tesco! Hadn't thought of that until now!

I have asthma and a fear of anything over my face from past trauma, but as I work for the nhs i have to wear a mask, no mask no working for me.

i think a bit of seeing the other person's perspective on both sides would be useful here.

If the person in the supermarket came here on mumsnet and posted a thread titled "I was physically attacked by someone not wearing a mask" and was upset at the OP breathing over them in the supermarket, how would we react? Would we react differently if they'd lost someone to covid?

There's a lot of trauma going around on all sides.

@Redburnett

Masks or face coverings catch droplets that are breathed or coughed out that may contain virus particles. In this way face coverings help to prevent others being infected. Many people with Covid are asymptomatic which makes face coverings even more important. Surgeons have proved that wearing a mask does not inhibit breathing so asthma is not a valid reason for not wearing a face covering. Given the high rates of Covid now asthmatics would be well advised to avoid going out because of the risk of serious illness if they do catch Covid. I wear a face covering to protect others, I expect others to do the same to protect me. Given the high incidence of Covid in many areas everyone should wear a face covering or stay home, both for their own and for others benefit. YABVU.

I agree with this ^^ but actually surgical and FFP3 masks do protect the wearer so people with asthma, more so than those without, really should wear them if at all possible. It's a surgical mask now or an oxygen mask later really.

I'm asthmatic too.

@goingtotown @tillyandmilly @halfmoonfullmoon @Fgs1

Visors are worse! The visor's positioning means that the Carbon Dioxide you breathe out, (like every human on the planet does) bounces off the visor and becomes what you then breathe back in - instead of oxygen!! I wore one for 5 mins the other day and fainted!

@quelquechose
Visors are worse! The positioning of the shield means that the Carbon Dioxide you breathe out, (like every human on the planet does) bounces off the visor and becomes what you then breathe back in - instead of oxygen!! I wore one for 5 mins the other day and fainted!

@8catsaremycoven

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to stay home, order online and isolate themselves. I'm self employed, I've lost my business because of Covid, I'm shopping for elderly grandparents (DGM 100) and parents. I'm not out browsing for fun, if I could wear a mask or visor I bloody well would! Thanks to everyone who understands, to everyone who doesn't please RTFT and try to see the whole picture. Most people who don't wear masks have genuine reasons not to. There are dickheads who don't want to (you're not the boss of me!) but the vast majority of non mask wearers have genuine reasons. Please be kind, please think before you berate someone, please just put yourself in the other person's shoes...we don't want CV19 any more than you do, we're doing our best to stop it spreading. Just stop for a moment, ask yourself why someone isn't wearing a mask and then ask them politely, if you genuinely can't stop yourself, if they should be wearing a mask. Thank you all for the posts, supportive, instructive and...yeh, MNetty vipers. Let's all check out the DF tomorrow and see if we're front page 👍🏼Meanwhile I will endeavour to carry on with my life, unmasked, quietly and socially distanced 👍🏼

Sorry but what does having to leave home because you are self employed or shopping for grandparents got to do with it. You can still shop online.

I am going to work yet avoid supermarkets as much as I can. There were issues with getting slots but it's now very easy and there are plenty of slots.

If you can't wear a mask and are asthmatic you should really be avoiding indoor spaces where there are lots of other people for the sake of both your own health (as a vulnerable high risk person) and that of others (as your can't mask up in places where you are coming into contact with others. Especially as no fucker is really SDing any more. I avoid supermarkets as they are the worst for lack of SDing. I would even more do if I were asthmatic and unable to wear a mask.

So YABU. Sorry.

dc3 - visors are not a sealed unit!

Visors have been recommended for people not able to wear a mask. Are you not able to wear one of those? I had sympathy for those not able to wear masks for various reasons, but people now have an alternative. Can anyone who can’t wear a mask suggest a valid reason why they can’t wear a visor?

@Happyhippy99

You need to wear a visor if you really can’t wear a mask. You’re doing this to protect others. It’s not all about you !

This. OP has dodged every question asking why she doesn't wear one.

@DC3Dakota stop saying the same BS.
You sure you didn't faint from the smell of your own BS? 🤭

[quote DC3Dakota]@quelquechose
Visors are worse! The positioning of the shield means that the Carbon Dioxide you breathe out, (like every human on the planet does) bounces off the visor and becomes what you then breathe back in - instead of oxygen!! I wore one for 5 mins the other day and fainted![/quote]
I think you confused visors with something else. Or at least I hope you did

[quote DC3Dakota]**@goingtotown* @tillyandmilly* @halfmoonfullmoon @Fgs1

Visors are worse! The visor's positioning means that the Carbon Dioxide you breathe out, (like every human on the planet does) bounces off the visor and becomes what you then breathe back in - instead of oxygen!! I wore one for 5 mins the other day and fainted![/quote]
Yikes. This thread is beginning to stink even more of anti-masker / QAnon horse pucky, especially this poster who keeps repeating him/herself and spamming the thread.

@lemonsandlimes123

dc3 - visors are not a sealed unit!

🤦🏼‍♀️ Jesus Christ...... Way to spectacularly misunderstand! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Well DUH! Of course they're not a sealed unit! But carbon dioxide gas that we all breathe out lingers for a nanosecond after bouncing off the shield as you breathe out, by which time you breathe in again, breathing in the carbon dioxide gas you just breathed out! Doesn't matter that it's not a sealed unit! 🤣

DC3 got confused and put a Kilner jar over her head not a visor.

Also, if you really start to passing out after few seconds in a mask, you might want to speak to a doctor...

@Redburnett

Masks or face coverings catch droplets that are breathed or coughed out that may contain virus particles. In this way face coverings help to prevent others being infected. Many people with Covid are asymptomatic which makes face coverings even more important. Surgeons have proved that wearing a mask does not inhibit breathing so asthma is not a valid reason for not wearing a face covering. Given the high rates of Covid now asthmatics would be well advised to avoid going out because of the risk of serious illness if they do catch Covid. I wear a face covering to protect others, I expect others to do the same to protect me. Given the high incidence of Covid in many areas everyone should wear a face covering or stay home, both for their own and for others benefit. YABVU.

Agreed. And now I’ll hide this thread.

for OP - you have been through a lot and I will think of you and try not to judge others when I have no idea of the previous trauma they have endured.

DC3 - Not sure I am the one who has misunderstood!

@JingsMahBucket I'm not spamming anything, I'm defending the OP and answering the multiple posters who keep passive aggressively asking why OP can't wear a visor! I'm exempt as well and my Doctor explained the issue with visors.