Sainsbury's and Morrisons

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

I feel sorry for the staff enforcing it, will probably get lots of aggravation, but great news that Sainsburys and Morrisons are banning entry to shoppers without masks unless they are medically exempt - and Sainsburys getting tougher on shopping in groups.

Great news, will be switching where I shop unless the others follow suit.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55618408

I think people and supermarkets have given more thought than the government or the beloved NHS who can't be bothered goving out some simple card to make people's lifes easier

The fact is the NHS is never going to give out cards; that's far too much like (un)common sense.

@Haffiana

Try shopping in Waitrose. I haven't seen a single person not wearing a mask in my local Waitrose, whereas Sainsbury's always has several without masks.

I don't have any other supermarkets local to me, but I know Costco won't let you in without a mask. If you have an exemption they will bring your shopping out to you.

I don't know if you live near me, but the situation here is the same. Waitrose won't let you in without a mask. DH has seen staff at Waitrose politely prevent family groups from going in: only one member was allowed.

And here's the thing: the family politely apologised and followed the instructions given, just like ordinary, decent people.

Waitrose won't let you in without a mask.

They will if you're exempt. A lady on another thread has just been saying how kind the staff at Waitrose have been to her.

Waitrose has always been disability friendly. Good to see it continuing.

Others simply think that masks do not help stop transmission and are purely performative. They do not want to take part in performance politics and so they don't wear masks. They wash their hands and give people space and they quietly go about their business.

Who cares what they 'think'? It isn't about what they 'think' if that is in fact what the process between their two lonely brain cells can be called.

These boards are full of people who think you either abide by every single regulation or you are a bad and selfish person. Life is more complicated than that.

I agree with you. However if you refuse to wear a mask you are putting OTHERS at risk, not yourself. That makes you an entitled arsehole, pure and simple.

Fact is there are people who medically cannot wear a mask. The 'proof' for this is a honary system. We live in a country where medical confidentiality is (generally) respected which is why staff can't ask why someone is exempt - most will be due to invisible disability.

Another fact is some simply refuse to wear masks.

Another is genuinely exempt people are getting abuse for not being able to wear a mask, speaking personally I've had abuse due my disability for years.

Realistically there's no way to differentiate without asking personal, probing questions about confidential information. The NHS companies (england/Wales etc) have a blanket refusal in place for a letter/card for exemption, each company directs patients to relevant sites to print off cards/badges/high street stores to buy them. It works on an honary system because that's cheaper and easier for the NHS.

I'm about to go out and get today's meds, I can guarantee at least one person will have a go at me for not wearing a mask.

"Medically exempt" isn't the only appreciable proof of this so far, a picture you can print off the gov website, which anyone can print off?

Our local Waitrose won't let you in the shop if you're not wearing a mask, unless you're exempt.

But surely that is just based on the person’s word. How does the conversation go?
“Excuse me, you’re not wearing a mask”
“Oh, that’s because I’m exempt”
Then what?

Supermarkets announcing this is just to be seen to be doing something, what’s the real difference. People not genuinely exempt but who aren’t wearing masks have been ignoring the law for 6 months, will that change? No, there’ll just be more unacceptable hassling by the public of genuinely exempt people.

@JaceLancs

I love that you all know that a couple aren’t mask exempt I’m deaf so need help from DS or DP not wearing a mask as I lip read - I suffer with severe claustrophobia and PTSD so can’t wear a mask myself (I do try if it’s for an extremely short period of time eg I run in and out of local chemist who know me to collect a prescription) My other disabilities aren’t obvious but I would struggle to do a full food shop alone

Supermarkets will almost definitely accept that reason.

Nonetheless if you had silent Covid (like 1 in 3 people who get Covid have) then you could spread it around in a supermarket. It would be better for your DP to do the shopping whilst we're at crisis point but where that's not possible supermarkets should definitely accept your reason.

“Excuse me, you’re not wearing a mask”
“Oh, that’s because I’m exempt”
Then what?

Exactly. Then what l. That's why many people are getting frustrated even if they have sympathy with people who cannot wear masks. Absolutely anyone can just say "am an exempt" and that's it. And they do.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

*“Excuse me, you’re not wearing a mask” “Oh, that’s because I’m exempt” Then what?*

Exactly. Then what l. That's why many people are getting frustrated even if they have sympathy with people who cannot wear masks. Absolutely anyone can just say "am an exempt" and that's it. And they do.

But that’s not the fault of the genuinely exempt. I bet loads of genuinely exempt people would love an official letter with something along the lines of “this person has been deemed medically exempt from wearing a face covering” but it’s not available. So they get unfairly lumped in with people who just don’t want to wear one.

I am not saying it's the fault of genuinely exempt people. I am saying why are people getting more frustrated.

It is a fault of the system we were supposed to be clapping for. They are letting vulnerable be even more vulnerable.

"But surely that is just based on the person’s word. How does the conversation go?
“Excuse me, you’re not wearing a mask”
“Oh, that’s because I’m exempt”
Then what? "

No idea, I don't work there. I expect they'll tell you if you ask, though. As Orf1abc said, they're known for being disability friendly.

They do seem to be making their policy work without fanfare and without upsetting anyone.

Visors protect no one on their own - we had our local shop closed by the council covid inspectors because staff just wore visors not masks - when they reopened all staff now wear masks; council made it clear visors alone are not protection and aren't an appropriate alternative. People who suffer fits can be seriously injured by visors. People with certain joint disorders can find visors agonising..

No deliveries here. No click and collect. No friends. No family. Despite common belief there's entire parts of the U.K. not covered by deliveries. Most volunteer services in such areas are now for confirmed covid patients only now - sheilders are expected to make their own arrangements because so many businesses are still operating from home unlike in March.

Those who can "just man up" wouldnt meet the criteria to be medically exempt to begin with. Medically exempt means impossible to wear, the difficulty is that all conditions run on a spectrum so some can, some cannot.

Looks as if other supermarkets following suit - and employing security guards rather than imposing the onerous task of policing to regular staff.
Fingers crossed it works effectively.

I think there should be an hour set aside for those who are mask exempt to shop.

This would solve the problem entirely.

@Haffiana

I think there should be an hour set aside for those who are mask exempt to shop.

This would solve the problem entirely.

The mask exempt wouldn’t like that as they no longer get to benefit from the herd protection offered from others wearing masks

@Haffiana

I think there should be an hour set aside for those who are mask exempt to shop.

This would solve the problem entirely.

Who'd want to shop immediately after that!

Who'd want to shop immediately after that!
The ones not believing in the virus. And we others would go in after lunch

Our local Morrisons haven't even had staff on the door in months so not sure who is going to challenge anybody

@Haffiana

I think there should be an hour set aside for those who are mask exempt to shop.

This would solve the problem entirely.

More joy for the staff - and the virus smogged air the maskless leave behind them

DH has witnessed today a mask less couple being denied entry to Morrison's by a proper bouncer with badges- the type who do the doors in night clubs.

I know we probably don’t see as many people as Tesco’s, but we do see a good cross section of ages/ disabilities/ general population. We have not had one patient attend without wearing a mask. Perhaps they consider attending the dentist is a higher risk, or unfortunately they consider our health and well-being more than they do the staff and other shoppers in the supermarkets.