Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Ditching my mask from today except for in hospital settings

996 replies

Frittataz · 19/07/2021 06:46

Clearly this is fine legally speaking but AIBU to expect not to be asked to wear a mask from today onwards? I’ll wear one when attending hospital/doctors appointments but that’s it that’s were i draw the line. I shouldn’t be expected to explain myself right? I’ve wore a mask from the beginning and stuck to every rule. I won’t be rushing out to go to nightclubs as I didn’t do that before covid and i don’t suddenly feel the need to surround myself (closely) with lots of other people but I am looking forward to taking my daughter shopping and going to the cinema without having to wear a mask.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
echt · 19/07/2021 10:15

@Frittataz

I wouldn’t be at all unpleasant I’d simply remind them that face masks are no longer legally enforceable. Or would it be better if I lied and told them I’m exempt? As either way from today I won’t be wearing masks except for in clinical settings.
You're very, ahem, shiny and new.

Are you a journalist? Looking for copy?

Peoniesandpeaches · 19/07/2021 10:15

@YellowBellyCat

Is it still rude when many shop workers won't be wearing one from today

I think if the staff aren’t wearing them then it’s fair enough if you don’t want to either.

I don’t. Staff have to wear them for hours on end whereas customers don’t.
TheSunShinesBrighter · 19/07/2021 10:16

Sorry... went off track there! 😁

thelastgoldeneagle · 19/07/2021 10:16

Well, woop de doo for you.

But remember that a LOT of people won't feel happy with that and won't want to be close to you - and any germs or viruses you may be carrying. Some people are EV, CEV or just scared of Covid. Don't be a tool.

withlotsoflove · 19/07/2021 10:16

@megletthesecond

It will make you look like you don't care about minimum wage retail staff.
I work in Tesco. I make quite a bit more than min wage. I know not related but l see this posted a fair bit. We’ve been encouraged to keep wearing our masks. I will, and l will ask the non masked to keep behind our screens! :)
LucyLockhearts · 19/07/2021 10:16

Shops will not have signs outside stating masks are required and I assume people who are poorly will not be out shopping.

@Frittataz

You don't know that.

Oh dear, you are a bit thoughtless (putting it kindly so I don't get banned.)

'Poorly people won't be out shopping'

How do you know if the person next to you is having chemo?
Or has a life -limiting illness?
Or is over 90 and needs to go shopping?
Or has a partner at home who has cancer or is having chemo or other drugs?

Your lack of awareness is just astonishing.

LondonJax · 19/07/2021 10:18

@MissChanandlerBong22

We either open now, or this time next year.

What is all this talk of ‘opening’? Shops, restaurants, and bars were all open yesterday. Nightclubs are the only thing that are ‘open’ today that weren’t yesterday.

@Im2sexyforthissite from my selfish point of view it's got less to do with a 99% survival rate than it has with a projected 100000 people with the disease each day.

If we just carry on with the current 48,000 people catching Covid each day (unlikely), that's 480,000 people quarantining in the 10 days that patient number one had to isolate. In amongst that 480,000 will be people like the chef/waitress in my local restaurant that has now had to shut up shop for 10 days as they don't have enough staff to safely operate. It will include doctors, nurses, retail staff, transport workers, dockers.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that, given enough cases isolating, shops may have to do shorter hours, GP surgeries may be short staffed so your prescription may be late being dealt with or the appointment you did manage to get will be cancelled. Operations will have to be cancelled if the surgeon contracts Covid or the ward nurses start to fall sick as people can't cover two jobs. Some teachers may not return to school for the first few weeks of September which will disrupt the kids (and the parents if those children are too young to be left alone).

It's not the deaths or even, to some extent, the numbers in hospital (although that'll cause problems as a nurse can't be in two places at once so bang goes your operation again). It's the rising numbers that can't work for 10 days if they catch it. Whether they feel sick or not they can't go to work. Which means a bus cancelled, a boat not unloaded, queues at the supermarket as they don't have enough tills covered. Not huge issues if it's one or two members of staff for a couple of weeks. But if this sky rockets on a rolling basis it won't be just one or two members of staff.

Maybe a mask doesn't make much difference. Maybe it makes no difference. But if cases sky rocket because we've stopped social distancing, opened everything up and dropped masks all on the same day, how do we decide which one of those pushed the numbers over the edge? How do we decide what to reintroduce? The only option is to then reintroduce the lot.

The vaccine should stop you becoming seriously ill or dying. Great. It doesn't stop you getting the disease. Which means you still can't go to work. The business you work for will be without you for 10 days. Fine if you can work from home. But transport workers, medical staff, teachers, retail workers factory workers, et all can't and we rely on them to keep us fed, safe or to move us around.

That's the problem.

godmum56 · 19/07/2021 10:18

[quote Janus]@starfro I always wonder how much Chris Whitty is persuaded to say something that matches whatever the government are proposing?? I bet if he had free speech he would say the timing of this is awful.
To be honest, I have teenagers and early 20s and if they want to go clubbing I can’t blame them with the 2 years of no life they’ve had to protect the older generation. But they still wear masks in every indoor setting.
I understand that things have to open up at some point and when do we choose the right time but the huge rising numbers tell me this is not the right time. I’m not expecting this to go well!![/quote]
Have you not noticed? If he doesn't agree he says something like "that is a matter for politicians not scientists or medics"

rumrunner123 · 19/07/2021 10:18

@Frittataz

But they’re not a legal requirement and if I am asked to wear one in shops I will gently remind them of that.
But it is not a legal requirement for a man to wear a t-shirt or for people to wear clothes that are not PJ's but stores can and do refuse entry to men without tops on and people with Pj's on so not sure they will have a problem telling people with no masks that they can't use their store.
LondonJax · 19/07/2021 10:19

Ooops. Not sure how I managed to quote @MissChanandlerBong22 post! Ignore that. My PC is playing up (again)!

Figgygal · 19/07/2021 10:21

So you’re happy with your decision why post?
Just because you’ve declared that you’re no longer going to be wearing a mask doesn’t mean that you’re no longer a risk to other people if you’re unknowingly infected. Just because it’s no longer legally enforceable doesn’t mean that your decision is right, legal yes, but not right for anyone other than you

echt · 19/07/2021 10:21

@Frittataz

Clearly this is fine legally speaking but AIBU to expect not to be asked to wear a mask from today onwards? I’ll wear one when attending hospital/doctors appointments but that’s it that’s were i draw the line. I shouldn’t be expected to explain myself right? I’ve wore a mask from the beginning and stuck to every rule. I won’t be rushing out to go to nightclubs as I didn’t do that before covid and i don’t suddenly feel the need to surround myself (closely) with lots of other people but I am looking forward to taking my daughter shopping and going to the cinema without having to wear a mask.
Daffodil
SecretKeeper1 · 19/07/2021 10:21

I think it’s very kind of the “I’m alright Jack” brigade to put themselves in the firing line of Delta. When it comes to furthering our nation’s herd immunity by infecting a few more people, every little helps.

echt · 19/07/2021 10:21

@Frittataz

I drive so I rarely need to take public transport thankfully.
Daffodil
2389Champ · 19/07/2021 10:22

Does anyone know if it’s true that Covid doesn’t infect people whilst sitting down under a 1.5m level. I’ve never understood why it’s ok to sit and eat (ie put uncovered exposed food in your mouth) without a mask and yet as soon as you stand up and your upper body is in over that 1.5m zone level, suddenly you become a potential risk hazard?

echt · 19/07/2021 10:22

@Frittataz

But they’re not a legal requirement so how can they do that? If I really wanted to I could simply lie and say that I’m exempt but why should I have to do that.
Daffodil
Heckythump1 · 19/07/2021 10:24

Our school have said we HAVE to wear them for drop off and pick off still until the end of term.... they only said this after drop off today when I saw approximately 3 people wearing a mask and the rest weren't. (We don't actually go in the school gates in the morning) be interesting to see what it's like this afternoon at pick up!

VanGoghsDog · 19/07/2021 10:24

@2389Champ

Does anyone know if it’s true that Covid doesn’t infect people whilst sitting down under a 1.5m level. I’ve never understood why it’s ok to sit and eat (ie put uncovered exposed food in your mouth) without a mask and yet as soon as you stand up and your upper body is in over that 1.5m zone level, suddenly you become a potential risk hazard?
Don't be silly.

You know full well they were trying to give us some sense of normality back while also putting measures in where they could to minimise the risks.

echt · 19/07/2021 10:24

@Frittataz

People judge all the time. It’s nothing new. I’m sure I’ll survive.
Daffodil

🥜

rwalker · 19/07/2021 10:25

OP has every right to please themselves but lost at why they feel the need to practically boast about knowing it will deliberate upset people.

Arsehole attitude TBH

Heckythump1 · 19/07/2021 10:26

@2389Champ

Does anyone know if it’s true that Covid doesn’t infect people whilst sitting down under a 1.5m level. I’ve never understood why it’s ok to sit and eat (ie put uncovered exposed food in your mouth) without a mask and yet as soon as you stand up and your upper body is in over that 1.5m zone level, suddenly you become a potential risk hazard?
Maybe that's why I've never caught covid then.. I'm only 152cm tall, so only the tippy top of my head is over the 150cm limit 🙈😂😂

Yes I don't get how you're less likely to catch it sat down eating than you are walking across the restaurant to go to the loo for example!

VanGoghsDog · 19/07/2021 10:27

I don't get how you're less likely to catch it sat down eating than you are walking across the restaurant to go to the loo for example!

Noone has ever said that though. So either you're thick or goady.

echt · 19/07/2021 10:28

@rwalker

OP has every right to please themselves but lost at why they feel the need to practically boast about knowing it will deliberate upset people.

Arsehole attitude TBH

The OP couldn't give a shit about others, and certainly not their opinions.

Only wants feeding:

🥜🍌

claralara42 · 19/07/2021 10:28

*@Frittataz this is the worst place to be asking about masks. The women on here don't seem to understand the 99% survival rate

We do. We also understand that a one percent death rate would be a fucking massive number of dead people.
We also understand about morbidity as well as mortality, long covid, complications, the economic impact of isolations....etc etc

LondonJax · 19/07/2021 10:29

@2389Champ - I think you'll find it's because it gets very messy eating or drinking through a mask....FFS