Ditching my mask from today except for in hospital settings

[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.

The guidelines now say its a CHOICE! Get over it on both sides.

Totally agree with this

Phew, what a relief! This thread had had me worried that normal people were genuinely going to be selfish enough to ditch their masks. But I have just come back from the supermarket where everyone, thank god, were still wearing them.

Waitrose have just emailed me and are saying

We recommend you continue to wear a face covering
Please continue to maintain social distancing

Their staff are being advised to wear face coverings
They will retain perspex screens

The only change will be no marshalls at the doors, but they suggest we all stagger our visits to quieter times of the day if it's busy.

All good, by me.

I'm so pleased by lovely hairdressers put up a post on Facebook saying they support anyone's choice, wether it's wear a mask or not, without judgment.

[quote Parker231]@MostlyMaple - it’s a minor inconvenience for you to wear a mask but it will protect the 3.8 million vulnerable - surely worth doing[/quote]
So you're saying we should wear masks indefinitely? There's always going be vulnerable people and Covid isn't going anywhere.

Why weren't people so up in arms in previous years when flu pandemics (which happen every winter) that not only kill tens of thousands of people, but also has the NHS on its knees for a good 3-4 months of the year?

When was the concern then, the calling people selfish cunts, the insistence on staying indoors?

What's more, we cannot spend the rest of our lives behaving as if the nearest person could be dead if we do much as breath near them. That's not how the world works, it is not any one individual's responsibility for anybody else's health and this pathetic guilt tripping is getting old and boring.

Wear a mask, don't wear a mask. But respect choice.

@LucyLockhearts

Waitrose have just emailed me and are saying

We recommend you continue to wear a face covering
Please continue to maintain social distancing

Their staff are being advised to wear face coverings
They will retain perspex screens

The only change will be no marshalls at the doors, but they suggest we all stagger our visits to quieter times of the day if it's busy.

All good, by me.

This I'm afraid made me laugh.

Yes there was no security counting us in and out at Waitrose this morning but she was patrolling inside instead. No - she was not wearing a mask.

Neither was the assistant manning the self checkout tills and as I went past one of the perspex screens it broke free of the hanger and fell on me.....

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-supermarkets-will-encourage-customers-to-keep-wearing-masks-but-wont-bar-those-who-dont-12356493

This article says that’s shops aren’t refusing service to those not wearing masks

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

I'm so pleased by lovely hairdressers put up a post on Facebook saying they support anyone's choice, wether it's wear a mask or not, without judgment.

Of course they might change their mind when the salon has to shut because one of the staff catches covid and they all have to isolate, losing 10 days takings.

Hopefully they won’t complain about it though.

Shops do not have to serve you; it is their choice. They can still say "no mask - not exempt? - no service"

@Frittataz

Popped to our local high street and supermarket at lunchtime.

Not one member of staff in any of the shops/ supermarket wearing a mask. About 50% of shoppers had them on. I was wearing mine, but not sure if I will indefinitely. Certainly if I come out without it I won't be going home for one - unless of course I was going for a hospital appt or on public transport or similar.

@SecretKeeper1 or maybe that won't happen. Or maybe it would happen if everyone wore masks - afterall we've been masked up for 16 months, vaccinated and yet cases are still high 🤔

@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.

It’s not a legal requirement not to be a twat, but I generally try hard not to be one.

"That's not how the world works, it is not any one individual's responsibility for anybody else's health and this pathetic guilt tripping is getting old and boring."

Wow. Just wow. What ever happened to community spirit, doing things for the good of others, thinking beyond our own convenience?

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

I'm so pleased by lovely hairdressers put up a post on Facebook saying they support anyone's choice, wether it's wear a mask or not, without judgment.

This is the way to go. I'm finding all the bossy FB posts from businesses insisting on masks irritating actually although I tut quietly to myself and wear one as I'm not a complete dick.

I went to the shops today and most people were wearing masks.
Popped in to two supermarkets and Robert dyas and 99% had masks on. Went to the coffee shop and everyone stood up, bar one member of staff has masks on.

I’m all for choice but stop being self righteous if you’re asked to wear a mask in a store. It really doesn’t hurt and looks out for people who are more vulnerable that you.

We are a fully vaccinated adult household and yet still my husband got Covid as did dd (15) I’ve been ill but gets negative so obviously not Covid. And so it’s definitely not gone away. I’ve worked throughout lockdown and only knew personally of one or two cases confirmed but yet in the last few weeks so many burst bubbles at school and confirmed cases and amongst adults who are fully vaccinated. Some have been quite ill despite being vaccinated and otherwise healthy people.

@Stroopwaffle5000

I'm sat in the hairdresser's chair at the moment, wearing a mask, as they have requested that customers continue to do so. I have no problem with doing this, it's not really a hardship. And they do allow me to pull it down to drink my cappuccino 😁

Then it's fucking useless.

[quote MostlyMaple]@Doodlebug71 ok Mrs. Scientist, I'll leave you to your mask wearing can't wait to take my manipulative self to the shops tomorrow![/quote]
many scientists on here. Flimsy evidence indeed

Completely agree with you @FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop
It is a choice and people should respect that. There have always been clinically vulnerable people for whom any contagious illness could turn serious, but nobody cared about mask-wearing prior to Covid.
Germs will always be circulating and there has to be an end to this sometime.

Also to clarify re the "Shops can turn away who they want for whatever reason".

Not strictly true.

For example (NOT a comparison before the mouth frothers lose their shit) but they could technically say "No gay people are allowed in".

But it would open them up to some very expensive litigation. And the customer affected could do nothing more than sue them and hope for the best.

I mean that is example is very straight forward and obvious case of discrimination, but there are plenty of situations that could fade into a grey area. For example, there was a recent case where a woman successfully sued a barbers for not cutting her DD's hair because she was female. I don't think it's outlandish to imagine that a vulnerable person who can't wear a mask, for XYZ reasons, being turned away, would be discrimination.

Just wanted to clarify the legal point that private establishments do not have free reign on who they can turn away, in that sense.

Way to take my post entirely out of context @Holdingontonothing

Or as you'd say: wow. Just wow

Community spirit is alive and well - everyones definition of it is different and mine doesn't involve a non - evidence based intervention.

Then it's fucking useless.

If you have covid, the more you breath into an enclosed space the bigger the risk you pass it onto someone else. So if you wear a mask for some of that time you are decreasing the chance of infecting someone else. Particularly if you replace your mask between sips, which is what I do at the hairdressers (I feel it’s the least I can do when the staff are wearing masks the whole time).

@drpet49

* But they’re not a legal requirement and if I am asked to wear one in shops I will gently remind them of that.*

^Hopefully they will gently remind you that they don’t have to serve you.

This.

I sincerely hope the shops I patronize do this as well.

Shop elsewhere, please.

@NakedAttraction

Then it's fucking useless.

If you have covid, the more you breath into an enclosed space the bigger the risk you pass it onto someone else. So if you wear a mask for some of that time you are decreasing the chance of infecting someone else. Particularly if you replace your mask between sips, which is what I do at the hairdressers (I feel it’s the least I can do when the staff are wearing masks the whole time).

Oh come on. Really?