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.

@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.

Ladies & Gentlemen - this right here is why the rates go up.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!

Don't lie about being exempt, because you're not.
You wear a mask to protect you, fine but if you are asymptomatic of Covid yet have it or you have it and you have a mild dose, not enough to make you think "I've got Covid", you can be transmitting it and be blissful in your ignorance of the situation.

Wear a mask when you're in a supermarket. They can refuse you entry and it could be one of the terms and conditions of being allowed to shop where you shop. Better again - shop online so you can sit on your sofa, mask free.

@MilkTwoSugarsThanks

Supermarkets are asking that you wear one, but I don't know if others will.

Sadly not all...my brother works in Asda and they have removed all safety lines, staff are not allowed to wear the social distance reminder tops, asda don't care. Luckily sainsburys and tesco do so I shall be shopping in those places.

OP, hundreds of thousands of people will have abandoned their masks today , but you felt the need to come in here and inform us of that fact . Why ?

Because something isn’t a legal requirement doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do. You can also be refused service without explanation if you don’t wear one… hopefully shops will still go this policy.

@Frittataz

Actually many shops near me DO have signs asking people to keep wearing masks. Our metro mayor is continuing mandatory masks on transport. Our nursery have sent an email telling us no mask = no entry onto nursery grounds.

And how do you know there are no “genuinely” vulnerable people in shops etc? There may well be people having chemo, with autoimmune conditions, or with other illnesses that make them vulnerable around you- why wouldn’t you want to protect their health, if not your own?

What kind of person wakes up on a Monday morning and decides they’re just going to wind up some strangers on the internet

Yeah, it's pretty transparent.

@Frittataz

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

Goady. 👋

@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.

What you fail to understand, whether it's law or not, any business can set its own rules for entry

Frankly your being pathetic if you cant wear a mask to enter someone else's property.

Yesterday I popped to town, 3 businesses was closes because of a covid outbreak. Businesses can't afford to keep closing.

Quit being selfish and think of others, or would you prefer all businesses going bust because they have to keep closing

@Frittataz

I see why you might think I’m entitled but if that’s the case why would I have bothered to stick to the rules from the start? If I was genuinely entitled then I could have (easily) lied stated I was exempt and not wore a mask, I could have continued to visit my family, including my two elderly grandparents, I could have refused to put my dc through the hassle of weekly covid tests etc etc. I’m not an arsehole, I’ve done what I was required to do from the start, but I’ve simply had enough now.

Don't you think we've ALL had enough now, why does your 'enough' trump everyone elses 'enough' ?

Someone upthread said that their local shop wants people to still wear them, as the shop would have to close if staff had to isolate, what do you have to say about that, or would you go in maskless anyway and 'gently remind' them?

[quote Ultimatecougar]@Beendownthisroadmorethantwice I know how Covid works, we have people working indoors all shift without masks and we don't see workplace transmission. Because we keep our distance. You do get some areosol spread even with masks unless they are the face fitted variety as used on NHS Covid wards. The other types of mask just reduce bulk areosol release in the immediate area. Your risk can be reduced as effectively by not being in the immediate area. I assume most shops are keeping the perspex screens around tills for staff.[/quote]
Most staff in a supermarket are not on a till all day behind a screen. They are out on the floor with people coming up to them, stacking shelves etc.

It’s really not that much of a hardship to pop a mask on for the half hour you do a weekly shop, so why wouldn’t you?

@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.

How kind of you to "gently remind" them.

They can make their own rules for their store too, of which I'm sure they will gently remind you.

@Frittataz

If I was selfish then I wouldn’t have stuck to the rules at all from the start would I. I have wore masks, kept my distance, not seen my family for months etc. If I really didn’t give a shit about other people why would have I done that?

It’s pretty clear from your posts on this topic that your ‘selflessness’ was not the deciding factor in wearing a mask and following the rules, the fact that they were legal requirements were. Now that you actually have a choice you are choosing to be selfish, so yes you are being very selfish. By all means don’t wear a mask, but don’t make life more difficult for people just doing their job, if they have a policy that requires masks to be worn then for everyone’s sakes don’t go there.

I am CEV. I work in a shop. I will be wearing my mask and depending on the good will of customers.

I have no choice but to go to work.

Yesterday I popped to town, 3 businesses was closes because of a covid outbreak. Businesses can't afford to keep closing.

They also can't afford to turn people away simply because they're not wearing a mask.

Quit being selfish and think of others, or would you prefer all businesses going bust because they have to keep closing

Businesses aren't going bust because people don't want to wear a mask. They're closing because of track and trace and self isolation rules.

It's been a shit eighteen months for retail and hospitality, of course it has, but that's not because some people don't like wearing masks.

A piece of cloth from eBay that's been shoved in a car door or someone's handbag really doesn't stop a virus spreading.

Two things, OP.

1. Just because you can do something, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

1. Here’s a handy, visual, “gentle reminder” of why you’re being unreasonable.

Well if you look at the legislation it's actually just put all the liability on the businesses. It's like any other situation, business has the right not to serve you or allow you on their premises if you don't follow the rules

@ILoveYouILoveYouIDo

I was just out shopping and a safety Marshall for that store, stopped a girl who wasn't wearing a mask. Explaining to her the dangers etc which I thought was wrong.

This annoys the crap out of me. Unless you've been living under a rock everyone is well aware of the dangers etc. Is there a COVID version of mansplaining? Covidsplaining I suppose.

As either way from today I won’t be wearing masks except for in clinical settings.

You sound very proud of yourself.

Apart from a couple of places, I ditched my mask a good couple of months ago and it's been brilliant. Not restrictive at all as pp have made out, very liberating. Do it!

You're less selfish than people who have broken the rules all along. But more selfish than those of us who still wear them. It's a scale, not a binary state.

@Frittataz

I’m not a knob and I don’t care if strangers think that. I’ve done everything I’ve needed to do from the very start to protect my family and complete strangers so I’d like to have. A it of choice for once.

I’m sure we all understand you’re not a knob, in the same way that we understand there’s not a pandemic.

Yabu

It's redic that masks aren't legally expected for a start. But to put that aside. It's very precious of you to think people or businesses should not even dare to ask you to wear a cover. Just say no if you are that bothered.

I'm going to keep wearing mine until I'm double vaxxed plus 2 weeks, and will then reassess, hoping to ditch without too much social pressure.

Surprised how many people think supermarkets will be enforcing masks. Obviously misread the press releases or only read the headlines.

Cue the one store manager of Tesco Express in Weymouth telling me they are enforcing, but by and large you're in for a rude awakening.

@2389Champ

There was an article in the Telegraph at the weekend by one of the SAGE experts saying, “Cloth face masks are ‘comfort blankets’ that do little to curb Covid spreading’

He made a point that I’ve seriously wondered - although I do comply. Dr Axon said that medics were "unable to comprehend" the miniscule elements at play, adding: "A Covid viral particle is around 100 nanometres, material gaps in blue surgical masks are up to 1,000 times that size, cloth mask gaps can be 500,000 times the size."

If he’s right, it would certainly change everything we’ve been told for the last year on its head.

Viruses don’t float freely in the air - they have no independent life of their own. They transmit in large droplets or tiny aerosols of people's “respiratory fluids”. Aerosols can probably get through fabric masks but larger droplets can’t.