Masks in care home

[NoFrills01]

I know it may not go on forever, but I am super nervous about not wearing a mask at work within a care home.

I have autoimmune conditions as well as heart and lung issues. I am happy to do my job, as long as I can wear a mask to keep myself protected a little more, from not just covid. It honestly doesn't bother me at all, but I understand its hard for others especially in summer ect.

I've had covid twice, the first time was horrendous wiped me for months. I am nervous about care homes stopping it, and feeling pressured to remove it as I have before, I was the only one who still wore mine then literally 3 days later we had a huge covid outbreak.

YANBU - just wear the mask, whatever they may say.

No I don’t think you’re at all unreasonable to want to protect yourself.

As an aside, is this new gov guidance?

Just keep wearing yours then. People should understand that it is for your own benefit and I believe it should be a personal choice if people choose to wear one or not. I work in a care home too and wouldn't be bothered in the slightest if anyone felt safer by continuing to wear a mask.

It's disgusting that your being told you can't wear it.

I work in a care home, we've all been told that if we want to continue to wear a mask then they encourage it. Most don't but a few still do. Same with the visitors, some wear masks other don't. No pressure to do one or the other,

I don't think anyone's saying the OP can't wear one but rather without requirement and others choosing not to wear one they feel social pressure to conform to everyone else.

I think if you want to wear one then you should continue to do so regardless of the social pressure to follow everyone else. You're making these decisions for similar reasons others will choose not to wear a mask. It's also beneficial for the residents too so it could be there are more colleagues than expected who would continue mask wearing.

My mums care home has said that carers can only take off masks in general communal areas and not when working up close with residents but they encourage but cannot force staff and visitors to still wear masks all the time.

I know how you feel I'm on immunosuppressants and find some situations still quite stressful.
I wear masks except when just with my mum as she has dementia and struggles to place me when I have my mask on. She sees me very regularly online without it so you can see her hesitation when arrive wearing it. It's a really difficult balancing act.

Mums care home are in wales and are still asking for (& providing if you don't have them) visitor LFTs which helps, they have also only had 1 proper outbreak.

I hadn't seen the news that said that carers no longer need to wear masks within care homes. They are certainly still wearing them at my mum's home and I thought the main point of the masks were to protect the vulnerable residents .

To add - even though visitors to care homes no longer have to legally test before visiting - I think a lot of people still do in order to protect their family members - I certainly do .

A manager a couple of levels above me is still wearing a mask. She's had a transplant so her immune system is non-existent. Nobody has questioned her decision but if they did, I'm sure a swift "i have no immune system " would stop it.

I personally hope that we can stop wearing masks. Obviously if people want to keep wearing one then I cannot see the problem.
I certainly wouldn’t judge anyone for doing what they are comfortable with.

There has to be a balance. I think, if you have a doctor's certificate or whatnot saying that you need to wear a mask while at work, then your employer shouldn't prevent you from doing so. If they do then it would be discrimination, surely? They're not allowed to prevent anyone from wearing glasses or hearing aids if clinically indicated, so masks should be treated in the same way.
If you need one, then you need one.

However, in general I think the wearing of masks in care homes should not be the norm. The wearing of masks by all the staff is detrimental to the mental and emotional wellbeing of the people who live there, in my opinion.

Who is pressuring you?