AIBU to be surprised Specsavers insist on wearing masks in store?

[DigestiveBiscuit345]

Went to local Specsavers yesterday and was advised that wearing masks in store is compulsory. AIBU to be surprised at this as no other shops are doing this. Its been a very long time since mask wearing was required when out in public generally.

I don't have to wear a mask at my Specsavers but then I was with a child. Adults without a child with them were wearing masks.

However I had to wear a mask in the hospital opthalmology department and other out patients.

I didn't have to wear them at the dentist.
The dentist still limits the number of people in the building and spreads out appointments.

Didn't have to wear them at the GP.
However both myself and DD have ended up with colds after visiting the GP.

I was in vision express at the weekend and they were wearing masks too, but didnt expect customers to wear them.

Seems sensible to me, in a medical setting.
haven’t stopped wearing ours in shops and seeing more out and about lately.

In addition to the medical thing I am guessing a lot of their clients are elderly who might feel reassured with the mask wearing.

I went yesterday, yes face masks, company policy I guess, their rules, it didn’t seem out of place. Some supermarket workers and customers also wear masks, their choice.

Specsavers are a franchise so different stores have different rules.

Ours still insist on you waiting outside. They don't even let you take your mask off to try on glasses. We get free tests there through work but I went somewhere else and paid because you can't try glasses on properly if you can't see your face. No issues wearing a mask during the actual test though.

I had to wear one at Boots Opticians a few months ago, and our local Specsavers does too when I took DS there for a test recently.

I've stopped using specsavers. They are still locking people in the shop and testing temperatures at my local one.
So I've gone to a different opticians who don't have any of these in place, it's just bonkers. Also the glasses frames have turned rubbish over the years - my sons screws have fallen out 5 times in one year!

Glad to hear that (some branches of) Specsavers are being so sensible.
Covid hasn't gone away, their employees deserve a safe workplace, long Covid is a thing....
I've always found Specsavers very helpful when glasses get broken/ lose screws etc - they tend to adjust them if you ask, and fix them for free.

I've been to Specsavers twice in the last week and didn't have to wear one. The optician did though but I completely understand that. I've also been the dentist, the doctor and physio recently and didn't have to wear one at any appointment.

Only time I knowingly caught a cold was from an optician. It would be sensible if they clients and opticians wore masks as a rule. It’s a long period of time up close.

Not just Specsavers, other opticians too, my friend works at one and was mentioning the other day that she hates wearing one all day but it's just one of those things.

We should start wearing them again in indoor crowded spaces soon on my view. Might help reduce cases of flu as well.

My local SpecSavers ask that customers wear masks. I cancelled my eye test there and went to a different optician, which didn't ask for a mask to be worn.

Good for them.

tbh? i think it's great and should carry on for ever and ever. People go out and about with all kinds of illnesses, and the staff at Specsavers (other opticians are available) come into very close contact.

This is what happened to me when I got my eyes tested in March when it was still mandatory here to wear masks.

Had to take it off a few times as I was steaming up

In ours there was Perspex between the staff and customer so you could try on glasses without a mask on.

Absolutely wouldn't be spending the kind of money glasses cost without being able to try glasses on properly. Don't blame you for going else where

Mine isn't and only a couple of staff members were wearing them...under their noses.

My local branch doesn't request this.

I was asked to wear one yesterday at the vets. They had staff off because of covid and one of the vets I was supposed to see had tested positive Sunday. She said she was feeling ok, so was still working. Was asymptomatic. So covid hasn't gone away OP!!!

I would be a bit surprised too tbh. I know they are close to you but that's always been the case and it's meant to be back to normal.
I know a few people who have had covid recently but fortunately its been very mild, like a bad cold, vaccination definitely helps.
Specsavers is a franchise so it will be down to the Individual store no necessarily a nationwide policy.
I took my mum to hospital for a xray last week and no one was wearing a mask walking round the hospital or in the appointment areas.
No longer need a mask at the Doctors, although GP did wear one.
My dentist no longer asks to you wear a mask whilst waiting. Clearly dentists always wear masks when doing treatments.
Even my previously militant pharmacy let's people in now without a mask- they kept it up for quite a while after change in rules.
I've seen some elderly people wear masks when shopping but I think it's more unusual now. I think masks should be a choice .

I don't blame them. They probably want the opticians up and running. Not virus's making the staff ill and having time off.
I'm one of the weirdos who still wears one as much as I can. I don't have time to be under the weather.

My specsavers has recently changed and doesn’t require masks to be worn.

And the whole bus cheered.

No masks in the opticians I work at. We did have too a few months back. No queueing to get in or door locked either.