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.

take your business elsewhere, they’re idiots.

Go to Vision express

I was in Specsavers last week for a test and I wasn't asked to put a mask on. Most people in store weren't wearing them either.

Yup, it’s bonkers and I’m putting off going for an eye test until they drop this nonsense and join the rest of the world.

Genuinely interested, not having a go, but why wouldn't you, if asked, wear a mask for 10 mins while speaking to someone, a person who has to come very close to you and is no doubt in contact with numerous vulnerable people on a daily basis?

It's a bit of a bugger when you're there for a hearing test.

I get their point, they're right up near your face, but when you're there because you can't hear people properly, it is rather inconvenient that you can't lipread.

Genuinely interested, not having a go, but why wouldn't you, if asked, wear a mask for 10 mins while speaking to someone, a person who has to come very close to you and is no doubt in contact with numerous vulnerable people on a daily basis?

I guess I expect people to know by now that those surgical masks do nothing and it’s not realistic to require ppl to wear slightly more effective N95s (which aren’t even worn correctly by most people anyway).

So I feel it’s kinda of like asking me to wear a purple hat or hold a special stone. It does nothing to help and just prolongs a useless habit, and I will go all Larry David on them.

mask wearing is old hat

I can understand them requesting one is worn for the eye test itself as they are in very close proximity to people. If they insisted one was worn whilst in the general store and looking at frames, I would take my business elsewhere as I don't want to select glasses with a mask on

Is this a recent thing, OP?

I had an eye test back in the summer and there was no such rule in my branch (main city in the centre!)

Seems sensible to me.

I’m currently abroad and everyone wears masks on public transport with no fuss at all. I don’t understand the resistance in the UK to what is a sensible, easy minor mitigation. I continue to wear a mask myself on public transport and in other crowded spaces when at home.

Healthcare settings are still requesting masks in my experience.

Seems fair enough to me - they are working in small rooms in close proximity to a lot of people, so covid or not they are both at risk of catching illnesses and passing it on.

"I guess I expect people to know by now that those surgical masks do nothing"

Are people still repeating this utter shite?

I wouldn’t mind, but I would like them to supply a proper secure mask ( sorry can’t remember the terminology) rather than seem to believe that some random piece of j cloth or cotton will do the trick.

My local optician is part of the 'Urgent Eyecare Service', so I can go there instead of the eye hospital if I think my iritis is back. They have a policy of compulsory masks linked to offering those services so it could be your local Specsavers could be the same.

YANBU, we don't have to wear them as a patient at the hospital, pharmacist or dentists now.

My husband is currently on the respiratory ward in our local hospital because he has a blood clot in his lungs. Because of the pain he cannot breathe deeply enough so is receiving oxygen and he's being made to wear a mask!!!! I feel this is ridiculous and counterintuitive.

You are actually harming people by suggesting surgical masks work, when there is absolutely no evidence for it. Possibly a fit tested N95 could protect you for a short duration. But definitely not surgical masks.

Our local branch isn't asking people to wear masks.

Masks in medical settings seem very sensible to me. I hope doctors surgeries and hospitals keep them permanently.

To say there is no evidence to suggest that surgical masks reduce the transmission of infectious aerosols, particularly when compared to not wearing a mask at all is just complete nonsense.

There is dispute about how effective they may be, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that masks reduce transmission.

Clinical setting where they work very close to the face. Even without Covid, masks just make sense.

There is dispute about how effective they may be, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that masks reduce transmission

There is no evidence that suggests they work. They have come up short in RCT studies.

Mine don't make people wear masks. I was in there today, last week and week before that (I'm on a contact lense trial)

Yes, it happened 2 days ago. They asked me to wear a mask. I said I would rather not. They said it was company policy and compulsory. I would have taken my business elsewhere but just wanted to get new glasses ASAP, so decided to go a long with it.