I'm really scared. Not allowed to wear a mask at work

[LavenderLilacTree]

It's just to vent really as I know there is no way round it.

I am really scared. I am a TA and when all the pupils are back in school we aren't allowed to wear face masks or any PPE. Social distancing is not going to happen.

The government have said only go back to work if it's safe and you can ensure social distancing, well it's not going to be safe for me. Government say to wear face coverings in enclosed spaces but teachers and TAs are not allowed to.

I am scared. I am in my 40s and have 3 children in Yr 8, Yr 7 and Yr 5 . I know it's a 3% chance of dying but to me that's not an insignificant risk. I would never take part in any activity that had a 3% chance of dying.

I just feel like the government doesn't value my life. This is a deadly virus that KILLS, i want to wear a mask. My life matters to me, my husband and my children.

It's scary at work at the moment but we only have 4- 7 kids in. When we have a full school it's going to be impossible to stay 2 meters apart so therefore you feel I should at least be able to wear a mask.

I love my job and the children at school but I don't want to give my life for it. I just think I should be able to have some form of protection. It's like my life doesn't matter.

Your chance of dying as a healthy 40-somethinh is nothing like 3%. Why on earth invent reasons to terrify yourself?

Wear one if you want, how can you not be allowed? Look at your work dress code, I can’t imagine that it prohibits face coverings. My office dress code bans things like strappy tops and jeans but not face coverings.

@LilacTree1 do you have a source?

OP you need to calm down. Kindly. Please don't panic.

I don’t know where you are getting the je children not being spreaders thing from. Just listening to Angela Merkel saying the opposite - that children are as likely to spread the virus as adults.
I am a teacher - we started back today with classes of 15. We are wearing masks and the parents are very happy that we are doing so. Are you in a private school OP?

You don't have a 3% chance of dying!
You have more chance of dying by tripping over a pupil and banging your head than by catching covid. Please try to keep it in perspective.

I understood that the masks/ face coverings intended for anyone other than hospital staff are protect other people.
Only the proper covid masks protect the wearer.
Unless that has suddenly changed this evening.
I know the "advice" keeps changing, but I don't think covid masks are available to the public.

No they are not. They are for hospital workers.

So there’s appx 66million people in the UK 😱😱😱😱 - overpopulation problem

According to the ONS by 21st April there were

A total of 2,494 deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the working age population (those aged 20 to 64 years) of England and Wales were registered up to and including 20 April 2020.

I cba doing the %.

Who is going to police it?! If it makes you feel better wear one

I think you should be able to wear a mask btw

But I think you need to revisit ever getting in a car again.

You know, lots of people have been working all along, to benefit you.

It's not a 3% chance of dying.

It's not a 3% chance of dying.

It's not a 3% chance of dying.

I'm not convinced about the 'children will be scared' argument against masks I'm a paediatric nurse. We've been wearing them 12 hours a day for weeks. The kids don't seem at all bothered by them. Even the very little ones.

A mask won't do anything whatsoever in a classroom

Good point on the car lilac

Im getting to the point now where I just think they what people want is to shut everything down until there is a vaccine and no other option will be viable or acceptable. I get it we are all scared I know I am but there has to come a point when we move on in as safe a way as possible.

As above - a mask won't stop you catching covid. If you are covid positive, asymptomatic and at work, it might help you stop the spread toward the children and your colleague. Might.

Admittedly, I only saw the very end of the interview. It was a Dr (not sure if medical?) and was saying the study said that actually, a cloth mask does appear to protect the wearer. It wasn't just a case of protecting others. BBC this evening.

OP, I think we have to let the next few days play out. Surely the union's will have a field day with this. That's what we've been paying our subs for.

My youngest is also vulnerable and I'm not sure what they are proposing for those children.. I don't mean the shielding group. The oldest is waiting an Autism assesment and has very loudly announced she is never going back .

I know it’s distressing at the moment but we just need to wait and see how things evolve. The situation is changing day to day. Also from what I am led to believe cloth masks are for the protection of others. So unless all children in the room are also wearing masks it serves very little benefit? I’m happy to be corrected if that’s wrong. We won’t be wearing surgical or FFP3 masks as they are needed by the NHS working with Covid patients.

The department of Education say masks are not recommended, not that they're forbidden.

Stake “ Im getting to the point now where I just think they what people want is to shut everything down until there is a vaccine and no other option will be viable or acceptable. ”

Yes. I don't understand how their brains work.

This article shows what our death rate was in 1996

andrewlilico.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/a-sense-of-proportion/

I cannot understand how we ended up with so many people in a state of hysteria, and, a teacher who believes she has a 3 in a 100 chance of dying of the virus and that a mask would save her!

Please don't tell people they have a 3% chance of dying if they leave the house. That is completely made up and hugely irresponsible.

Why don't you and kids make some masks as a school project?

Hi OP, I share your concerns as a year 1 teacher. I haven’t made my mind up yet about whether to resign but my own kids won’t be going to school in June and if I do end up staying I will be wearing a bloody mask. (To be fair - I’d need a full biohazard suit with my current year 1s!) It’s absolutely unfair of the government to be risking the health of children and school staff in this way and most people understand that. Join a union and do what feels right for you and your family x