Why are people not wearing masks?

[FergusComeLately]

I’m queuing inside my local supermarket, I’ve see one other person wearing a mask.

Does it not make sense to just TRY to protect other people and try and keep infection rates down. Even a scarf wound round your face?!

I think they should be compulsory when you are inside. Is it the PPE shortage which is preventing Boris from making it so?

Talk to me about masks!

[peridito]

@Dinosauratemydaffodils hi ,what did you think of the Playmobil mask ?

I've not made up my mind ,though I do think I'm going to look very conspicuous . I've ordered some of this to use as a filter .

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0868VDM26/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?psc=1&ie=UTF8&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

I think a face shield might be a better option for you

[Xenia]

Yes, the French are not like us. We tend not to ban things in the UK. I think we can leave masks or no masks down to individuals to decide in the UK in keeping with our general views on personal liberty.

I am against mask wearing although d spite that my son just came in having had an email from a comp[any that at last has some available of the kind he is after with replaceable filters so I just agreed to spend £65 on three of them and replacement filters - goodness knows if they will come. The irony is that when shopping I take one of the original lighter masks he bought and sometimes put it on even though I am against them and he is in favour of mask wearing being compulsory but does not wear one when shopping.

[canigooutyet]

They haven’t put a stop the the ban though.
When they told the country to wear the face covering, they could have lifted it then.

Instead, it’s still a criminal offence to wear the wrong face covering.

Where is the equality in that?
It’s blatant in your face discrimination.

And honestly the banned covering offers more coverage and protection doesn’t it? Nose and mouth covered. Prevents all this random face touching. No having to make adjustments. Breathable material. Been around a long time.

Oooh I’m going to see if there is any science for if coverings become mandatory. Not to stick to the man, make a statement, just seem like the workable solution for me. I’ve previously worn one and could breathe, it could be a solution for others as well.

Oh and don’t have to worry about the disaster of the home hair cut 🤣

Be a bit of a pain though. Having to carry spares. But they’re not heavy. But it was a long time a go.

[peoplepleaser1]

It's hardly fair to criticise the French for changing their stance on face coverings given the totally unexpected global pandemic! It would be ridiculous for them to have stuck to their original stance if they believe masks can help save lives.

Lots of values have sadly had to be put to one side: education, death with a loved one by your side, freedom of movement, ability to work, care for frail relatives etc etc.

[MarginalGain]

It is amusing that the French are forcing the whole country to wear masks, after they specifically introduced laws not long ago to ban face coverings in public because they conflicted with the French way of life.

Personally I think they interfere with most anyone's way of life, hardly peculiar to the French, but I disagreed mightily with their ban of the burqua as a liberal (small l). It does seem that this will come back to haunt them, I've thought of it often in the past week.

[canigooutyet]

It really is amusing. The blatant double standards.

Oh wear a face covering, as long as it meets our own ideals, tradition, culture, whatever.

And of course, I'm going to mention the miniskirt analogy. 😂 That was priceless. Never got an actual yes or no answer.

Read about the damascene conversion not long ago. This thread is an excellent example of what it means 😂

I shouldn't laugh though, because that damascene conversion seems to be spreading quicker than the virus.

[TheHumansAreDefinitelyDead]

Amusing in which way?

[Papatron]

It is amusing that the French are forcing the whole country to wear masks, after they specifically introduced laws not long ago to ban face coverings in public because they conflicted with the French way of life.

[canigooutyet]

The classroom images are horrific.

And how is the mask thing working out for some of the French schools at the moment? A third of schools open just over a week. The few that can go because of the distancing, sitting there with the masks on properly. But several have already had to close.

How can that be? They are wearing masks. And not some random thing knocked up from sanitary towels. Proper masks correctly put on, some even had the visors on.

And to accuse someone of cultural prejudice says far more about that person than it does anyone who isn't comfortable with what is happening. You assume that the board isn't culturally diverse.

However, if you want to have a discussion about this, especially in relation to France. Let's talk about a country that banned face coverings, and now find them acceptable as long as it's a mask.

Wear the wrong face covering and remind me of the fine again? Didn't some people in the UK also want this to happen here as well? Where was all the outrage then, instead nope how dare someone force to wear blah blah blah.

So anyway, is France going to now lift that ridiculous ban and acknowledge people can choose things for themselves or not? Cannot ban face coverings, but fine/imprison you for wearing a face covering.

[NoHardSell]

Maybe there's a cut off ... like if it kills over 0.5% of people, I'll wear a mask, but under that I can't be arsed. Not quite as caring if you put it that way. I mean ... every life matters, right? I'm surprised people can drive cars, what with all the people they are killing with their fumes (1700 deaths avoided in the UK by end April). Keep up the good work guys

[Xenia]

My reason for not likje the French pictures is that it shows so much harm being done by the state to children to make their daily life hellish to protect them from something which is no risk to them, in a sense to imprison them and ruin their life.

[MarginalGain]

“There will always be infectious diseases” - yeah, but not one that’s impacted the whole of society and the economy in this way.

Well this much we can agree upon. But the point is reducing the spread of infectious disease, right? So why would there be an end?

[NoHardSell]

Well yes, whether lockdown was needed at all, or whether Spain needed to lock people up in their flats for so long are other questions that people will fight over in years to come

[MarginalGain]

A non-trivial component of human expression is.... expression. That's how we communicate. It's universal.

[rhubarbfizzy]

“There will always be infectious diseases” - yeah, but not one that’s impacted the whole of society and the economy in this way.

[Kokeshi123]

Children over 4-5 are generally wearing masks when out, here in Japan. I don't find it disturbing. I am far more disturbed by the idea of children having zero contact with peers for months on end---or, in the case of Spain, being locked up in small flats for weeks with hardly any daylight and no proper exercise. None of which we have needed to do here.

[rhubarbfizzy]

“It’s pretty normal” - yes, you are right, a cultural norm but not universal

[MarginalGain]

if you find the French school picture offensive, then I'd suggest that is a cultural prejudice rather than on any scientific basis.

It's pretty normal to find face coverings weird and unsettling, even instinctive I would think.

I don't want to wear a mask, but if it has even a minute chance of helping reduce risk to others and to myself than I'll wear one, because I realise this is not about what I want.

There will always be infectious disease and there will always be vulnerable people so you'll need to wear one forever to satisfy your objective.

[peoplepleaser1]

How can an image of a class of children is protective PPE be more 'offensive' than one of a room of helpless dying people lying on their front alone in hospital?

That just sounds hysterical.

I don't want to wear a mask, but if it has even a minute chance of helping reduce risk to others and to myself than I'll wear one, because I realise this is not about what I want.

I'm accustomed to not simply doing what I want because I know the world doesn't revolve around me.

I hope there are enough people who act in the interests of others. That way we have a chance of keeping R low.

[Kokeshi123]

They are only effective for short periods, between 15 minutes and an hour , if they start getting damp they've stoped working and need to be removed carefully and double bagged until they are washed.

Err, can we have some links for these bizarre statements about civilian masks?

We are not talking about people handling Marburg virus in a Level 4 lab for goodness' sake.

[sofato5miles]

@canigooutyet no, not the UK

[rhubarbfizzy]

The irony is that we are not buying FFP3 masks to save the NHS so they have them, but by doing so we have and are continuing to give them masses of ill patients.

Come on - look at Hong Kong 4 deaths and Taiwan 7 deaths.

Countries that had SARs learned from it and, sorry, but it involves masks.

[rhubarbfizzy]

@xen if you find the French school picture offensive, then I'd suggest that is a cultural prejudice rather than on any scientific basis. Everyone knows you have to understand and weigh up all the risks, then choose the best option. In France, schools are open, offices are open, cafés are open and this has been possible because leaders are showing the way and themselves wearing masks. In France, they did not previously manufacture masks and alcohol gel, yet they were flexible and invested so that they are mass producing both now. If England was doing ok, I would understand this resistance based on cultural prejudices not science, but it is failing desperately and is the sick man of Europe and indeed of the world right now.

[Xenia]

goose, yes and they can get damp and hold terms and make people ill. The picture of French children in class all with them one and a face visor is one of the worst images I have seen in this crisis - in my view even worse than those early images of obese Italians lying on their faces dying of CV19 in hospital.