Mask anxiety - are most places quite tolerant if you’re exempt?

[maskanxiety]

My mum can’t/won’t wear masks . Not sure exactly why but something to do with a rape she experienced back in the 70s . She is absolutely terrified of wearing them and of others wearing them - ie needed a nurse appointment last week and actually ran when nurse came through with mask on .

Her MH team are very aware and working with her but said for her sake she should be exempt just now, and they’ve provided her with an exemption card . We are trying in the house with a variety of scarves and coverings .

Are most shops and that quite tolerant? She’s a non driver so needs to use buses etc . Presently we she just isn’t going out much but tomorrow we are going to Aldi and she will need a mask then . Worried she’s going to find she’s refused entry to shops etc or be on the receiving end of abuse for not wearing one . What should we do, especially if this becomes a permanent change?

Can she wear her exemption card on a land yard so it’s easily visible?

Where are you (roughly) in the country? Most people aren’t wearing masks here unless they’re on public transport.

Yeah that’s what she’s got, it’s a sunflower lanyard too . We don’t live in an area with a very high community spread at all, so I think she’ll be quite safe, but she’s so distressed about it all .

purple north of Scotland . I’m wondering the same here if most people aren’t wearing them, but NS saying she’s made it mandatory .

Where I live people wearing masks are very much in the minority. You'd look more out of place wearing one than not so certainly wouldn't get any abuse. Only place I can think of that insists on one is the gp surgery.

Ah, yes that’s right for Scotland.

I’d shop for her for now and let her get used up the masks in small doses in less high pressure situations than in Aldi.

They're mandatory on public transport but you can get an exemption for stagecoach buses by going into the website & filling in the form - not sure about other operators.

They're mandatory in shops up here from Friday so you'll be okay not wearing one tomorrow.

I wouldn't be going to Aldi in Scotland with a mask refuser tomorrow, if I'm honest.

Why set up that potential confrontation?

She wants to go (and her mother - my grandmother - says best thing for it is exposure, which seems doubtful) - I am less than sure to be honest . Multiple issues that could make it very difficult . It’s a very small aldi but yes, not at all sure it’s a good idea ! Difficult as she’s saying she’s desperate to go to shops, do ‘normal’ stuff but how ... I don’t drive either otherwise I’d be driving us to parks etc . She’s Been stuck in the same tiny village since the beginning of March .

I got on the tube at the weekend and at least a quarter of people weren’t wearing masks even though they are supposedly mandatory.

I think if she's stunning rmdrim a nurse she's not ready to go to the shops. What will you do if you've got half a shop in and she legs it? Too much pressure.

**running from a nurse

There are two problems here - being unable to wear a mask herself and being terrified of those that do. The first one is ok I think, people recognise that not everyone can wear a mask. The lanyard is a good idea. The second one is problematic as she will run into people wearing masks at some stage. How will she cope with that?

@TheFlis12345

I got on the tube at the weekend and at least a quarter of people weren’t wearing masks even though they are supposedly mandatory.

In Scotland they become mandatory tomorrow. OP she's gone this long being in lockdown. If she ran from one nurse wearing one imagine what might happen if she's faced with dozens of folk in masks in Aldi.

OP I'm not sure this is a good plan.
I live somewhere with compulsory masks and there was a fair bit of looking and tutting at the odd person not wearing masks at the start ( now everybody wears one shopping)

I would plan that your dm does things she can that don't need a mask and works on another solution for her shopping.

Practice at home in short bursts. Wear when watching TV or ironing or whatever else is distracting. You wear one in her presence.

I'm not sure what the rules in Scotland are so this may not be helpful but are visors allowed, could she wear one of those?
For her fear of other people wearing masks - could you spend time with her while you wear a mask? At home where she feels safe and she knows you can take it off whenever she asks?

Could she cope with a clear visor as a start?

@maskanxiety this is part of the reason why I am so anti-mask. Apart from the fact that in the community the spread is so low.

Why should your mum feel she has to explain herself to anyone? None of their business. Although shops might be fine with it, you're still going to get the people tutting and staring at her. It's not OK and it's awful that she's going to feel she has to stay at home. Lots of people have no clue what a sunflower lanyard is.

Visors - as long as they cover the mouth and nose - are also an option. I flat refuse to wear a mask as they are just so uncomfortable but have ordered a pack of visors for supermarket shopping. Not expensive, think a pack of 5 was about a fiver on amazon. Much less claustrophobic than cloth masks.

Whether she can wear a mask seems much less of a problem than going somewhere where other people certainly will be wearing them.

Your poor mum. I really feel for her. I am in Scotland too and am worried about the mandatory mask wearing in shops from tomorrow. Wearing a mask makes me breathless and panicky due to my asthma. I do all our shopping so will have to wear one. I had been so looking forward to our high street shops opening again but probably won't go now. I had been venturing out and going to other shops but I will probably go right back to my early lockdown shopping and go as little as possible. It's a shame as I really want to help out local economy. I understand why masks are mandatory but I think it will put off a lot of people venturing back out.

It’s not mandatory if you have a medical reason but as others have said the issue may be more other people wearing them.

Your poor mum. Hopefully this tokenism and virtue signalling won’t go on too long.

"tokenism and virtue signalling won’t go on too long."

The USA is currently finding that calling mask-wearers names didn't discourage the virus too

Recommendations to wear masks are from epidemiologists, governments - including the UK - and now mandatory in many countries around the world

Fine, some people need exceptions, as with many things in life
Doesn't mean the rest of the population shouldn't wear masks

Buy a face shield instead.

@Apolloanddaphne I'm the same. I had been really looking forward to going out shopping again but won't now. I'll do click and collect for groceries and wear a scarf for any extra provisions, though I'll try to avoid that.

@maskanxiety I feel for your mum. It all totally creeps me too. Maybe go for a drive round with her to see people with marks wandering about from the car first? Or do a recce yourself to see if everyone is really wearing them?