Face coverings mandatory in public

[AnxiousAlpaca]

So it would look likely that the government are about to announce the mandatory wearing of masks in all enclosed public spaces. Apart from schools however, where Covid will know not to infect you

There is no thinking or science here, it’s just like a panic in a crowd. We see someone else shout out and run away, so we do the same.

@AlecTrevelyan006
Is that really what you think is happening?

Is this really all just a case of Nicola Sturgeon playing a crafty political trick?

Everyone carries them around, puts them on and off to go into shops, transport etc.

So serious question what is the point? If you are putting a mask on and off how is that keeping it free from anything you may have picked up on your hands? As most people would probably do this - put it in their pocket/bag and pull it out when they go somewhere it's mandatory to put one on.

Now with masks it’s the same thing. People have seen Americans and Asians wearing them on the telly. Then they found out that lots of people were wearing them in France and Italy. ‘Look’ they shouted ‘those people are wearing masks and when I went to Tesco this morning I was the only one doing it’.

Where are all these people "shouting"?
All I pretty much see is Americans not wanting to wear them. ( see how that's going...)

Course we hadn't heard of masks before we saw them on the telly. 🙄

This is crap tbh.

@mathanxiety the media would have you believe that. The press hate the UK and the US and absolutely any excuse to rubbish the two is given at any time.

@onedayinthefuture
What the actual fuck?

Do you honestly think this is all some big story made up by the big bad media to scare you? So that governments left, right and centre can pursue some mysterious agenda?

"why can’t you wear a mask if you have autism? Genuine question."

Severe Sensory difficulties. My son would become extremely distressed and attack anyone who tried to force one on him.

OneDay that is some crazy thinking.

@mathanxiety

There is no thinking or science here, it’s just like a panic in a crowd. We see someone else shout out and run away, so we do the same.

@AlecTrevelyan006
Is that really what you think is happening?

Is this really all just a case of Nicola Sturgeon playing a crafty political trick?

Yes - Sturgeon is just obsessed with doing just ever so slightly differently to Johnson

The problem that broadly there are two groups, the “get on with it” and the “cautious” (and yes, I appreciate it’s a spectrum). Current policy (or lack of) on mask wearing in England gives us the worst of all worlds with both groups.

a) the “get on with it” group are taking advantage of freedoms, but with no culture of mask wearing, many are acting as though Covid is history and behaving in ways that will only lead to a resurgence (ie thread about some hairdressers already not bothering only a week or so in,despite prolonged close contact). That risks repeating what’s happening in Texas and Florida.... which would be bad for business and bad for health. Mandatory mask wearing would reduce more risky behaviours brought about by those who think “it’s all over” (though wouldn’t eliminate - there will always be some who will disregard it) the potential for this the double whammy hit to business and health that’s occurring in the USA at the moment.

b) the “cautious” group (which I think is actually the silent majority based on polls on mask wearing) who are minimising going out, often because they don’t want to encounter the “get on with it” group who aren’t taking any precautions whatsoever barging in/standing close etc. That’s very bad for business. If masks were mandatory, that fear would be alleviated... not in all, but in many, and footfall would increase.

So, all in all, irrespective of whether the risk in a shop is particularly significant risk, mask wearing would help significantly i think.

Of course there are those who say in a strop “that’s it, I won’t go shopping any more then!”.... but give them a fortnight and they will like everyone else.

Brits not as resistant to masks as the French.

Well you’re only one person with autism @flowerpotsandrain just because you can cope with a mask doesn’t mean everyone with autism can.

Masks and face-coverings aren’t the same (or to be precise, masks are a subset of face-coverings)

Masks can be tight fitting and uncomfortable, and I can see how some people would struggle

The typical face coverings worn are pretty unobtrusive in comparison...

@Sarahlou63 funnily enough it was a photo from a supermarket in Portugal that I saw on Twitter a couple of months ago that gave me the nudge to start wearing a mask when I went into shops.

It was of a perfectly ordinary supermarket queue, everyone socially distanced, everyone wearing a mask and in the middle was your prime minister (with mask) in shorts with a basket of stuff.

It looked so normal and well, boring, like a queue in a supermarket should look like. I stopped overthinking it then and worrying if I looked daft. I wear a surgical mask all day at work and now have a selection of cloth ones in my car for when I go shopping.

It’s interesting how people who favoured lockdown now favour compulsory mask wearing.

The two are not automatically correlated and the calls for masks are quite recent. They only really appeared after it became clear that relaxing lockdown was not going to cause a massive second wave.

I think it shows a lack of critical thinking and a dependent mindset. People who think the world revolves around them and that others need to be made to do things to protect them.

I don’t think the support for masks is anywhere near as strong as the support for early lockdown. If these people really believed in them, then they would be wearing them already and, if anything, it seems to be reducing where I live.

@woodhill

Hard to buy elastic In The shops

There are currently over 60,000 listings for elastic on amazon, many with free next day delivery.

I think it shows a lack of critical thinking and a dependent mindset. People who think the world revolves around them and that others need to be made to do things to protect them.

here we go. the "lack off critical thinking" brigade.

It's not about protecting yourself it's about protecting others.

I think your posts have shown a massive lack of this "critical thinking".

What with all these people shouting after seeing masks on the telly and "wanting" lockdown.

And it being "clear " that there is no second wave.

And of course all those who "wanted" lockdown "want compulsory masks".

And are "dependent ".

Critical my arse.

How on earth are masks going to work in restaurants and pubs!? Surely she whole point of going there is to use your mouth to eat and drink?

They reduce transmission. In public spaces I would think people should be required to wear them.
Public transport, cinema, theatre, public lavatories, shops, in urban areas outside, in parks, secondary schools and colleges, tourist attractions.

They not only reduce transmission but send off a signal that all is not as normal and we need to be mindful that the virus remains amongst us. It is still killing people in considerable numbers. Our borders are open again and travel is happening.
There is a risk and a way to partially mitigate that risk. Why would we not accept the mitigation, which is a minimal hardship?
There are very few who cannot wear a mask although plenty who choose not to. They can choose not to go to places wear a mask is required.

I don't know why myself and my colleagues should be in contact with 300 kids a week without any PPE at all, but I went to Next last week and they had perspex screens, visors, masks and hand sanitizer. It apparently doesnt matter if I get coronavirus in work as long as my 15 year old students saw my lips move

Absolutely agree.

Masks and face coverings reduce transmission by not just protecting others, there is some protection to yourself too. We all protect each other when we wear masks and it will help to avoid a second lockdown. Probably even avoid a second wave totally.
It makes sense to make them mandatory in indoor places, especially where air conditioning circulates the air.

I posted this on another thread, but I do think it is relevant here, too. Sorry for the repeat.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington has Covid projections here:
covid19.healthdata.org/united-kingdom

The difference in result when mask wearing is mandatory is clear.

Obviously, there are other groups also making projections but I found this one interesting. For those of us who are able to wear them, why wouldn't we try?

In fairness to the lip moving comments, plenty of staff and students do rely on lip reading.

Missing out on education will probably have a far worse long term economic effect than people seem to think.

[quote Sarahlou63]@EveryPlanetHasAYorkshire - why can’t you wear a mask if you have autism? Genuine question.[/quote]
Sensory issues .

I’m a teacher and I have been back full time with groups of yr 12 students for a month now. One girl in one of the groups is more “at risk” (though her GP said she was OK to come back to college - we’re a specialist setting so there are only a few students) so we’ve been wearing masks when she’s in. My observations are:

1. It’s fine. No one had a problem with it.
2. Certain activities are trickier - charades, for example.

After a month of mask wearing, she’s now decided she’s happy to be at college without one, which is lovely as it means she feels confident, but honestly, it was no bother and no one missed out on anything because of it.

@Hercwasonaroll but me dying and God knows what happening to my unborn baby is perfectly fine? Ok. Good to know.

The chances of you dying of corona are less than the chance of you dying in a car accident.

The government have done a number on scaring the public.