If face masks are made mandatory...

[CathyandHeathcliff]

How long do people suspect they will be needed / kept mandatory?

Not too long I hope. I'm sure some people want them to become normal like in China so we all have to wear them any time we go outside the front door.

I think through the winter where I am (Scotland).

For the foreseeable future, until a vaccine. So at least Autumn 2021 is my guess. Possibly longer through that winter as well.

Boris said trey won't be

@DebLou47

Boris said trey won't be

They are now considering it. As Scotland have made them mandatory in shops England won't be far behind.

Don't know. I'm in Scotland and terrified they'll be around for a long time. I can't go shopping whilst they are a thing and I'm really worried dh will have to go back to work before they get rid of them.

@Carlislemumof4 god no! I hope not

Until they realise it’s making no difference to transmission rates but shops are complaining about the drop in trade because of them.

I just won’t go shopping. I think it might make the situation of people staying away worse not better.

Until they realise it’s making no difference to transmission rates but shops are complaining about the drop in trade because of them.

Yes, I agree with this.

Another scot here who really struggles with masks. I was panicking at having to wear one from today........so I've compromised and I'm wrapping a scarf across my face instead. I have panic attacks when a mask is over my nose and mouth (struggling with severe anxiety at the moment) but the lighter fabric of a soft scarf is tolerable. I managed out to some shops today wearing it......I'm ripping it off the minute I'm outside due to milder panic and the sheer heat from wearing a scarf in summer but its covering my face......

I hope they don’t last long!

I find it really difficult to see with one on. Didn’t think it’d make much of a difference, but it does. Maybe it’s because I wear glasses.

Final straw for me. I'm not shopping except online until normality returns....apart from the supermarket once a week. I can't fucking take anymore

I’ve been wearing them a few weeks as knew they’d be made mandatory, don’t love them but getting more used to them. I breathe more heavily through my mouth with them on so suspect more droplets are still getting out than if I just breathed through my nose and had my mouth closed as normal. Hence I’m not convinced they’re doing any good.

I feel like this is all being driven by what is needed in London or Edinburgh. My family live on an island in Scotland where there have been no cases for weeks, and yet everyone has to wear masks when they go to the shops. Pointless.

Measles is much more infectious (and is an airborne virus spread by coughs and sneezes) than Covid-19 and yet no-one wore masks before the vaccine was introduced (in 1968). It use to kill ~2.6M people (mainly children) every year across the world as an endemic disease that the majority of the population were immune to.

I was in a shop today and heard a woman (a few places behind me in the queue) telling someone else that she didn't need to socially distance as she was wearing a mask. I'd heard that people thought this on social media, but first time I'd actually encountered it! So this myth has to be quashed if they are going to be mandatory.

I have panic attacks when a mask is over my nose and mouth (struggling with severe anxiety at the moment) but the lighter fabric of a soft scarf is tolerable.

You would fit into the exemption category.

I've also noticed masks are giving wearers a false sense of security e.g. people are getting much closer to each other in shops.

Masks are mandatory for shops, hairdressers etc in Germany, where I live
We're used to them and there is high compliance

Mandatory in school corridors too, for kids and presumably will be after the vacation too, when they all return ft.

We expect masks / face coverings to remain at least until Spring.

Masks here are for sitiations where social distancing isn't always feasible
which includes shops & public transport

Until next spring I expect.

I've worn them in shops (I go once a week) and keep away from people. I don't want to risk passing anything on.

If they do become mandatory then I might actually dare go shopping.

If they do become mandatory I definitely won't go shopping. Awful control, how dare they.

If they become mandatory I will do the weekly shop and that will be it - no none essentials shopping. I don’t think I’ll be in the minority either.

If they become mandatory I won’t be going out.