If face masks are made mandatory...

[CathyandHeathcliff]

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

@sleepingpup

Yeah, but it's not me that's relishing every death, is it?

sorry who is?

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Some posters on MN as I have already explained.

I believe mask wearing if compulsory would go through the winter or until there is evidence that there is not much risk of spreading the virus for whatever reason. I don’t think this will go on forever. And people are surprisingly adaptable.

I have a condition that could make it difficult to wear a mask but it doesn’t bother me personally.

That’s interesting @TaxTheRatFarms Might wear my mask to go out today then, as I can feel nose and eyes twitching already and I haven’t been outside yet.

@TaxTheRatFarms

Genie, come on. You directed the comment a out her wishing more pensioners were dying at Sleepingpup, now you’re saying it’s people on other threads? Nothing to do with Sleepingpup then.

Yeah, but it's not me that's relishing every death, is it

Nor is Sleepingpup, or anyone on this thread

I'm saying it's posters on MN. I haven't named anyone, nor am I going to.

Some posters on MN as I have already explained.🙄

Off to the shops in my mask. 👋

@sleepingpup

Some posters on MN as I have already explained.🙄

Off to the shops in my mask. 👋

Good for you? Do you want a medal? A round of applause?

*I would presume they had a medical condition that would mean they couldn’t wear one.

But at the moment, with lots of people just choosing not to wear one, I think that most people not wearing one are stupid/selfish because those people who can’t wear one are being given a bad name by those who think it impinges on their “freedoms”*

How will you know which ones have a medical condition and which ones are stupid/selfish?? Why do you feel the need to look at anyone and make a judgement on them anyway?
This has bought out all the judgemental twats who really should keep their noses out of everyone else's business.

stop being so bitter @TrustTheGeneGenie

@sleepingpup

stop being so bitter *@TrustTheGeneGenie*

Bitter? About what exactly?

If you have a condition that makes mask wearing dangerous or impossible for you, you don't wear one. The rest of us just need to get the fuck on with it. Do I like wearing one all day at work? No. Do I do it? Yes, of course, why not? It makes my chin spotty and my ears a bit sore and is annoying. Those are not good reasons to refuse something which it appears offers some level of protection if enough of us are doing it.

@HandsOffMyRights

I had to wear a face mask last week for two hours in the salon. It forced me to remove my varifocal glasses and I cannot see well without them. Had I been walking without glasses this would have been very dangerous. It was a very depressing 2 hours, reminding me that I'm wholly dependent on glasses. I won't be returning and if it's mandatory in shops then I guess I'll be forced to stay home. God knows what I'll do at work.

I don't think people who haven't got poor eyesight for both long and near sighted understand how masks impact glasses.
I'd either have to remove them (and can't see well at all without them) put them on my nose (still steaming and impacting field of vision) and fiddle with mask frequently. Tissues in the mask don't work, nor do the quick fixes like washing glasses in soapy water. None of this prevents hot air steaming glasses.

Why is this not being talked about? Sight loss is a very real and common condition. I'm not just talking about not being able to read a label, I'm talking about manouvering, seeing faces, looking out for obstacles. I am lost without my visual aids. Why are opticians not offering advice other than trying to persuade us to wear contacts as they could make more £$£. I'm not a suitable candidate for contacts as I have extremely dry eyes.

I wear varifocal glasses and don't have this problem at all. I'd be lost without them but it's easy to adjust the mask so you aren't breathing on your lenses.

I’m an HCP.

I wear a mask during 12 hour shifts.

My glasses steam up, my throat gets sore, my bogeys get crusty. I can’t eat and drink when I want to cos it’s too much faff to take it off and put it on again.

When I go home at night, I feel like I’m still wearing it, I can still feel it across the bridge of my nose.

During the peak of the virus in April, when community transmission was high, over 20 colleagues caught COVID, 3 ended up in ITU.
Thankfully no one died.

Masks aren’t perfect but they help.

I feel safe at work at the moment, because I’m just dealing with isolated cases.

I won’t feel safe if we reach April levels again.

Wearing a mask and social distancing will help keep transmission levels low.

Please, just do it.

@Costacoffeeplease

There is no choice here, you are not allowed to enter any shop or enclosed public space without a mask, or the police will be called.

I’d rather have a more normal life wearing a mask than lockdown, which is going to hurt the economy more? Lockdown when at times we weren’t allowed to leave our home town, or being able to go to shops and restaurants wearing a mask?

Then I will have to avoid all shops and enclosed public spaces since I absolutely cannot wear a mask.

My mask protects you; your mask protects me. Hard to understand why Brits are reacting so childishly to this when everyone else in the world seems to be able to get on with it without making a fuss. What a nation of babies!

If everyone else was wearing a mask and I saw one person not doing so I would assume they had a reason for exemption. If everyone isn’t wearing masks all I can assume is that they are very silly and selfish.

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.

Very few people wear them around here (Boris’ is my MP) in my part of Greater London.
I get looks when I wear mine at the supermarket but now as most of the supermarkets near me - Sainsburys, Asda, Aldi and Lidl - are not applying social distancing I’ll keep wearing it.

I do hate it and have to keep telling myself “I’m fine” but because no one seems to care I have to.

To those on this thread who are unable to wear a facemask, do you think you would be able to wear a visor ?

"If masks are made compulsory in England, the government are signing the death warrant for the retail industry."

We've been wearing masks in Germany since mid-April
No big drama about it
If someone has a condition that means they genuinely can't wear a mask, then their doctor fills out an exemption form; again no drama

As soon as lockdown was relaxed in May, people here started going out again shopping
and as cases have continued low, confidence has risen - that is the most important factor in consumers buying again

Those who are still staying home more are the elderly and those with serious health conditions
(which is why the average age of infection has gone way down here)

@frumpety

To those on this thread who are unable to wear a facemask, do you think you would be able to wear a visor ?

Personally - no. I don't like having anything covering my face like that. It sends me into a spiral of panic and I feel like I can't breathe. For me, it's a sensory thing. I can't wear ski goggles for the same reason, and struggled with science goggles at school - possibly because I have to wear them over glasses (can't wear contacts due to the sensory issues involved with touching my eyes).

I also struggle with the feeling of being dirty. So things like sweat, recycled breath on my face just makes me feel sick - I struggle like hell with crowded places as it is, having my face enclosed in some way just makes me feel even worse - like I'm going to faint or be sick. If my hands feel dirty I have to stop what I'm doing and wash them. It drives DH mad! As soon as I get in from work or from a dog walk I have to get the sweat off me and get in the shower. Summer is a nightmare!

I do think they may work for people who have breathing difficulties, though.

@frumpety

To those on this thread who are unable to wear a facemask, do you think you would be able to wear a visor ?

Does anybody know how this would work with glasses? Badly I suspect..

Dom and I have tried with several types of mask. Can I ask what type you wear and how you adjust it to mitigate against steam on glasses? (I've tried tissue inside across the gap, but that hasn't worked either).

I kind of like mine. It's black and makes me feel all sinister.

I have worn both at work with glasses @HandsOffMyRights , the visor didn't cause fogging like the masks do

@vanillandhoney that's fair enough , I wondered if because they don't touch the face apart from a strip on the forehead, whether they would be better for people who cannot wear masks.

I e found the disposable ones with the wire best with glasses & not as hot as the fabric ones. I’d prefer to wear the reusable because of the waste aspect of the disposables. At the moment if I’m not going to be wearing it for long I wear a fabric mask but if it’s a longer outing I use a disposable one.

Well, we went into town today and I managed to keep masks on the DC, so I guess we'll get used to it. I already wear them for work anyway.