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Original poster

People not wearing facemasks?

62 replies

Bbq1 · 25/07/2020 23:47

I'm the first to say I hate facemasks. I have an overheating issue and literally pour with sweat and feel ill with the heat when I wear one. I've started to limit my shopping but had to go out today. Tesco, I literally walked in and out in a minute as it's an express and they didn't have what i wanted. Noticed a few people wearing masks. Second shop, I held the mask against my face because I couldn't bear to fully wear it. As I was leaving an old lady came in, no mask. Next shop, while i was in there struggling to shop and hold the mask against my mouth i saw a youngish couple with 2 kids. Neither of the couple had a mask on. As I was waiting to be served a woman came the staff clearly knew her. Again, no mask. Before anyone says anything i am fully aware that many disabilities are hidden as I have invisible health issues myself. However, i don't believe they all had health issues. I think people are just choosing not to wear masks. I am totally against making masks in shops mandatory myself but we have to abide by it. Thing is none of the.people I saw without masks were questioned about it in any way. I think mask wearing will slip as people see people without them and decide they won't wear one themselves. More so if people aren't even asked to wear masks in some shops. Have other people seen quite a few people minus a mask whilst shopping over the weekend?

OP posts:
IHaveBrilloHair · 25/07/2020 23:49

Omg, I am so glad you have posted this, you are the first person who has.

allfalldown47 · 25/07/2020 23:54

I didn't see anyone without a mask in my local shops today.
Unfortunately I think I only saw a handful of people who weren't wearing it like a total muppet!!!! Confused

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 00:17

I’m sorry you had that experience, and it sounds like you’d be within your rights to be exempt from wearing a mask, and I can see that seeing others who apparently have no issues (and yes, some disabilities are hidden) would have grated.

In the thread I started earlier this evening, it seems that, to my surprise, compliance in general has been very, very high. I’d hope that the fewer healthy mask avoiders there are (like you seem to have experienced), and the less this is seen as a “culture war” by some, the more people will accept there are some who legitimately struggle to wear masks.

HeIenaDove · 26/07/2020 00:29

My mum is an old lady ..............84 She cant wear a mask

TingTastic · 26/07/2020 00:45

@Derbygerbil

I’m sorry you had that experience, and it sounds like you’d be within your rights to be exempt from wearing a mask, and I can see that seeing others who apparently have no issues (and yes, some disabilities are hidden) would have grated.

In the thread I started earlier this evening, it seems that, to my surprise, compliance in general has been very, very high. I’d hope that the fewer healthy mask avoiders there are (like you seem to have experienced), and the less this is seen as a “culture war” by some, the more people will accept there are some who legitimately struggle to wear masks.

Of course the OP wouldn’t be within her rights to be exempt!!! The only people who are exempt are those who can’t wear one. Not those that don’t like it

It’s false information like this and false information about how people with certain conditions can’t wear them (eg asthma sufferers) that mean a lot of people aren’t wearing them that should be

TingTastic · 26/07/2020 00:52

Before anyone starts, I know a small minority of asthma suffers genuinely can’t wear masks. However the majority can, maybe with some desensitisation work first

Fatted · 26/07/2020 01:03

A number of large companies have come out and said they will not be enforcing mask wearing in their shops. IE they will still let people on without them.

As with lockdown, the police have come out and said they are only enforcing face masks if there are other reasons to attend eg Barbara is kicking off at the staff in Tescos because they asked her to wear a mask. Or Dave got caught shoplifting and had the ordacity to do it without a face mask!

Fatted · 26/07/2020 01:04

What is in point in making something compulsory when no one is going to adhere to it or enforce it?!

SengaStrawberry · 26/07/2020 01:07

I’m in Scotland where they’ve been compulsory in shops for 2 weeks. I hate them but been wearing them for weeks as I knew they’d be made compulsory. Hardly anyone wore them before 10 July and since then I can honestly say I could count on the fingers of one hand the people I have seen not wearing one. Very high levels of compliance

babba2014 · 26/07/2020 01:12

You're not meant to be touching your mask like that otherwise it doesn't work?
I think we need to stop looking at others and carry on focusing on ourselves.
If you want to wear a mask despite being exempt, then you should try something loose so you don't have to hold it to your face. The one thing I've seen repeated over and over is not to touch it except when putting it on and taking it off. Then immediately washing it or disposing of it.

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 06:57

@Fatted

But 99% of people are adhering to the rules.... almost the complete opposite of “no one”.

Dotinthecity · 26/07/2020 07:31

In my local town, just about everyone seems to be wearing one. I don’t like the feel of it so am limiting my time shopping. I feel that compliance has been pretty good...even among those of us who really don’t want to wear one.

BarbaraofSeville · 26/07/2020 09:11

But 99% of people are adhering to the rules.... almost the complete opposite of “no one

If that's the case, it must mean that at least 30-40% of people in shops are exempt from wearing them, plus at least half of people who are wearing them aren't wearing them properly as their nose is not covered and sometimes their mouth is also exposed, leaving around a third of people actually wearing a mask in an effective manner.

thecatneuterer · 26/07/2020 09:58

But 99% of people are adhering to the rules.... almost the complete opposite of “no one

Not where I am. I posted on another thread yesterday that I was in Iceland yesterday and barely 25 per cent of customers were wearing masks. I find it hard to believe that the other 75 per cent were exempt. I then walked down a street of takeaways, all with lots of customers queuing inside, and I didn't see one mask. I certainly didn't expect compliance to be 100 per cent, but I didn't think it would be so very low. That was in Canning Town, East London.

lilylion · 26/07/2020 10:06

You aren’t wearing a mask properly and you’ve posted moaning about other people not wearing one?

Before anyone says anything i am fully aware that many disabilities are hidden as I have invisible health issues myself. However, i don't believe they all had health issues. I think people are just choosing not to wear masks. I am totally against making masks in shops mandatory myself but we have to abide by it

Are you even reading what you are writing?

FWIW if you can’t wear one, you can’t wear one, stop holding it over your face. And stop judging other people.

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 10:19

@thecatneuterer

Interesting... I started a thread yesterday to ask what compliance rates were in different parts of the country as it was nearly 100% where I am, with a “sample” of five shops (a takeaway, a convenience store and a retail park) and hundreds of shoppers, and they almost all wore their masks correctly.... It seems my experience was very common across England, but there were a few places where things were different, inner London being one of them (though reports were mixed).

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 10:20

@BarbaraofSeville

Where’s this? My 99% come from the thread I started yesterday.

Jeremyironsnothing · 26/07/2020 10:23

This was posted by someone on the other thread.

People not wearing facemasks?
esveee · 26/07/2020 10:25

@babba2014 can't help touching my mask when I'm out I'm afraid. Luckily that doesn't reduce its effectiveness at protecting other people from me, it just means I'm more likely to spread it from my hands to myself. Excellent! Another reason not to shop anymore.

GinWithRosie · 26/07/2020 10:28

@Bbq1 you are holding the mask against your face? 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

I despair!

Alcoholisshit · 26/07/2020 10:32

Come to Wales! Tiny shops, full of English holidaymakers. Not a mask in sight. It's grim! Yes, I know the rules are different. It surely must be a breeding ground.

RufustheRowlingReindeer · 26/07/2020 10:36

We went to Guildford yesterday

First time in a shopping centre...and i think everyone was wearing masks, and they had people on the doors to enforce/encourage mask wearing

We only walked through so not sure what it was like in the shops themselves

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 10:50

...it just means I'm more likely to spread it from my hands to myself

If everyone is in masks there should be much less potential for you to touch any virus with your fingers... and even so, with a mask you wouldn’t actually be touching you mouth when touching your face. The risk is very low anyway in shops, but I would imagine the risk from touching part of your face in a shop full of mask wearers would be very tiny indeed.

Derbygerbil · 26/07/2020 10:59

Of course the OP wouldn’t be within her rights to be exempt!!! The only people who are exempt are those who can’t wear one. Not those that don’t like it

It seemed the OP had genuine difficulties due to her health as opposed to simply being a bit uncomfortable, and in the absence of doctor’s note and medical certificate, it will need to be left to individual judgment.

MereDintofPandiculation · 26/07/2020 11:54

My mum is an old lady ..............84 She cant wear a mask

Does she have other health issues that prevent her wearing a mask? Being 84 isn't enough reason on its own for not wearing a mask.

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