Mask exemption

[MissMaple82]

Anybody else with a reason not to wear a mask, and not wanting to wear a mask, in fear of going out without their mask due to possibility of harassment or abuse? I've not been out shopping yet but will need to go soon. How have other people experiences been? Its giving me great anxiety!

My mum has a sunflower lanyard - she has PTSD and wearing the mask causes her to extremely anxious/pass out . Safer all round with the lanyard !

So far no nasty comments or questions - we’ve used buses, taxi, been to New Look, Iceland, Superdrug and Boots and had no problem at all .

She will be continuing to avoid longer contact though so pub, cafes, restaurants, swimming pool, hotels, theatres, museums, cinema, all out of the question I think . And probably long distance travel too ...

Very, very difficult but certainly no ones been rude to us, no abuse thankfully, most people have been very kind or just haven’t even noticed . She does wear the lanyard constantly and it does have a badge on it saying, I’m disabled and can’t wear a mask... not hugely discreet but neither were the results of her trying to wear a mask instead !!

Thanks. How did you make the badge and attach to a lanyard. I applied for a specific one but got an email on Friday they had all ran out. I'm dont want to have to wear a badge as I dont feel its anybody elses business, however I think it's going to be needed.

If you go on gov uk they have exemption cards you can download on to your phone Any good?

Hmmm no I dont fancy that, I feel like I need a badge so people dont actually confront me! Maybe I'm overthinking that I will get grief off of people

If you have a genuine reason download the card but speak to your gp/specialist because very few people cannot wear a proper mask - don't just assume

I have ordered a badge from eBay saying mask exemption for my Father who has COPD just in case as he can’t hear very well and has an accent so if confronted would not do well.

Me. I'm not going anywhere they are mandatory. Haven't been in a shop since mid March, dh is saving us a fortune by doing it...apparently he can only buy what's on the list. Don't need public transport. Physically exceedingly healthy so can live without medical care and dh will take the kids if they need.

No, I cant wear a mask and I'm not wearing a mask.

I'll have a look on ebay

I have downloaded it but not sure how I'm meant to wear it

TBH, I work in frontline healthcare, for over 20yrs, and unless I'd read it on mumsnet, I'd have no idea what a sunflower laynard meant!

There are more obvious badges, like the ones you get on the tube: I cannot wear a mask due to PTSD, I'm exempt from wearing a mask due to a medical reason for example. I'd think that if you pointed to the badge, people might have a little more understanding. Hopefully!

Thanks to poster who suggested ebay. I've just bought a badge, hopefully I can shop in peace and without judgement 🙂

I might have to look into these lanyards for my elderly parents if they decide that they ever do want to go to the shops again.

My Dad has seriously COPD and a heart condition. He gets extremely breathless just shuffling a few steps around his house and has to use an inhaler to cope with it. No way could he wear a mask as the obstruction to his already impaired breathing would be too much.

With my mother it would be a similar story as she is just out of hospital after a serious bout of pneumonia and we feared we might lose her.

There have been a few reports of people confronting people not wearing a mask.i don't know why people do this, it's awful

It certainly shows how sad and pathetic some people’s lives are to confront people who cannot wear masks.
These are the people who complained about how many times someone left the house at the start of the restrictions. Who would confront people on social media about essential journeys and if the Easter egg in their shopping trolley was an essential item.

They are really showing themselves for the nasty people they are.

I am too afraid now to take my disabled dd out to a shop as she is unable to wear a mask due to these vile people.

Couldn't agree more!

@covidtired we have sunflower lanyards. My husband can't wear a mask and he wore yesterday to B&Q with no problem at all apart from some 'mature people' giving him a look. I have one too as I have some hearing loss and struggle with hearing people with a mask on.

[quote lorn195]@covidtired we have sunflower lanyards. My husband can't wear a mask and he wore yesterday to B&Q with no problem at all apart from some 'mature people' giving him a look. I have one too as I have some hearing loss and struggle with hearing people with a mask on. [/quote]
🤔

I went out today - absolutely essential to go (GP wouldn't see DD2... told us to go see the pharmacist... pharmacist told us to go to the GP and round and round we go - so we had to go to the pharmacy anyway). I was fucking terrified to the point of having a really bad panic attack and beginning to stammer (I do this when I'm bad) in the pharmacy and they could not have been nicer - I had a sunflower lanyard on which I really don't want to have to wear but things are so toxic at the moment that I felt pressed into the corner.

Then went into the supermarket briefly - had one concerned look from a staff member on customer service who then spotted the lanyard and just visibly backed off, and the staff member at the entrance knows me and knew I have panic attacks and was fretting about the mask introduction anyway - and she just smiled and checked I was OK.

Couple of arse faces from random shoppers - but since they were wearing a mask I could only see half the arse face at least. Not sure I'll be out anything more than the absolute bare minimum though.

Not prepared to go into the ins and outs of various reasons behind why I can't wear one at the moment - but the whole toxic fucking environment around it has been setting me off with panic attacks when I leave the house for weeks.

I have the sunflower exception card for my little boy, he is autistic and has other needs including anxiety. He is 5 and in a special chair so I push him around. I communicate with him using makaton and signing so I need to have my face visible. I have been in shops today where no staff asked us about masks and chatted to us like they normally do. The only people that were rude were some of the other customers, I don't understand why strangers think they can comment to be honest and I just ignored them.

In Lidl last night was a young couple without face covers. I would feel like an odd-ball in a supermarket without one, now. They seemed like quite rough ppl, which will probably encourage someone to challenge them. If only they were gentile sorts they'd probably get less grief.

@PeanutButterKid

In Lidl last night was a young couple without face covers. I would feel like an odd-ball in a supermarket without one, now. They seemed like quite rough ppl, which will probably encourage someone to challenge them. If only they were gentile sorts they'd probably get less grief.

You think

'Rough sorts' as you so nicely put it are less likely to be challenged because most challengers are nosy, interfering cowards who wouldn't dream of confronting someone who is likely to retaliate.

Far easier to pick on someone vulnerable, most probably female and unlikely to answer back.

How does hearing loss exempt you from wearing a face covering?!?!?
I have a child with mild hearing loss. She wears one and hard to lip read but only as others have face covered 🙈🤷🏽‍♀️

If you can’t wear a mask Maybe it’s worth considering a visor?

Many places are selling them, I saw them for sale in home bargains

I get that some people can’t wear masks for anxiety reasons/sensory reasons etc but I do feel like there are a few people who are being deliberately obtuse by not even considering wearing a visor

@makingmiracles

If you can’t wear a mask Maybe it’s worth considering a visor?

Many places are selling them, I saw them for sale in home bargains

I get that some people can’t wear masks for anxiety reasons/sensory reasons etc but I do feel like there are a few people who are being deliberately obtuse by not even considering wearing a visor

YeH, a heavy bit of plastic putting pressure on your temples is so much more comfortable for someone who had sensory or neurological reasons for struggling with a mask

Please try not to be so supercilious because it's attitudes like yours that make people with exemptions afraid to leave the house.

I'm asthmatic and wore a mask for the first time today. It was horrible - I could only breathe through my nose and avoided talking to DS as it was becoming too claustrophobic. I only had it on for five minutes max, but it was enough to convince me not to go shopping unless I have to.

But does that mean I can't wear a mask, or just that I don't like it? I genuinely don't know what I should do - I don't want to be mask-shamed, but I cannot spend any length of time like that - unless it's something that you get used to, but I have no idea if that's the case.