I'm wondering what types of medical conditions prevent people from wearing masks

[lovelemoncurd]

I'm trying to understand the rationale for not wearing masks. Patients with respiratory conditions routinely wear masks in hospital and it's not a problem so what are the conditions that are prohibiting mask use. After all coronavirus must surely trump them?

I, for one, and very glad that I don't live in the sort of country that says 'no exceptions' as they don't tend to have a brilliant track record when it comes to disability legislation generally.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I have no exemptions and do wear a mask. I just can't stand small minded bullies that think it's ok to make already vulnerable people feel even more shit about themselves.

Hear hear

@Dadnotamum72 you seem to be getting most of your posts deleted today....why do you think that is? not much point in you being here really is there....

I have rheumatoid arthritis. I cannot put a mask on because I cannot put my hands up to my head.

In the same way as I can't put on sunglasses and can't clean my ears!

And I'm not living the next year being utterly dependent on favours and begging, to live my everyday life.

So the tutters and the "can't possibly imagine"ers will have to live with it.

And I am in no way unusual in my physical limitations.

[quote Ibake]@Dadnotamum72 but it doesn't have to be the world we live in unless people like you make it so. Hence my follow up comment 'be slow to judge'.

If I see someone without a mask I might register it but I don't immediately assume they are a chancer. In fact, given how many sanctimonious judgers there are out there my first thought tends to be admiration that they've braved the shops, despite the condemnation that's headed their way. [/quote]
Trying to be honest but not upset people, i'm just trying to show the realism of the current situation.

I am despite what my posts may indicate quite an empathetic person with a disabled sister and 2 of 4 children with extra needs etc.

But realism is I went to tesco a few nights back, roughly 100 people I probably passed 95 wearing masks, of the 5 who weren't I unconciously judged. 1 probably genuine the other 4 looked like chancers, I appologise if one if those 4 was genuine but if I as a genuinely standard citizen sees it that then thats how many others wil also see it however right or wrong it may be.

1 probably genuine the other 4 looked like chancers

Based on what?

I just wander.... UK has 67m people.
700k are on the autism spectrum, and let's assume 350k are severe.
about 100k have Trigeminal Neuralgia (me being one of them)

So that's about 450k people who genuinely have a reason to not be able to wear masks.

PTSD due to rape/abuse surely doesn't fall into the 100k+, so let's say 50k have severe PTSD (god, I hope I'm overestimating!)

Around 1m have severe asthma.
This gives us 1.5m people. That is less than 2.5% of the population.

Now: think back to being on the streets and out'n'about. In your head count the number of ppl you say total and how many didn't have masks. I am pretty sure that if you have a big enough sample (eg: sit on the steps on Trafargar square, or in a big sainsbury anywhere in london) you will see a much larger porportion of ppl NOT wearing mask than 2.5%. I appreciate that small communities may be better, I don't know. Locally in SW London the picture isn't any better for sure.

Even if we account for many other medically reasonable conditions my guess would be a max of 3%.

(I didn't count the 11m deaf or hard of hearing people, as in general setting they are not the ones who have a problem with having a mask on, their issue is others having one on, but there are alternatives to that. Education/workplace is very different)

That means that if you see 50 shoppers in tesco, then a max of 2 should not be wearing masks.

I went to a big sainsbury's a few days ago. Saw probably less than 50 people (I was in and out in under 20 mins. never liked shopping in general) and people with masks on: about 5, incl. me.

It really baffles me how the minorities have such a huge voice in the UK. Every minority is as important as everyone else, but not any more than the majority. And there will always have to be reasonable compromises made.

@Waxonwaxoff0

It's amazing how many people are so keen for us all to be controlled since this pandemic started.

Saying "I live in a country where there are no exceptions" as if that's a good thing. I'd hate to live in a country that was so unsympathetic towards its citizens.

I agree. Thank goodness we have the Equality Act to protect the rights of disabled people. I wouldn’t at all think it was something to crow about to live in a country that displayed no compassion to disabled people.

My son has ASD and sensory difficulties he does try to wear one but if he feels he can’t cope he takes it off and puts on his sunflower lanyard. No one has said anything to me about it yet, CV will be the least of their problems if they do.

@PurpleDaisies maybe they weren't ringing a bell or had a flashing sign over their head

Obviously the OP is full of empathy so clearly we are just missing a trick when we can't deduce who has an invisible disability and who is a chancer.

My son has sen and is evangelical about wearing one my friends son has sen you would have to tranquilliser dart the kid to get fucking close with a mask

1 probably genuine the other 4 looked like chancers

Based on? I'm a fit physically healthy 43 year old and yet I have a letter from an NHS consultant saying exemption.

I went to a big sainsbury's a few days ago. Saw probably less than 50 people (I was in and out in under 20 mins. never liked shopping in general) and people with masks on: about 5, incl. me.

Dh's last Sainsburys trip (Scotland) he thought it was a 100 percent compliance although there was a lot of mask touching taking place.

@Dinosauratemydaffodils

1 probably genuine the other 4 looked like chancers

Based on? I'm a fit physically healthy 43 year old and yet I have a letter from an NHS consultant saying exemption.

I went to a big sainsbury's a few days ago. Saw probably less than 50 people (I was in and out in under 20 mins. never liked shopping in general) and people with masks on: about 5, incl. me.

Dh's last Sainsburys trip (Scotland) he thought it was a 100 percent compliance although there was a lot of mask touching taking place.

I've heard Scotland is much better. London is terrible. I did caveat this in my post though :)

Your Question highlights the issue we all find ourselves in.

My subconcious view of someone, generally the 4 were young, looking like ( and I appreciate may be invisable) they had no medical issues, and am being honest to say I make a guess on are they a chancer or genuine, that maybe harsh but it's what people do.

I get the other posters view that we should trust everyone and give the benefit of doubt, but if we go that way to far the chancers will take over and you end up with hardly anyone wearing masks.

I get the other posters view that we should trust everyone and give the benefit of doubt, but if we go that way to far the chancers will take over and you end up with hardly anyone wearing masks.

No. What will happen is people with disabilities or other genuine will be abused by Covidiots for not wearing face coverings. It is happening already.

Here, almost everyone is wearing one.

Yes Scotland is very compliant - been out three time’s to town since March and absolutely everyone masked ... mum was the odd one out each time ! Even seen families on the beach all wearing masks . And in country parks etc .

Most people are very understanding and kind and patient with those who might need a bit of leeway in Aberdeen area at least . I’m told similar for the vast majority of Scotland .

Just seems to be the bloody internet where individuals decide they have a God given right to work out from a 5 second glance who may be worthy enough for their patience . We could do with such remarkable skills in the NHS, an ability to judge the severity of a disability from 5 seconds glance is something even ATOS haven’t yet achieved !

@Dadnotamum72 your fake concern and empathy is wearing thin. You are coming across as nasty and judgmental despite your best attempts to dress it up as 'innocent questions/musing'.

How about I turn this on its head and direct something utterly judgemental back at you? See how you like it?

Is your spelling and grammar so poor because:
1 you're stupid?
2 you're lazy and didn't try at school?
3 you didn't get much support at home with regards to your education?
4 you're dyslexic?

Tbh I tend to assume 4 when I read SPAG posts such as yours because my son is dyslexic but you can't really tell by looking can you?

Bit like invisible disabilities...

@PurpleDaisies

I get the other posters view that we should trust everyone and give the benefit of doubt, but if we go that way to far the chancers will take over and you end up with hardly anyone wearing masks.

No. What will happen is people with disabilities or other genuine will be abused by Covidiots for not wearing face coverings. It is happening already.

Here, almost everyone is wearing one.

Very different views on complience, post further up 5 in 50 you say near 100% and I agree my post stated 95% seems diiferent areas of the county or different supermarkets have varying different levels of complience.

And agree it is happenning, I am probably coming across as one of those making it happen but thats not my intention, I'm trying to explain why it's happenning.

It's interesting when people are confronted with actual numbers or anything factual for that matter conversations tend to skip to the anecdotal or emotional level. I have rarely come across anyone arguing with me about the facts.
Just thinking out loud....

DD is autistic and has learning difficulties. There's no way she can wear a mask. She needs to be sedated for minor dental procedures etc.

She loves people and loves shopping so I do take her out. Thank God there are exceptions and people have so far always been lovely to her.

the other 4 looked like chancers,

What does a chance look like? Any different from someone with mental health or neurological issues? Do they have/lack a special tattoo?

I'm in London, an area with low transmission at the moment, and the vast majority of people I've seen in shops and on public transport have been wearing masks.

I haven't particularly been 'mask spotting' and counting who is and who isn't, but compliance seems very high where I am.

Most people here are wearing them, even people who end up ripping them off because they have a genuine reason not to.

My husband has medical conditions not related to breathing but he tried a mask and he can only wear it for a few minutes before he feels he can't breathe . Guess who's doing the shopping now.

sunis because you have no idea how many people have PTSD for instance . I’d hazard it’s damn sight more than 100k . Statistics for rape and DV and child sexual abuse are far higher than that . Also probably need to factor in people from abroad eg Syria of which they will have probably have similar issues .

Also people with learning difficulties, dementia, central palsy, inability to remove hands, paralysed from waist down, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease. Huntington’s, sometimes some forms of MS, MND, facial dystonia, Tourette’s ... I can think of dozens of conditions that would affect mask wearing .

We can’t and absolutely should not expect all these people to hide away from the rest of the world for however long .

It is worth also highlighting that there is now very, very little regular or reliable help at present for the majority of these groups . NHS help is at best a FaceTime call once a month . MH services are very very thinly spread . Social services has largely stopped unless in dire emergencies . Local council has stopped care services and stating they won’t restart until likely 2021 . Our voluntary services have been told to stop . Shielding services and food boxes have stopped . Unpaid carers are told to go back to work .

So do all these individuals just hide indoors, and waste away, out of sight and out of mind as some posters would have it ?

*cerebal palsy
*inability to remove mask

Mil refused to wear one yesterday during a home visit by social services. She has dementia.