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Original poster

Amount of people wearing masks

171 replies

Yetiyoga · 03/08/2020 22:33

I have seen a lot of people not wearing masks in shops here, I would never say anything as there may well be a reason. But on the scenes you see abroad where masks are mandatory everywhere, including outdoors, it seems that everyone just wears one there but lots of people in the UK seem to make excuses. I get being exempt, but are we just less tolerable?

OP posts:
Isotope456 · 03/08/2020 23:05

Seems it depends where you are. I've not seen anyone in shops not wearing them.

Frazzled13 · 04/08/2020 07:16

lots of people in the UK seem to make excuses. I get being exempt, but are we just less tolerable?

There have been lots of protests in America, and one in Berlin this weekend about mask wearing. I really don't think Brits are uniquely less tolerant of them. Also some countries have fewer/no exceptions and that will mean more people simply just staying in, basically trapped in their houses because they can't wear a mask.

Where I live (large town in the SE), almost everyone wears one in supermarkets - I've maybe seen three people without one.

Derbygerbil · 04/08/2020 07:21

Seems it depends where you are. I've not seen anyone in shops not wearing them

Yes, it feels like most places have very high compliance, but there are some “less hygienic” areas of the country.

Pizzapromotion · 04/08/2020 07:21

Before they became compulsory there were very few wearing them here, but since then, I don't think I've seen anyone in a shop, except staff, without one.

Original poster
Yetiyoga · 04/08/2020 07:50

@Derbygerbil I wouldn't say 'less hygienic' like I said, there could be reasons for them not wearing. And strangely, the area I live in have had a really low number of cases overall which is odd as it is a city!

OP posts:
grissomsbugs · 04/08/2020 07:51

Everyone was wearing a mask every time I've been shopping.

ifonly4 · 04/08/2020 08:16

There are very few in our supermarkets who aren't wearing them. I work in a shop as well, again not many that aren't - yesterday just one lady in her 20s and a lovely disabled man who came straight to the tills with his badge to show he was exempt.

TingTastic · 04/08/2020 08:42

Nearly all shoppers are wearing a mask here too, and very few have their noses sticking out the top!

It might be interesting if anyone was recording levels of compliance in different areas. As I wouldn’t expect levels of exemptions to vary that much, so might help to estimate the levels of “can’t” vs “won’t” in terms of not wearing a mask!

Walkaround · 04/08/2020 08:48

Loving the idea the British are less tolerable than other nationalities. I’m sure Scotland would agree if you switched your concern from the UK to England! Grin

cologne4711 · 04/08/2020 08:57

Where I live pretty well everyone is, although there seem to be a few who don't know you have to within the "communal" parts of an indoor shopping centre as well as the shops themselves.

I've seen people wearing them as a beards but only outside - I guess they pull them down when they come out of a shop and pull them back up as they go into the next one. Not very sensible but I understand why when it's as hot as it was on Friday!

TillyFloss10 · 04/08/2020 09:13

I can probably count on one hand the number of people I have seen without a mask when out shopping over the last couple of weeks. i live in an area that has been put into local lockdown.

HelloMissus · 04/08/2020 09:24

I’ve seen hardly anyone without a mask in a shop or on the train.

Pizzapromotion · 04/08/2020 09:58

Are people really not wearing masks or did people say they didn't like the idea before they were required but have got on as done as they're asked since they've been compulsory? It's certainly not my experience that "a lot" of people are not wearing them in shops here, although I'm still only really shopping in supermarkets and local convenience stores. I haven't been to a shopping centre.

lljkk · 04/08/2020 11:48

"Sovereign citizens" of Melbourne are also kicking up a stink against mask-wearing and any other control measures. Violence has happened.

Amount of people wearing masks
manicinsomniac · 04/08/2020 12:43

I've been in a lot of shops in a few different areas of the country since masks became compulsory and haven't seen a single person not wearing one. But nor have I heard anyone complaining about those who can't wear them.

But looking at other threads, there are a lot of posters with exemptions and a lot of people who judge non mask wearers.

From my experience it seems that everyone who can't wear a mask is a mumsnet poster and so is everyone who judges them. In the real world masks have just slotted happily into normal life!

Hairthrowaway · 04/08/2020 12:46

I would say the majority of people are in masks

However there’s also an influx of people wearing them with their nose sticking out. Either wear it properly or don’t bother.

JacobReesMogadishu · 04/08/2020 12:46

95% of people here now.

One lad in the shop today wasn't wearing a mask but he made an effort by pulling his t-shirt up over his nose!

goingbackwards · 04/08/2020 13:09

I went into a big supermarket yesterday and there was a lot of customers not wearing masks, I was asking myself the same question - why do people I see on tv reports seem more compliant than here. Outskirts of Bradford too.

Derbygerbil · 04/08/2020 20:15

Outskirts of Bradford too.

Perhaps there’s a correlation... Areas that are complacent about Covid and don’t/won’t wear masks are more likely to be areas of Covid spread?

goose1964 · 04/08/2020 20:19

We're a mask wearing area too and we also are still distancing. We have a low incidence as well . Saying that I've developed a horrendous cough today and have requested a test as DD and I went into our local city around 12 days ago .

Trevortrilby · 04/08/2020 20:23

Where i live it is a certain age of male, 20s to 30s that aren't wearing masks. In my local COOP yesterday one of them feeling the need to sing loudly as he shopped just to prove how tough and fearless he was. Dickhead.

Smileyoriley · 04/08/2020 21:21

We are in a low infection area and I don't think I've seen anyone not complying

Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/08/2020 21:33

I've only seen one person not wearing one in the shops and I go at least twice a week.

PuzzledObserver · 04/08/2020 21:33

Almost universal here - the only people I’ve seen not wearing them in shops have been children, plus two very elderly people. And, in contrast to before they were made compulsory, most staff seem to be wearing them too.

What bugs me is the people walking around the street using their mask as a chin guard.

annabel85 · 04/08/2020 21:36

it seems that everyone just wears one there but lots of people in the UK seem to make excuses.

The problem is once people see others not wearing one then they won't wear it. The 'if they don't have to wear a mask then neither will I' mentality. Then before you know it you're the only fool stood in a shop left wearing one.