Is mask wearing limiting your economic participation?

[byvirtue]

I knew mask wearing was mandatory in shops but I hadn’t heard about the new restrictions that have come out today www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53702291

I had planned to head to a spa for a couple of days this month for my birthday and we were going to book a staycation in a hotel in September. We would have easily spent £2k on these trips.

Now it seems that masks are mandatory for spa treatments and in hotel public areas we won’t be going. I personally find face coverings unpleasant and they significantly reduce my enjoyment so I'd rather not bother.

We are fit and healthy with money to spend and were happy to get out and spend money prior to face coverings becoming mandatory. These new rules mean the opportunities for us to spend money have been notably reduced.

I’m curious are these extended face covering rules going to lead to you spending more or less now?

Why do some people insist on having everything exactly their own way? I live in Wales but I still wear a mask in shops out of courtesy to the people who have to work there. So many people are having one giant strop about the curtailments on their freedom due to Covid, insisting that they know best.

@RhiantheMunter

I think Britain is the one of a very very few countries where such a dramatic fuss is being made about the wearing of masks. It's embarrassing. Several friends who live in totally different continents of the world have asked me whats going on in the UK. Why everyone isnt worried about Covid? Especially since our dreadful Death rate is world famous. Why arent people wearing masks? Why are people moaning about wearing masks? Do brits not care about their elders? Has our government done away with social distancing? Does Britain have any covid regulations? Why is no one in the UK concerned about Covid? Why has everyone gone to the beaches?

All been questions my overseas friends have asked me in the past few weeks.

We really should be ashamed of ourselves as a nation if selfish fuckers. I don't want to wear a mask so I shan't or no ones tell8ng me what I can or can't do seems to be the general attitude. Dont get me started on the "its against my human rights" fuckers!

And now the foreign holiday fuckers want benefits to pay for their 14 day quarantine, despite most aren't doing any self isolating upon return because.... why the fuck should they!!

We are a nation if absolute moany selfish fuckers.

Not many enjoy wearing a mask. Few would choose out of choice and I have nothing against people with genuine reasons not to wear them but it really feels like the minority are doing what's been asked and it's starting to feel futile for those trying thier best.

Everyone is fucked of with how Covid has corrupted our normal lifestyles but bloody hell, some people need a fucking good shake and need to stop being selfish when it comes to doing their bit. It's not just masks it's the whole attitude of I'm alright jack so fuck you .and the need for the government to bail them out for going on holiday..

You've obviously not seen the protests in, for example, Germany then? Or considered that masks are not being mandated in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands etc

But good argument "I haven't witnessed it so it isn't happening"

Nope, I'm avoiding most places because of the numbers who are not wearing masks.

I wear one when I do venture out, and yes it causes my specs to steam up, and being sight impaired this means I can barely see at all.

It's a difficult one because either the people who want to go out without them feel they can't go, or the people who feel vulnerable when they see other people without them can't go.

Maybe there ought to be mask-wearers only zones and mask-free zones so everyone had the choice to go to some places they feel comfortable.

Mask wearing is increasing my economic participation as I know it is safer. It will also mean places are less likely to be shut/locked down again.

[quote ChavvySexPond]*@epythymy
*
Those countries like South Africa which introduced masks at 5000 cases and now has 700,000?
^
You might want to check those numbers and do let us know when South Africa does reach 700,000 cases. Their numbers look pretty impressive to me. Vastly better than the UK's.^ [/quote]
Oh my bad. They only reached the very low number of 553,000 cases. You're right. Dramatically different. Those masks have made a huge difference. Especially when you compare it to the U.K.

South Africa pop: 58mn/553000 cases
United Kingdom pop: 67mn 310000 cases

Wait, what was your point again?

@CatandtheFiddle

And we all benefit because there will be less transmission.

This. Wearing a mask protects other people from you. If we all think of ourselves as a risk to others, and act accordingly, then we're all safer.

Does it? No strong evidence to suggest this is the case

@SaltyAndFresh

Why do some people insist on having everything exactly their own way? I live in Wales but I still wear a mask in shops out of courtesy to the people who have to work there. So many people are having one giant strop about the curtailments on their freedom due to Covid, insisting that they know best.

You're literally doing the same but the opposite. Forcing everyone else to do what YOU think is right. How is that different?

@CatandtheFiddle

Personally if I was in a high risk group and had been shielding I would continue to limit my chance of exposure and would not be going in shops or anywhere else indoors with high numbers of people. Masks may be giving this group of people a false sense of safety. I'm highly doubtful that masks offer much protection, at least not the types mostly used and in the way they are being worn by a lot of people.

If everyone continues complaining but wears them anyway god knows how long we'll be wearing them for. Although if the mask wearing rule impacts the economy negatively no doubt the government will decide they're unnecessary (again).

No, the opposite. I wouldn't go anywhere where masks weren't compulsory.

I'm on holiday in a Nordic country where face masks are not used, but common sense and personal responsibility is advocated. Cases are going down considerably despite not having enforced face masks.
I'm not looking forward to returning to Britain, and the mask rule will affect my economic participation. I will reluctantly wear it in Tesco, but I won't engage in leisure activities where face masks are mandatory.
I much more believe in personal responsibility to bring cases down. I take precautions when out in the UK, and contribute by cycling everywhere and not using public transport. I despise using face masks, but don't worry, I will still wear one in Tesco..

Just checked my online bank account. I got paid on 31st July. Apart from a standing order which goes out every month for my car tax I haven't spent anything at all so far this month!

@lljkk

I paid for DS to impulse buy some shades in a shop yesterday. I encouraged him to try them on and only remembered afterwards that we're not supposed to touch anything. Argh. I would have said "DON'T!" if I had thought about it, first. That's an economic disincentive. I hate buying clothes type things without trying on first, or at least holding them up to one's body or compare with other items.

Bought DS a belt... had to rifle thru the belts to find the right length. There was no organisation of belts by length or width. Don't think anyone put half the belts away after we touched them. Not practical.

You can't try on sunglasses? Bloody hell. My sunglasses are Jackie Ohh Ray Bans that are about £175. The fuck I'd have paid that without trying them on first.

I have to wear a mask and goggles for 12 hour shifts at work. I agree they should be in use in public places/indoors etc, but I am spending much less money because I’m actively avoiding going to places where I have to wear a mask. We’re doing many more outdoor activities than we would usually.

I don’t think it’s at all feasible or safe to lift the requirement of masks to boost the economy. Just have to hope that enough people who don’t wear them already for 37.5 hours a week will put up with it to spend money out and about.

@SockYarn

The virtue signaling here is bizarre. It's like it's a competition to love masks!

It was the same earlier in the year when people weren't allowed to moan about hating lockdown. Because all the virtue signallers piled in to say how THEY hadn't left the house since Christmas, they were living on their stockpiled lentils, playing Monopoly by candle light and LOVING IT. Because stepping outside the door meant immediate death.

The whole of 2020 so far - apart from the first little bit - has been shit. It's OK to say that. It's OK to say that even though you're complying with the law, that you hate masks, don't like lockdown, miss doing all the things you did last year and can't now do.

I really hate the race to the bottom of "well at least you're not on a ventilator, be grateful for what you've got".

👏👏👏

Jackie Ohh Ray Bans

Love Jackie ohh Ray Bans

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

Jackie Ohh Ray Bans

Love Jackie ohh Ray Bans

I so love them! Waited and waited to get them, finally got a bonus one year and went and tried a bunch of Ray Bans on and that was that. Tried them on, though, wouldn't have parted with the better part of £200 and not tried them on.

Hells no!

I got mine ‘cheaply’ but if I needed a new pair id just have to suck up the price

Ive had so many compliments...and I’m very shallow 😀

Masks may be giving this group of people a false sense of safety. I'm highly doubtful that masks offer much protection, at least not the types mostly used and in the way they are being worn by a lot of people

@Fruityloopyloop you don't seem to quite undertsand. The policy of wearing masks is not to protect oneself. It is to protect others from oneself.

You could be carrying the virus, and contagious, but asymptomatic. You could cause illness in someone else - wearing a mask helps protect others not yourself.

But as you just can't be bothered to wear a mask, I don't suppose that a call to consider others is going to make you change your mind. Self-centredness can usually find an excuse - even if it isn't a good science-based reason.

If the science shows that we should wear masks then I agree with the rules but yes I admit that it is affecting my economic spending and shopping habits.

There is absolutely no way that I would go to a spa and wear a mask it would feel like a medical procedure rather than a relaxing day out. I wasn't planning to go to a spa anyway but it's definitely out of the question for now.

I'm continuing to shop online rather than at the shops before lockdown I would shop online around 70% of the time but now it's 100%.

No plans to visit museums, art galleries or anywhere indoors with the current restrictions at the moment.

I have been for a drink once since they opened it was fine but I've saved so much money since lockdown that this will be an infrequent activity from now on. We used to eat out once a week, we plan on cutting back to once every 6 weeks now. Looking at my bank balance we frittered away so much money before. Now it's time to keep an eye on the bank balance and start saving for our retirement. Takeaway coffees are now a no no for me. I may have the odd coffee and cake at an independent on a Saturday but I won't return to buying daily coffees.

I would say that my changes in shopping are more to do with wanting to be sensible rather than the wearing of masks although that has also played a part.

Yes I'm a big cinema fan and was looking at going again regularly even to watch reruns, but I'm not going now. I'm not completely against masks and will wear them when required to do what I need to do, but for me the negatives of mask wearing at the cinema far outweighs the enjoyment factor so I'm not going.

@notheragain4 . At the cinema I think you're allowed to take off masks when you are sat down watching the film.

I’m not sitting in a cinema in a mask, especially when you don’t have to in a pub. What about cinemas that serve alcohol? The rules are nonsense.

@GreekOddess not anymore sadly, it changed on Saturday, now you have to wear it for the film duration except when eating or drinking.

It’s causing real problems for me in shops if the staff are wearing masks. I’m in Wales so don’t have to wear one, but if people choose to wear them then I can’t hear them. I’m deaf in one ear, which isn’t normally an issue expect in bars, clubs etc. But masks muffle the sound and I’m not able to lip read to gauge the context of what they’re saying. I’ve had several cashiers get pissy with me asking them to repeat themselves as I don’t have an obvious disability.

Yes. I’ll only go into shops where I REALLY want or need to buy something now. I can’t be bothered to bimble around browsing any more. I wore one to get my hair done and it wasn’t a pleasant experience but I’ll go back because I need my roots touching up regularly. I wouldn’t go to a spa or anywhere for leisure activities where I’d have to wear a mask, but I wouldn’t have gone to eg a cinema at the moment anyway. I have no intention of flying anywhere for the foreseeable, partly because I couldn’t stand to wear a mask for ages in the airport and on the plane. I’m just glad we’re not yet at the stage of having to wear masks outdoors like they have to in some countries.