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?

@notheragain4. That seems a bit over the top as they are practising social distancing when they allocate the seats. What are they going to do shine torches at people to check if they're eating? Some people pretty much munch their way through a whole film anyway...

They will not get people back into the cinemas with these rules in place.

Mask wearing hasn't limited my participation in spending to help the economy at all, or put me off doing the things I enjoy at all. Yes I can't stand wearing them, bit I've been wearing one at work now for many months as have my colleagues. I've worn them through 9 hour shifts, having menopausal hot flushes and through heat wave. Out of work I've swapped to a silk facemask as its kinder to my skin so I'll still get my hair done, go out for meals and spa days and take a trip to Newcastle. It's not for ever and I'm looking forward to the time I can burn my masks.

Yes, I only go to the supermarket now once a week, and straight in and out, no browsing for non-essentials. I am now mortgage free, no commute, no spending on anything other than food/household stuff. So, my savings are building up. Normally I do visit museums, shop, stop for coffee, meals out etc Yes, the mask has stopped me spending. Poor old High Street.

@Covidiot

No - wearing a mask has meant:

• I could attend a funeral (would have been devastated to miss)
• I can go on holiday
• I feel happier going to shops

And I absolutely love the fact it is mandatory as all the whiny gobshites who refuse to wear one are confined to their thrones of self-righteousness in their mask-free homes.

At least it's preferable to seeing all those judgmental Covid idiots out there, covidiots is a great name for them.

How fortunate that you were able to go to the funeral. We weren't allowed to, mask or not.

I am trying to see the positive in it in terms of it significantly reducing my discretionary spending.

Given that we are heading into an uncertain economic time having more savings is a good thing.

How handy that masks can soak up the rabid foaming of the mouth for some of the posters on here, the ones who insist that you must not say you hate wearing them. I don't believe it is a 50-50:split of those who are spending more because masks have given them more confidence. More people are not bothering with shops, and other paid for activities. We were starting to do more but since mid July when masks became mandatory, there has been a pull back to not spending.

This illness is serious but the wider health implications of it are being swept under the carpet. And the economic consequences are going to add the wider health implications. We have a recession heading our way, the likes of which we have not seen in generations. Forget the austerity years....this is going to be much worse. WHO changed its guidance on masks after lobbying by governments because they thought mask wearing would allay fears and Hancock is on record as saying they wanted to give people confidence to shop, hence the mask. But it has backfired.

Not mine.

But I've never been one to just go and wander around shopping centres for a day out.

I don't do spa days.

I eat out once a month.

So nothings really changed.

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

Yeah right. Because nobody in any other country has complained about masks (last weekend there was a demo in Berlin about them). Everyone else is adhering to the rules, and nobody is going to the beaches (in Spain they stopped people going to them). People are wearing masks here (at least they are where I live).

Smug (and ill-informed) expats are so tedious.

No strong evidence to suggest this is the case

There is evidence that everyone wearing masks in enclosed areas reduces transmission by around 70% (may even be more). I don't have disabilities and am not inconvenienced by wearing one, so I wear one. However, as I mainly shop online anyway I am still spending quite a bit of money on non-essential stuff and if I really couldn't cope with a mask I'd do click and collect for food shopping.

I have just been to an outlet village getting the kids stuff for school. It’s a grim experience and judging by the emptiness of the shops most people are not out there spending in shops. The masks is only part of that I guess, the queues to get in due to the restricted capacity in shops, endless horrible smelling hand sanitiser, discouragement from handling things/trying on, nonsensical one way systems, will all help drive the nail in the coffin of the high street. Masks just make an already grim experience even worse.

I wear a mask and I have lung disease, and asthma. I think more people can wear them than those who claim they can't, and I agree it's a ridiculous fuss in many cases. This last week, public places where I have been have been heaving with people, mostly unmasked, and completely unaware of the notion of social distancing. I could not have truthfully written that even a month ago, and I haven't been on social media constantly complaining about people being out, either.

Sone of the fuss about masks is really selfish, and unthinking. Don't they have grandparents and parents they worry about, or do they simply believe they should be shut up at home so that everyone else can enjoy themselves mask free? Don't these people care about the poor doctors and nurses bracing themselves for a second wave?

@onlinelinda

I wear a mask and I have lung disease, and asthma. I think more people can wear them than those who claim they can't, and I agree it's a ridiculous fuss in many cases. This last week, public places where I have been have been heaving with people, mostly unmasked, and completely unaware of the notion of social distancing. I could not have truthfully written that even a month ago, and I haven't been on social media constantly complaining about people being out, either.

Sone of the fuss about masks is really selfish, and unthinking. Don't they have grandparents and parents they worry about, or do they simply believe they should be shut up at home so that everyone else can enjoy themselves mask free? Don't these people care about the poor doctors and nurses bracing themselves for a second wave?

I can wear I mask I just don't want to. It's uncomfortable. It's a shame as we are really keen to get back to normal. Which for us as a family involved spending money in shops, cinemas, theatres etc.

We've already returned to gym/swimming pool/restaurants and pubs.

But won't be going anywhere for fun until it is actually fun again!

And actually the last couple of times I e been in a shop I've not worn a mask. I certainly haven't been the only one.

@onlinelinda I’m not sure why it’s selfish to hate wearing one, or to limit the occasions where I have to wear one? As long as I DO wear one where it’s mandatory, what skin is it off your nose how I feel about it?

There were a 1,000 new cases today, that's the first time since june. The virus is going nowhere, mask up.

@SengaStrawberry

I have just been to an outlet village getting the kids stuff for school. It’s a grim experience and judging by the emptiness of the shops most people are not out there spending in shops. The masks is only part of that I guess, the queues to get in due to the restricted capacity in shops, endless horrible smelling hand sanitiser, discouragement from handling things/trying on, nonsensical one way systems, will all help drive the nail in the coffin of the high street. Masks just make an already grim experience even worse.

I think a better judgement of this will be rainy days and when it's no longer a heatwave.

Days like the last 3 aren't really ever that busy in shopping centres. We don't get enough if these days in this country for people to carry on as normal during them!

Most people on here saying it has impacted their spending aren't going out mask less but are simply limiting the places they do go. Some people can't seem to distinguish between that and deliberately flouting the rules.

I suspect the government thought those that were out spending without masks would keep going out and now those that were too afraid would join them once masks were mandatory. The economy need the majority to be spending not less than half if we assume as some people have said that it's ok as those that now choose to stay away are replaced by people keen to venture out in masks.

@hopefulhalf

There were a 1,000 new cases today, that's the first time since june. The virus is going nowhere, mask up.

It's going nowhere for years! How long do we wear masks for in your opinion?

I've definitely spent more since masks were made compulsory. Before then, I would go into a single shop with a list, but now I'm happy to make unnecessary trips, and to just wander into a nice shop and browse and pick up something nice and linger for a bit longer. I'll also be going to more museums, exhibitions etc.

It's going nowhere for years! How long do we wear masks for in your opinion?

until there is a vaccine, or if there is no vaccine, until it is eradicated, which can only happen if we eliminated spread, and mask wearing is part of that.

@mosquitofeast and you're assuming everyone will want the vaccine?! Do you suggest the government FORCE people to have the vaccine?

It's going nowhere for years! How long do we wear masks for in your opinion?

Honesstly? As long as it takes. 2years ? 3 years ? No idea but definately all winter.

[quote runbummyrun]@mosquitofeast and you're assuming everyone will want the vaccine?! Do you suggest the government FORCE people to have the vaccine?[/quote]
no, but I hope it will be available to everyone who wants it.

[quote runbummyrun]@mosquitofeast and you're assuming everyone will want the vaccine?! Do you suggest the government FORCE people to have the vaccine?[/quote]
Sadly they won’t do that but people might find things like jobs/educational choices/travel opportunities limited if they don’t. Bring it on.

@hopefulhalf

It's going nowhere for years! How long do we wear masks for in your opinion?

Honesstly? As long as it takes. 2years ? 3 years ? No idea but definately all winter.

I think you are probably right, I'd GUESS 2--4 years, although if there is no vaccine, and we go down the attempted eradication route, masks and social distancing and other measures will get a lot more stringent and more strictly enforced before they get dropped altogether.

Other countries HAVE eradicated it, but they didn't let it get so out of control as it did here, in the first place

@hopefulhalf

There were a 1,000 new cases today, that's the first time since june. The virus is going nowhere, mask up.

Not helping then, are they?