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?

The reality is that people will not social distance for years on end. They just won't.

People will not refrain from hugging their families, having parties, starting new relationships, having sex with people they don't already live with etc. for years on end. It's contrary to human nature.

My personal guess is that there might be some level of compliance for maybe 6 more months, max.

@mosquitofeast

your choice, wear a mask or don't go, simple.

Mask wearing is going to encourage other people to go, who would not have gone otherwise, so they won't be losing out on custom because of you deciding to stay home.

And we all benefit because there will be less transmission.

I'm glad you are staying home. I don't want to have to mix with you. I am less likely to go out if there are people like you wondering around

You are actually vile!! At no point does OP say she disagrees with wearing a mask nor does she say she will go anyway and refuse to wear a mask ! Simply that she has chosen not to go because wearing a mask will make the experience less enjoyable. I don't want mix with people like you who the hell are you to make such comment ! Jeez!

@Sunshinegirl82

The reality is that people will not social distance for years on end. They just won't.

People will not refrain from hugging their families, having parties, starting new relationships, having sex with people they don't already live with etc. for years on end. It's contrary to human nature.

My personal guess is that there might be some level of compliance for maybe 6 more months, max.

Exactly, and we are already seeing it in the fact that infections now are largely in the young. They clearly don’t give 2 fucks about the virus and they can’t be forced to, whatever people say.

@SengaStrawberry

I have huge sympathy for young adults in this to be honest. Their education has been severely impacted, their job opportunities have been decimated, they are more likely to be single or in non cohabitating relationships and so the current restrictions will really impact that, the almost certain tax rises will hit them the hardest and the longest and in general they are an age group minimally affected by Covid.

I know there will be some impacted and we don't yet know the long term effects of Covid but the fact remains from an individual cost/benefit analysis perspective young adults are probably losing on all fronts.

Exactly, and we are already seeing it in the fact that infections now are largely in the young. They clearly don’t give 2 fucks about the virus and they can’t be forced to, whatever people say.

of course they can be forced to, and if it comes to it, they will be forced to

I really don't think they can. Do you think the police have the man power to police the actions of every teenager and 20 something in the U.K.?

@CatandtheFiddle

I understand that the wearing of masks is to (supposedly) protect others. I still think it should be personal choice, to my knowledge there is no data to back up that the wearing of masks significantly reduces the spread of Corona.

This virus could potentially be around for years, it's ridiculous that the government are imposing rules which take the enjoyment out of everyday life for the majority to try and protect a minority of the population.

I go out more now it's compulsory to wear them in shops. I used to feel self conscious wearing one at the start of all this so avoided shops but am shopping much more regularly now. I wouldn't be going to a spa etc with or without a mask as I wouldn't be able to relax at that sort of place right now (rightly or wrongly I don't know) but that's the main aim of going to a spa. I do accept that these types of businesses will suffer and that is a real shame.

Nah. I quite like having my mask on! I've just decided it's another way to accessorise.

@Sunshinegirl82 Exactly so its hardly the time for another programme about people on benefits. Start othering them again and the scales about being all in this together might fall from their eyes. How keen will people be to wear face masks if one minute they are being told "we are all in this together" And the next being othered and patronized for being on benefits. They might start to think they are only being told to wear face masks to "protect their betters"

I think obligatory madk wearing in all public enclosed spaces became law yesterday, give it a chance...

It's only really bothered me since the heat wave we are currently enduring in London .

@Teal99

*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.*

Completely agree with this.

[quote Sunshinegirl82]@SengaStrawberry

I have huge sympathy for young adults in this to be honest. Their education has been severely impacted, their job opportunities have been decimated, they are more likely to be single or in non cohabitating relationships and so the current restrictions will really impact that, the almost certain tax rises will hit them the hardest and the longest and in general they are an age group minimally affected by Covid.

I know there will be some impacted and we don't yet know the long term effects of Covid but the fact remains from an individual cost/benefit analysis perspective young adults are probably losing on all fronts.[/quote]
I also have sympathy for the young. I'm not sure what they're supposed to be protecting but I assume they're protecting their 'right' to a future of extortionate taxation to protect people who are generally better off. Illness with a long term impact is hardly new even though this seems to be news to many people. If I was in my 20's, I'm pretty sure my attitude would be 'What do I owe you?'. I'm in my 50's and it's much the way I feel, without the very valid concerns of much younger people.

@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.*

This is exactly how I feel. I used to love shopping but it's just not enjoyable now. So many times I've gone to a store then seen the queue so not bothered and it's rubbish not being able to try things on and then having to potentially queue to return stuff. I've gone back to online shopping for everything.

I have huge sympathies with every age group. It is thus even more important that we pull together to minimise the virus impact.

Even if mask wearing brings r down by a small fraction, that means society can be a little more open for everyone.

If people don’t wear masks and fail to comply with social distancing, it will be less likely that schools will be able to safely reopen for all.

I am a libertarian in general but viruses just don’t work that way. The libertarian argument would be torn to shreds were the fatality rate (say) 30% across all ages. As it is, people make it because they don’t believe the virus is ‘that bad’. However most experts do believe it is bad enough to not let it rip, and I agree.

Be sensible and wait for a vaccine.

@mosquitofeast

Exactly, and we are already seeing it in the fact that infections now are largely in the young. They clearly don’t give 2 fucks about the virus and they can’t be forced to, whatever people say.

of course they can be forced to, and if it comes to it, they will be forced to

That doesn’t sound sinister at all. Are we going to be monitoring thoughtcrime?

Some people really won’t be happy until we are living in Nineteen Eighty Four.

The people in authority and the middle aged and older would do well to remember that it’s the current youth of today who they actually need to advance this country. They won’t forget how their life chances were fucked to save an NHS that probably would have ceased to exist anyway and the over 80s.

Totally agree @BamboozledandBefuddled.

@hopefulhalf

I think obligatory madk wearing in all public enclosed spaces became law yesterday, give it a chance...

Ah OK I assumed that they would have made a difference in shops/public transport where they have been mandatory for weeks. Do they not then?

@Sunshinegirl82

I really don't think they can. Do you think the police have the man power to police the actions of every teenager and 20 something in the U.K.?

With all the jobs going in other industries we could always hope they can now recruit enough police and actually that will help with many if the things needed in this country.

I find wearing a mask uncomfortable and I think I could technically be exempt due to a condition I have, though I've still been wearing one. For shopping & public transport I don't really mind at all. But I think it will stop me from going to the cinema & possibly museums. I'd find it too oppressive watching a film for 2+ hours in a mask. Shame as I was looking forward to heading back to the cinema.

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

Yes, let's segregate disabled people/those with hidden health issues or disabilities/MH issues shall we. Fab idea 🙄

@larrygrylls

That's all well and good but the fact remains that the cost to the young is much greater than the benefit. People will take that short term (mostly) but not for years on end.

I'm hopeful people will stick it out (give or take) for another 6 months or so and that will be enough. I'm really confident about the vaccine so I think there is a realistic prospect of getting something rolled out by the end of winter. Quite frankly, there better be, because this is not sustainable.

Shops was the 24th of July. e.g. 3 weeks after they opened the pubs. I would argue that was what doesn't work.

@itsgettingweird

It sounds like you might be happier somewhere like China. I honestly think the reality you're hoping for is spectacularly unlikely in the U.K. thank goodness.