People wearing the sunflower lanyard without masks

[Nosebogey]

Just wondering how you are finding it?

I haven’t been to any shops (bar once) since the mask rule came in. We are exempt but didn’t have the lanyards the time we went in. Everyone else in masks, a bit of staring but not much else. Since then though someone else exempt posted on the local faceache that she’d been approached by a man who removed his mask, coughed in her face, told her he had covid and that he hoped she died from it from not wearing her mask. It’s made me a bit nervous to try again because lots of people commented on her post blaming her for that situation . And someone else I know who lives in another area was shouted at in a supermarket by another customer for not having a mask on to the point where she had to leave the shop.

Have you found people to be quite understanding or have you had shitty/scary comments too?

[HeIenaDove]

people lower down the socio economic scale have been told they are disposable for years.
disabled people died after having benefits cut......this is in the thousands.
Grenfell
Windrush.

Then all of a sudden............along comes Covid19 and suddenly lives matter. Because EVERYONE is affected not just the poor or disabled people or BAME or single parents on UC (do we really think this face mask edict would have come in if it was just poorer groups affected) The Yorkshire Job Centre was on Channel 4 last night. People on UC still being othered and patronised. Great timing Channel 4

So you will forgive me if i sometimes do start to wonder if there is a whiff of poorer people being told to wear old socks on their faces to protect their "betters"

All in this together my arse!!!

[Mookie81]

I have asthma, was in hospital with it after having suspected corona in March.
Is that a valid exemption?

[HeresMe]

There's a real culture emerged through this of some people trying to make others look like shit to make themselves look or feel better. It's always been there but it's more apparent than ever now.
Is it just human nature or something as a society we've cultivated?


It's proper vile , Naha some people hate there fellow humans

[Streamingbannersofdawn]

We don't need a better system. We need a bit of intelligence and understanding.

I dont know where all these "many" people who aren't wearing masks are anyway. I have just come back from a UK holiday, obviously I've supermarket shopped at home as well...I haven't noticed anyone not wearing one except very young children.

As I mentioned before my son has ASC. Chances are I would need to pay a private professional to write him an exemption. Even getting an appointment with an NHS or LA professional is going to take weeks. His GP doesn't really see him and certainly not for the ASC. None of them understood the rest of his condition well anyway!

All this because of bullying.

Ironically the screaming sensory overload he would suffer if forced to wear a mask would be more likely to spread the virus (in the small chance he had it) than not wearing a piece of cloth on his face would!

[ElizabethWoodviIIe]

I'd never heard of the sunflower lanyard scheme until my GP mentioned it to me. I have trigeminal neuralgia and wearing a mask (or any face covering before someone helpfully suggests a visor) is impossible. My GP recommended I get a lanyard so I wouldn't be questioned by staff in shops/bus drivers etc and so far, I haven't been - people in those roles have been without exception absolutely lovely.

It's a shame the same can't be said for the general public though, including the charming chap in Lidl yesterday who stared at me shaking his head, tutting and telling his wife how awful I was. And the man on the bus the other day with his mask under his chin 'reporting' me to the bay driver (who said 'she's exempt mate' before telling him to wear his mask properly ). Pretty much every time I go out, I get some comment or dirty look.

The sunflower lanyard is a great idea but it needs to be more widely publicised.

[Toomboom]

The sunflower lanyard has been around for a while. It is for people with invisible illness's. We have used them a few times when flying. We were able to collect them at the customer services for free.
My son has an invisible illness, but not one that affects him so that he can't wear a mask. I feel like @Floralnomad it is far too easy for people to just download them. I also feel that a doctor should sign a certificate to say why a person can't wear a mask.

[Drivingdownthe101]

@Toomboom

The sunflower lanyard has been around for a while. It is for people with invisible illness's. We have used them a few times when flying. We were able to collect them at the customer services for free.
My son has an invisible illness, but not one that affects him so that he can't wear a mask. I feel like *@Floralnomad* it is far too easy for people to just download them. I also feel that a doctor should sign a certificate to say why a person can't wear a mask.

So you’re happy for them to be used freely when it’s an issue that affects your family, but not when it’s one that affects others?

[MissCherryCakeyBun]

The majority of those people in the list could, like my husband, wear a face shield. He is exempt from wearing a mask as he is waiting for facial surgery for a large growth in his nose and sinus ( thankfully benign) so he wears a face shield as it doesn't restrict his restricted breathing further.
I'm very confused why people insist that they can't wear a mask and don't look at other solutions.
I totally understand these are not practical for people with some spectrum disorders but for others?

[ElizabethWoodviIIe]

@MissCherryCakeyBun

The majority of those people in the list could, like my husband, wear a face shield. He is exempt from wearing a mask as he is waiting for facial surgery for a large growth in his nose and sinus ( thankfully benign) so he wears a face shield as it doesn't restrict his restricted breathing further.
I'm very confused why people insist that they can't wear a mask and don't look at other solutions.
I totally understand these are not practical for people with some spectrum disorders but for others?

Quite apart from the fact that Nicola Sturgeon has banned the use of visors in Scotland unless worn with a mask because alone they don't offer enough protection, many people neurological conditions or PTSD, for example, can't wear them anyway.

Visors offer little protection and are not the magic bullet people on here seem to think they are.

[Drivingdownthe101]

@MissCherryCakeyBun

The majority of those people in the list could, like my husband, wear a face shield. He is exempt from wearing a mask as he is waiting for facial surgery for a large growth in his nose and sinus ( thankfully benign) so he wears a face shield as it doesn't restrict his restricted breathing further.
I'm very confused why people insist that they can't wear a mask and don't look at other solutions.
I totally understand these are not practical for people with some spectrum disorders but for others?

Face shields aren’t allowed to be used on their own in Scotland, as they’re effectively useless.

[Nosebogey]

Well, I’m glad they didn’t require GP signatures. GPs are not infallible. What if a GP decides to be a twat about signing things based on their own beliefs? Not all GPs are as understanding as others. Not all GPs fully understand how someone’s medical condition affects them personally. We’ve seen from threads on here that some people with asthma can wear them while others can’t. We’ve seen people with medical conditions who can wear masks berate others with the same condition who can’t. What if one of those people is a GP with the power to decide who gets a signature? What it a GP decides that because all the people they know personally with a condition could manage, that means they won’t sign for anyone with that condition? What if a GP decided to override the exemption list and refuse to sign for their patients on their own personal beliefs about masks? What about people who are not officially diagnosed with a medical condition but can’t wear masks? Like victims of violence or abuse or rape?

I’d much rather too many people without exemption go maskless for no reason than have a situation where people who genuinely can’t wear them can’t leave their houses because they couldn’t get a signature from a GP.

[SengaStrawberry]

@MissCherryCakeyBun

The majority of those people in the list could, like my husband, wear a face shield. He is exempt from wearing a mask as he is waiting for facial surgery for a large growth in his nose and sinus ( thankfully benign) so he wears a face shield as it doesn't restrict his restricted breathing further.
I'm very confused why people insist that they can't wear a mask and don't look at other solutions.
I totally understand these are not practical for people with some spectrum disorders but for others?

Because they don’t have to? The law permits exemptions. It doesn’t say people have to try other alternatives first x

[HeIenaDove]

@ElizabethWoodviIIe If only there was a way to give people like that the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia for 24 hours.

[HeIenaDove]

So you’re happy for them to be used freely when it’s an issue that affects your family, but not when it’s one that affects others

Its that benefit scrounger type mindset. the IM genuine but its the others the OTHERS

[ElizabethWoodviIIe]

[quote HeIenaDove]@ElizabethWoodviIIe If only there was a way to give people like that the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia for 24 hours.[/quote]
They wouldn't last 24 minutes.

It isn't called the Suicide Disease for nothing.

[nether]

We have a recently deshielded person in the family, and so would have to leave the premises, unless it were possible for minimum 2m spacing. Which generally it isn't

Your reasonable adjustment is our risk of death.

Remember that by including you, others are excluded.

[Lougle]

People with hidden disabilities know whether they 'can' wear a mask, or whether it's just impossible.

DD1 (14) is technically exempt, but I've judged that while she doesn't like wearing a mask and it isn't easy to keep it on her (she often pulls it down), she can wear a mask. It's just a pain to try and maintain it. She had a bit of a meltdown last week in a shop, but DD2 was able to take her outside so she could take off her mask.

If at any point I felt that DD1 was getting completely overwhelmed with the mask, I would invoke her right to go maskless.

It's just common sense. If you can't wear a mask, don't. Everyone else will just have to trust that people are being sensible.

[HUCKMUCK]

The thing is, those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons are probably just as worried, if not more, about the virus as everyone else.

I am sure most exempt people would much rather be able to wear one and protect themselves. It's a horrible position to be in, knowing you would be safer with a mask but not being able to wear one.

Masks are the latest iteration of the disabled toilet/parking space ridiculousness that has been going on forever and some people still don't get that disabilities aren't always obvious - or anyone else's business.

[Drivingdownthe101]

@HUCKMUCK

The thing is, those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons are probably just as worried, if not more, about the virus as everyone else.

I am sure most exempt people would much rather be able to wear one and protect themselves. It's a horrible position to be in, knowing you would be safer with a mask but not being able to wear one.

Masks are the latest iteration of the disabled toilet/parking space ridiculousness that has been going on forever and some people still don't get that disabilities aren't always obvious - or anyone else's business.

Exactly. I can’t wear a mask. I wish I could, because then I could go in shops/museums/libraries etc. At the moment, I won’t do any of those things because of the shaming of people not wearing them that is being encouraged.
Of course I wish I could wear a fucking mask without having a panic attack.

[nether]

I am sure most exempt people would much rather be able to wear one and protect themselves. It's a horrible position to be in, knowing you would be safer with a mask but not being able to wear one

What sort of mask are you thinking of? Because the policy is 'my mask protects you, your mask protects me'. So the unmasked are benefitting from protection from the masked, whilst putting everyone (including the masked) at risk.

And for the exceptionally vulnerable, that's not an insignificant risk (even when shielding is paused, the medical condition hasn't gone away)

[GreyishDays]

To those who are saying people can just pick up a lanyard too easily to get out of wearing a mask, I’m not sure that’s really going to happen. Not on any great scale. Are the conspiracy theorists or the cocky “doesn’t affect me because I’m young and healthy” really going to wear a Hidden Disability lanyard?

[itsgettingweird]

I wear a mask.

My ds who is autistic generally doesn't although he has and does try.

He feels self conscious not in a mask and also in the sunflower lanyard.

So he either wears his own backpack with lanyard attached to zip or I attached it to my handbag.

We haven't got the cards that attach but I do have a clear card thing and have thought about making some kind of I'd card for him (any excuse to use my laminator)

They'll always be people who judge. We get stared at when we use his blue badge.

He has a physical disability that means he may be fine when we get out but walking around can cause severe spasms and tightness - and he can't get back into the car in a small space!

[HUCKMUCK]

@nether

I am sure most exempt people would much rather be able to wear one and protect themselves. It's a horrible position to be in, knowing you would be safer with a mask but not being able to wear one

What sort of mask are you thinking of? Because the policy is 'my mask protects you, your mask protects me'. So the unmasked are benefitting from protection from the masked, whilst putting everyone (including the masked) at risk.

And for the exceptionally vulnerable, that's not an insignificant risk (even when shielding is paused, the medical condition hasn't gone away)

So what are people with a disability supposed to do? If they genuinely cannot wear a mask - what is their alternative?

[MummytoCSJH]

I have trigeminal neuralgia and cannot wear a mask or a shield (unless they suddenly float in front of your face without being attached?)

I wore my lanyard in the pharmacy the other day and the woman working there still asked me if I had a face covering I could put on A bus driver yesterday also asked me if I had an exemption card despite these legally not actually meaning anything or being official, he had turned someone away just in front of me for not wearing a mask (though they did state it was personal preference rather than medical reasons) which I was quite shocked by. Luckily I had my lanyard but these aren't required so not sure what he would have done if I didn't have one to show him, I only got mine a few days ago!