When do we think will masks become optional?

[sailorsinthedancehall]

November? There was mention of social distancing no longer being a thing by then?

I don't think there's any logic to it.

People quickly in and out of a shop, what difference does a mask make if you're socially distancing anyway and not coughing over someone?

However, you can spend an evening in a busy pub or restaurant and don't have to wear one at all.

For me, masks are only worthwhile indoors when you can't socially distance outside your own bubble (i.e. a medical appointment/public transport, public facing jobs).

They ought to be optional for adults, banned for children. Am horrified at the proliferation of masks being sold for children -nice way to make a profit out of deluded parents by terrifying children about a non-existent risk.
If some shops snd other places want to insist, let them, and leave the rest of us in peace to shop at places that have not succumbed to mass hysteria.
No evidence that masks prevent illness of any kind.

Where is the reduction in cases we are meant to be seeing as a result of wearing them? I suppose people will just say cases would be higher if we weren’t wearing them, even though there is no proof of that

@Tavannach

When an effective vaccine kicks in - so not until next summer, maybe longer.

Whether you mind them or not moaning about them isn't going to help. It's a public health issue, simple as that.

There’s no law against complaining. I’ll complain as much as I like about something that’s completely pointless.

We can't judge the efficiency of masks as they came at the same time so many people stopped social distancing and pubs opened.
I fucking hate them but would prefer to keep wearing one at work and shopping if it means I can still go to the pub.

@lifeafter50

They ought to be optional for adults, banned for children. Am horrified at the proliferation of masks being sold for children -nice way to make a profit out of deluded parents by terrifying children about a non-existent risk. If some shops snd other places want to insist, let them, and leave the rest of us in peace to shop at places that have not succumbed to mass hysteria. No evidence that masks prevent illness of any kind.

I think scientists might disagree with your wildly sweeping statement about masks

www.wsj.com/articles/face-masks-really-do-matter-the-scientific-evidence-is-growing-11595083298

Masks didn't suddenly start to exist as disease preventors in early 2020

Yep @trappedsincesundaymorn and also

“Everyone wears them in China/Japan, as everyone there is more considerate than here”

“I live in AN Other country, and there are no exceptions” (as if a country with no regard for the disabled is something we should be aspiring to be like)

“It’s only in Britain people complain about wearing them”

Oh and “if you can’t wear one just stay at home and get your shopping delivered”

Nobody knows. The only thing that is evident is the government has monumentally fucked up everything so it'll be when it suits their PR necessities and/or when Dominic Cummings thinks so.

When the Uk is in short supply again. They were deemed not necessary when we had none at the beginning of lockdown due to our supplies being sent abroad

They ought to be optional now.

And for people saying calling them muzzles apparently we wear them to protect others from us, the same reason you would put a muzzle on a dog.

There’s no law against complaining. I’ll complain as much as I like about something that’s completely pointless

So just don't wear one. Tell people you have a condition that makes you exempt and you don't wish to discuss it. It's just not a big deal for you or for the many others who aren't convinced by the science.

I, however, am broadly convinced by the science, think the admittedly limited benefits are worth the minimal effort and discomfort involved, and will wear one as required. Some people will judge that as virtue signaling or worse. So what? I have to live with my own judgment, not theirs.

There’s no law against complaining. I’ll complain as much as I like about something that’s completely pointless.

As has been said many times masks are not pointless- they protect others, especially the vulnerable.

It's really annoying to see the lies about masks proliferate here. There is evidence that they do help control illness. I don't know why people lie.

www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent

The sooner the better, it's no coincidence I've got acne spots and I haven't had spots like that since I was a teenager.

The sooner the better, it's no coincidence I've got acne spots and I haven't had spots like that since I was a teenager

What kind of mask are you wearing and how long for? I have made my own and they are much more comfortable than the disposable ones, but also only really wear them going into shops so for maybe an hour max. Are those of you who hate them having to wear them a lot more than that?

The sooner the better, it's no coincidence I've got acne spots and I haven't had spots like that since I was a teenager.

Wash both the mask and your face more carefully.
I disinfect my masks every day.

I, however, am broadly convinced by the science

I am sick of people saying 'the science' there is no such thing, science isn't just one big consensus.

I’ve noticed a decrease in compliance. At my hairdressers, the stylist told me I could take it off if I wanted as I’d had it on for ages. Other customers were doing the same if they had a long appointment. Walked past a barbershop and not a mask in sight. GP told my son during face to face appointment that it was fine to remove mask. I think we’ll see a gradual non compliance over time and it will just fade out. Cracks me up when people talk about all these other countries not moaning and getting on with it... hmmm massive anti mask rally in Spain recently?

Masks didn't suddenly start to exist as disease preventors in early 2020

Civilisation has managed to continue to and reproduce until now without the need to wear a mask in every day tasks I think we're doing OK without the need for them to be a long term or even god forbid a permanent feature

My 96 year old grandma wears one are People seriously this pathetic about masks?

As someone who lives somewhere where masks have been compulsory for months (you step out you wear a mask above the age of 2) I find the MN hysteria very amusing. Apparently people can’t hear each other (my kids went to summer camp with teachers in masks and managed perfectly), kids are terrified (mine have been playing in parks for ages and are in Week 7 of summer camp with others in masks) and the totally OTT language around masks is baffling.
We (where I live in New England) had a high death rate. We flattened the curve by mask wearing and aggressive social distancing (much earlier than the U.K.)- we are now on track to open schools fully or mostly hybrid.
In most countries the data suggests that mask wearing is a low cost and low impact initiative which along side the use of hand washing and aggressive testing (my sons teachers are tested every 2 weeks, any kid who is ill is tested and results are in within 24 hours so they can come back), and contact tracing will help us to move back to normal.
I find the whole rhetoric around ‘I am sick of this, I want my life back but I won’t wear a cloth covering to enable this’ extremely baffling.

Anything else I've missed?

Just the inevitable lack of understanding that some of us just can't wear the fucking things and no it's not just a case of not finding the right one!

For a long time - because they give the illusion that something is being done, even though they are useless.

I find the whole rhetoric around ‘I am sick of this, I want my life back but I won’t wear a cloth covering to enable this’ extremely baffling.

Mask wearing people on here have a rhetoric too,.that you must be happy about wearing a mask it isn't good enough to just wear one.

In this country we were told masks were pointless for months and cases went down without masks, and you don't understand why people are questioning it.