Surely shops aren't allowed to do this?

[AntFarm]

Our local post office/store has got a sign up outside stating that everyone entering must wear a mask and that exempt people must show proof of exemption before entering. It then goes on to list proof of exemption as :

A doctor's note on headed paper
Exemption letter from DWP
Hidden disabilities exemption card

If you cannot wear a mask and do not have any of these then you are not allowed to enter. They have, so generously, said that children under the age of 11 do not need to show proof.

I am not exempt, neither is anyone in my family, and we all happily wear masks no problem. It just doesn't seem right or fair that someone should have to show medical or personal documents to someone in a shop!

@Vodkacranberryplease you conflate disability with risk from CV19. some exempt people are more at risk, sure. but a great many are no more at risk than anyone else in the general population. ASD, PTSD, TN, deafness, amputees who can't get a mask on or off, people with arm paralysis etc etc.
and even those who are more at risk, if they CANNOT tolerate the mask, then they can't and they should be left alone to get on with their lives as best they can without being harangued and discriminated against.

Owl I'm not conflating anything. Your son is no doubt physically strong and heathy. But he's not immune to it and going everywhere without a mask with lots of people also going everywhere without a mask = more risk.

He can't wear one but it's better for him if others do. If they are people who don't because they don't care then they go everywhere not caring. I doubt they are behaving as safely as you. So you need your son to be able to not wear a mask - but you need others to have to if they can. And if there's no rule then you are relying on the common sense and decency of others.

But the decent ones with common sense are wearing masks without there being a rule. It's the ones without either that are a risk for lots of reasons. I'm not sure why that simple fact is being disablist or is offensive. It's a simple fact. Anyway does this local post office not know you? Could you not speak to them? Instead of getting upset?

People get emotional when they see people not wearing masks because that means greater risk for them. So your harassing is their fear. They are worried about getting it. I didnt make that rule up and it's nothing to do with being disabled or not. Masks protect other people. That's why that post office wants to try and enforce that rule - because they are scared and do not want other customers getting ill.

Everyone in that village might be fine but you could have visitors from a nearby city who have it - caught from a night out 4 days earlier where no one was wearing masks. If they then go into a central hub like the post office also without masks because that's ok then they could pass it to anyone there.

This isn't as I have said a thousand times a move of spite in their part. They gave nothing to gain. They are not trying to discriminate against anyone. THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY SAFE. If they don't they could be sued.

Anyway I can see this isn't sinking in. So you carry on being pissed off and write to the Boss of Post Offices and report them and boycott them or whatever. Maybe they will be forced to close because of your actions. Will that be a good outcome for you and your son? At least then there won't be any 'discrimination' going on.

Because the alternative seems to be no one has to wear a mask ever but we are all safe. And that others should know just by looking that your son is exempt or should ever say anything to those not wearing masks because 100% they are not because they can't. I don't say anything anyway to non mask wearers so this isn't my problem.

They are not trying to discriminate against anyone. THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY SAFE. If they don't they could be sued.

And if they carry on refusing entry and demanding proof as they are they are discriminating and could be sued.

They are not trying to discriminate against anyone. THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY SAFE. If they don't they could be sued.

They can be sued under the equalities act for discrimination against those unable to wear masks because of disabilities.

If they have unsafe work practices the HSE can shut them down but they will not be successfully sued by anyone for allowing people in without a mask because people are allowed in shops without a mask.

You are the one that brought up sueing.

@Vodkacranberryplease

Sue away. Not my circus not my monkeys.

I wear a mask that protects me as well as others, do not comment to those who aren't, and have zero interest in this topic apart from trying to point out the lack of logic. You want to froth at the mouth go ahead. You want the right to breathe the air of everyone crack on.

The reality is that people like me who buy proper masks (which ARE proven) and wash their hands and don't touch stuff and limit the types of places they go to and doesn't have any respiratory illness or compromised immune system are probably going to be fine. Maybe not. But probably.

If the rest of you want to scream and shout instead of enjoying the few pleasures this shitty disease has left us with then that's your choice. I can't be arsed caring about it, if you want the right to be at risk great. I'm sure it will all be fine anyway. Personally I think you should take a step back and work out how to get around this/make the most of what you can but I appreciate that's not a popular approach on MN where no one wants solutions.

They want to be offended and distraught and to report things and for anyone who does something they think is wrong to be sued. Because the world is one big school and the motto is Tell An Adult! And 'this is just wrong!' and 'they shouldn't be allowed to do that!' So fair enough. Sue, shout, rant, whatever. Your perogative.

I can’t wear a mask.

The law allows me an exemption.

It’s not about enjoying a pleasure - I am allowed to go food shopping. The law allows me.

If you don’t like that take It up with Boris. Or Dominic.

"Sue, shout, rant, whatever. Your perogative."

Yours too it seems.

@Vodkacranberryplease we are wearing masks. This is about those who are not able to being able to go about their daily lives. I don’t know where you have got the idea that people defending those who can’t wear masks aren’t wearing masks themselves.

It’s similar to vaccination. There are some people that for very good reasons can’t be immunised. The rest of us choose to do it partly to protect ourselves but also to maintain the herd immunity that protects those that can’t. It would be wrong to confine people who can’t be immunised through no fault of their own to their homes.

It isn’t as if people who can’t wear masks are any more likely to be rampant spreaders of covid anyway. They are still able to wash hands and socially distance. I give anyone without a mask on a wider berth to help them with this.

@Vodkacranberryplease you appear to disagree with the protective anti discrimination legislation in this country. Which is hard for me to understand as I view it as a marker of a decent, caring society.

I’m not upset, distraught, angry or any of your over the top language. I’m simply pointing out that being at greater risk of covid and being exempt from wearing a mask are not the same.
It’s not my OP, it’s not my PO because it’s not my post. My PO is staffed by sensible humans who realise that it’s not their job to police mask wearers.
I understand people are worried, I understand the frustration of those who just can’t be bothered. But none of those things mean that businesses can ask for proof because the law doesn’t allow that.
It’s ableist because by asking for proof that doesn’t exist you are going to be discriminating mostly against those who aren’t able to wear them. Those who are just being annoying can just chuck one on and go in, but it’s those genuinely unable who won’t be able to use the service. That’s ableist.

This isn't as I have said a thousand times a move of spite in their part. They gave nothing to gain. They are not trying to discriminate against anyone. THEY ARE TRYING TO STAY SAFE. If they don't they could be sued.

You seem incapable of understanding that whether they mean to discriminate or not is irrelevant. There's also no situation where a Post Office could be sued for failing to breach the Equality Act.

I don’t know where you have got the idea that people defending those who can’t wear masks aren’t wearing masks themselves

Because she cant think critically.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/cotswold-outdoor-newcastle-face-mask-18839228

It's ok though, because they weren't trying to discriminate, and the kid should've just taken a step back and looked for a solution instead of being all offended and distraught.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/asda-shuts-after-eight-staff-caught-covid-amid-overcrowding-claims/ar-BB18Awic

Asda where after eight staff caught Covid amid 'overcrowding' claims

Oh look, another thread about mask exemptions which has descended into a nasty ableist bunfight.

Some of the posters here would no doubt applaud the man who came right up to my face in a shop on Sunday and hissed through his mask 'I thought I could smell stinking disease breath'.

This sort of thing happens almost every time I go out. It's usually the men make who comments (although they don't when I'm with DH, interestingly). Women go in for filthy looks and disapproving head shakes.

In answer to the OP - what the post office has done is discriminatory and goes against government guidelines, which clearly state that proof of exemption is not required.

No 'proof' exists anyway.

There are 14m disabled people in the UK, many of whom will be exempt. Added to that, there are millions with neurological conditions such as Trigeminal Neuralgia (my exemption). Then there are the many survivors of rape/DV who live with PTSD. And all of those are before you even begin to consider those with breathing issues/asthma/COPD. Oh, and you can add akin conditions to the list too.

So - this 'tiny minority' some people imagine are exempt actually runs into the many millions. Not really surprising that you might see 10, 20 or even more maskless people while you're at a large supermarket/shopping centre.

Don't gleefully quote the intolerant rules of other countries - it's not a Good Thing that some places are discriminatory. And some of the countries mentioned on this thread as having a zero tolerance policy on facemasks actually do have exemptions anyway.

This thread has gone exactly the way all threads like this do on here. The only surprise is that nobody has 'helpfully' suggested visors for those who can't wear masks. Only a matter of time, though, I suspect.

*skin conditions

I actually dint think we have any idea how many people genuinely can’t wear a mask.
Being disabled (which. I am) doesn’t mean you can’t wear a mask.
Some people who have been raped/PTSD can wear a mask.
And then others who don’t fall into those category and have no SN normallly can’t (like a. good friend of mime)

Which is why the current system is an issue.
Some people use it as a power trip (like the men you are talking about)
Some people let their fears take over. I know seing anyone Wo a mask makes me feel unsafe.
Some people are just judgemental and have always been.

Instead of hoping people will change, it would be easier to change the system so it’s not as easy to cheat.

Change WHAT system There isnt one There are guidelines which you obviously need to familiar yourself with.

Err... that’s the whole point. There is NO system, only guidelines that people decide to follow or not, some with great care and going way over those guidelines whilst others go the other way.

"Instead of hoping people will change, it would be easier to change the system so it’s not as easy to cheat."

So what would that system be?

If someone cannot control themselves enough to stop harassing other people, they shouldn't be allowed out.

Someone hissing at you could be shut down by wearing a badge and a very loud 'don't you dare abuse me, I can not wear a mask and am exempt!'

In France, people who are exempt dont have a badge. But they have a letter of exemption that you produce if anyone is asking you why you don’t have a mask.
It’s easy. There is no discussion and people can be polite about it.
You also avoid those on a power trip or judging because you know someone can ask about it (security at the entrance of the shop, controller in a train) and you never have that feeling that someone has got away with it because they are a good enough lier.