Supermarket refuses service without mask

[torn2020]

The supermarket in my small town has taken the decision to refuse entry to anyone without a mask, even if they're exempt/carrying a card/wearing a lanyard etc. Apparently the exemption cards "were being abused".

Judging from comments on the local Facebook group, there's overwhelming support for this.

I'm horrified/disgusted at the overt discrimination and lack of empathy. Would say I'll boycott but actually have no choice since I'm unable to wear a mask (due to PTSD from being choked and strangled as a child, for those who like to jump in and say I should just put up with it for a 5 min shop). Apparently mask exempt people "don't have the right to just go wherever they want".

AIBU at despairing at humanity just a little bit more today?

As I said early on in this thread, hairdressers and sports massage therapists effectively say no mask = no entry.

My hairdresser didn’t ask me to wear a mask.

It would still be discriminatory to say no mask no entry to someone with a genuine reason not to wear one.

It is definitely being abused in my area. I say this as a parent of a child with SEN who has used a sunflower lanyard fairly regularly during train trips, shopping trips, on the bus etc, long before COVID. On our school run, a normal state school, I would say a good half of the parents are now wearing lanyards. There were none a week ago, but the head has now decided that masks during pick up and drop of are mandatory, as no one was social distancing at all. I'm sorry, but there can't be that many people who need them, given that the amount of years that we've had one, I've never seen another person with one.

It is so frustrating that the sunflower lanyards are now being effectively watered down, if that makes sense. People who genuinely need them, for other purposes as well as regarding masks, are now being treated with suspicion. I have long said that they need to only be allowed to be issued by medical professionals or certain charities involved with the person needing one. Unfortunately, being available for general sale has destroyed their meaning, to the detriment of disabled people who have relied on them.

@PhilCornwall1 yes i think it will get worse too. After this is over people need to vote with their purse/wallet

@PurpleDaisies

As I said early on in this thread, hairdressers and sports massage therapists effectively say no mask = no entry.

My hairdresser didn’t ask me to wear a mask.

It would still be discriminatory to say no mask no entry to someone with a genuine reason not to wear one.

I know practitioners who say NO too. When you also see people who are vulnerable to Covid, they have to make choices about who they are going to protect. Some lve in fear of becoming a hot spot/have to close doors for 2 weeks and have no income. Some are worried about bringing the virus back home and infect vulnerable people in their own families. So they are choosing their customers, just like they would chose to avoid certain type of clients (like who don’t turn up).

@PurpleDaisies

As I said early on in this thread, hairdressers and sports massage therapists effectively say no mask = no entry.

My hairdresser didn’t ask me to wear a mask.

It would still be discriminatory to say no mask no entry to someone with a genuine reason not to wear one.

I think it would be more likely to be justifiable in a hairdresser due to the lack of other mitigation measures possible.

Get yourself a plastic face shield instead

Having a proper way to prove exemption (a card issued only by GPs) would enable cracking down on mask refusers while ensuring that people who genuinely can't wear masks can carry on being part of society.

No, this is not like wearing a star in Nazi Germany because simply by wearing a mask you are marking yourself out as unable to, unless you actually think it's a good thing that people are just not wearing them even though they have no proper reason not to because they muddy the waters?

So there needs to be an exemption card issued by the GP surgery to avoid the problems.
So people would be fine with that ? Do you think that would stop abuse from random strangers .?
I have a card for my ds that his teacher gave me . It's just a council one that I carry but I don't flash it round for anyone to see whatever they may think or not think .
I'd hope they have the sense to see why .
If a member of staff asked of course id show but not some random person and they wouldn't ask anyway .
If your that kind of person to give abuse you think the worse anyway.
My son is different people have always stared so I'm not going to start giving a fuck now what people think .
I actually pity people that have had a life so rosey they don't understand that everyday things are so difficult for others and you actually would like to make it more difficult for the disabled.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Having a proper way to prove exemption (a card issued only by GPs) would enable cracking down on mask refusers while ensuring that people who genuinely can't wear masks can carry on being part of society.

No, this is not like wearing a star in Nazi Germany because simply by wearing a mask you are marking yourself out as unable to, unless you actually think it's a good thing that people are just not wearing them even though they have no proper reason not to because they muddy the waters?

I have never seen someone who is exempt say that they would have a problem with being issued with an official exemption card to show to shop staff, bus drivers, etc. I have seen plenty of people insist that this isn't good enough, as they would not know that a person is genuinely exempt and that a badge/lanyard must be officially issued and worn. There is plenty of evidence that wearing badges/lanyards does nothing to stop abuse, harrasment and intimidation. It really has become blindingly obvious that many people would only be happy if people who can not wear masks (again, CAN NOT, not WILL NOT) are forbidden to leave their homes.

@madcatladyforever

It is being abused, just excuse after excuse. Do people think covid-19 is a joke? I didn't think it was funny last time I saw someone with it die.

Strangely enough no, people who are exempt (often with conditions which make them more vulnerable to Covid) don't think Covid is a joke.

Why would you think that?

@mrsbyers

Get yourself a plastic face shield instead

I think this is the fourth time this has been mentioned on this thread alone.

Many people who are exempt cannot tolerate a shield, either.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Having a proper way to prove exemption (a card issued only by GPs) would enable cracking down on mask refusers while ensuring that people who genuinely can't wear masks can carry on being part of society.

No, this is not like wearing a star in Nazi Germany because simply by wearing a mask you are marking yourself out as unable to, unless you actually think it's a good thing that people are just not wearing them even though they have no proper reason not to because they muddy the waters?

I've asked this countless times on this thread but nobody has acknowledged it - what about those whose exemption isn't on medical grounds?

GPs have thousands of patients and they wouldn't know who can and cannot tolerate a mask. The most they could do is check to see if someone has one of the listed conditions that may make them exempt. I suspect that there would be moaning that too many people have exemption cards and of course there would be people who won't have an listed exemption condition but still cannot wear a mask.

Being with someone who is lip reading is an exemption.

How are you going to prove you need to lip read?

@torn2020 I am horrified by this. I know you have probably stopped reading, but I just want to say that I totally support your and other people who are exempt right to enter any shop without wearing a mask.

I work in retail and if someone isn't wearing a mask or wearing one incorrectly I ensure I step back 2m from the start of our interaction. If they try to close the gap I explain that I am keeping a 2m gap as they don't have a mask on and ask them to respect that. Some don't like this but I'm perfectly polite and honestly don't care what they think/feel about it. I don't mind people with a mask getting a bit closer if it's just a quick question or if they are asking something as they pass by.

PennyDreadfuI PTSD is a medical ground. What exemption isn't on medical grounds (which covers psychiatric and psychological diagnoses and relevant disabilities).

It is actually illegal..they may well find they are sued. If i lived there i would take great pleasure in suing them for this.

@Burpeesshmurpees

Are there non medical exemptions? I can't think of any reasons off the top of my head that wouldn't be related to health either physical or mental? But I'm not exempt do maybe I'm lacking I imagination...

Domestic violence, for one.

There's also the fact that many survivors of rape/DV have not or cannot talk to anyone about their trauma, even a GP.

Also, I strongly suspect that anti-exempt types would still say those with official exemption cards are taking the piss. I can just see the threads on MN now - 'She told the GP she suffered anxiety when she put a mask on and I know for a FACT that there's nothing wrong with her. AIBU to report her?'

Given the number of people who think that people claiming disability benefits are scrounging malingerers, do you honestly see this being a solution?

@voodoomamajuju

I work in retail and if someone isn't wearing a mask or wearing one incorrectly I ensure I step back 2m from the start of our interaction. If they try to close the gap I explain that I am keeping a 2m gap as they don't have a mask on and ask them to respect that. Some don't like this but I'm perfectly polite and honestly don't care what they think/feel about it. I don't mind people with a mask getting a bit closer if it's just a quick question or if they are asking something as they pass by.

I would be perfectly happy with this.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

PennyDreadfuI PTSD is a medical ground. What exemption isn't on medical grounds (which covers psychiatric and psychological diagnoses and relevant disabilities).

DV, for one.