How should masks be enforced in public?

[User158340]

Indoors in general (shops, public transport etc).

I don't believe in making it mandatory because there are people who are genuinely exempt but there's so many piss takers.

There should be 'medically exempt' badges dished out by GP's only, on prescription essentially.

This should have been GP led from the get go, not trusting the British public. We see where that gets us.

@middleager

Morrisons have now announced - like Costco - that customers must wear masks.

Thing is, I was outside my Local Tesco and Coops this week and saw poor mask compliance, despite the signs that masks are mandatory.
I guess the old bouncer on the door is the only way.
There was a Twitter post today about the abuse stores get from some of the Covid deniers and anti-maskers.
I feel for the staff and those who genuinely can't wear masks.

The bouncer at our Morrisons wasn’t wearing one the other day

The thing that amazes me about the UK is how unhealthy and obviously traumatized everyone is with a variety of mental health conditions that prevent wearing a mask. If you go to Japan or China they must have very good health and mental health because mask compliance is so high even when there isn't covid. Either that or we have a country of people looking to break and bend the rules at every opportunity which I think is more likely.

Im sure there are lots of doorstaff who are not working in the local nightclubs or bars, get a few of them on the big supermarket chains doors

They are trained to deal with these people who are just being awkward and dangerous and trained to help those who are infact legitimate.

There are plenty of ways to stop it if the government wanted to,,they just dont want to.

I have had a think. Maybe we all need to wear a mask and it’s simply too much of a risk if someone doesn’t. That means anyone with a condition preventing them from wearing one will have to stay home and make other arrangements. Threats to safety are just too great.

That also means that the parents of young children and babies must either put masks on them or also stay away. Why should your kids put the public at risk just because they’re too young to wear masks or because masks are you so dangerous? So they can also stay home.

If you don’t think the above is fair then please for the love of god STFU with your ableist nonsense about people faking conditions to get out of mask-wearing and telling them they can’t go out. If you wouldn’t tell someone with a baby or toddler to put a mask over the baby’s face, don’t get involved in opining on people’s right to go out.

There's no physically safe way to keep a mask on a baby which is why it's over 2s in most countries. Babies are also most likely confined to the trolley or pram so easy to stay 2m from.

There is no physical safe way to keep a mask on some adults either. Under 2s are not unique to that. The baby or child being kept 2m away relies on the parent doing that which some don't. I have experienced that myself when pushing my disabled teenager in his wheelchair on paths. Some parents don't care.
The point is that if it unsafe for adults to be in it is also unsafe for babies and young children as well. If you want no exemptions then it should be no exemptions.

@wixked

There's no physically safe way to keep a mask on a baby which is why it's over 2s in most countries. Babies are also most likely confined to the trolley or pram so easy to stay 2m from.

There's no physically safe way to keep a mask on me, either, but apparently I should just wear one or stay at home.

What's the difference exactly?

I do think it would be helpful if there was some sort of official letter or card

My daughter is exempt. She wears a mask for as long as she can tolerate one because of dickheads who think it is ok to abuse and insult her (a child) if she’s not wearing one

I mean, it’s ok at the moment, I guess . She’s not going anywhere as she can’t physically leave the house without having a panic attack

I bought her a Hidden Disabilities lanyard in the faint hope that people would see it and realise she was exempt, but anyone can order one from their website.

It is not the exempt person’s fault that other idiots are refusing to wear a mask

Can we please stop it with this idea that people who can't wear masks are obnoxious and abusive when challenged.

Those who can't wear a mask are almost always polite and apologetic about it. Many will wear some kind of badge to that effect.

Those who won't wear a mask however are the ones who tend to get aggressive about it.

Badges are really helpful. It doesn't need to be an official one, most of the "won't" people aren't going to go to the trouble of making/buying/printing one.

I'd also like to point out that merely having x condition isn't on its own an exemption. It only counts if you would be caused severe distress.

Staff in shops have no choice but to be there as they need to earn a living, people who can’t/won’t wear a mask have the choice to shop online or access help.

How is it fair that shop staff are given no choice in the matter? What if the shop staff are vulnerable? Are they just supposed to have no income or reduced income on furlough?

The problem is people refusing to view things from anything other than their own perspective.

@wixked

There's no physically safe way to keep a mask on a baby which is why it's over 2s in most countries. Babies are also most likely confined to the trolley or pram so easy to stay 2m from.

Toddlers are not always confined to prams and often run about touching things. It’s also equally easy to stay 2 m away from an adult who can’t wear a mask as it is to stay 2 m away from a pram.

If it’s no exemptions at all for mask-wearing then I’m afraid parents of very young children need to make alternative arrangements for shopping to keep us all safe 🤷‍♀️

Oh sorry, I forgot, that’s DiFfeRenT.

@reformedcharacters

Staff in shops have no choice but to be there as they need to earn a living, people who can’t/won’t wear a mask have the choice to shop online or access help.

How is it fair that shop staff are given no choice in the matter? What if the shop staff are vulnerable? Are they just supposed to have no income or reduced income on furlough?

The problem is people refusing to view things from anything other than their own perspective.

Parents who take young kids without masks also have the option of online shopping and making alternative arrangements. Probably won’t be that popular if it’s suggested though but apparently it’s fine to pick on disabled people. Mainly this is, like you say, people only view things from their own perspectives and can’t see the problem with just telling people to stay home as it doesn’t affect them. When it does affect them because for example they are told to put a mask on their young child who would be very distressed by that, their tune will change.

And the women who have a “certain look” (in my own personal experience) have been from the travelling community. I always challenge anyone not wearing a mask in a shop or garage (unless they are wearing an exemption lanyard), if these people are not challenged they will think it’s ok and it is most definitely not.

Sheesh the bigots are out in force today. I guess at least you’re honest about it 🤷‍♀️

People are not required to wear a lanyard so unless you work there stop challenging others.

@Wishing14

I think 99% of people aren’t using masks correctly anyways and they’re probably doing more harm than good. I don’t see how taking off and putting on the same dirty mask over and over again whilst out and about is really doing much good at all.

Test it out. Get two people to stand really close and sneeze in your face. one with a mask. It's not a perfect test, but I'm betting you could tell the difference.

Nobody is ‘picking’ on disabled people in fact many ‘disabled’ people are employed in retail but apparently it’s ok to put them at risk coz you know it’s not fair. I have a lot more reason than most to claim exemption but I don’t.

I am really not sure I can see the difference between not mask wearing right now at the peak and driving while partially sighted because it is the only way you can work/travel etc.

Disability discrimination has never been about allowing people with a disability to endanger others (or even themselves). It is about equal access where practical and possible.

Supermarket shopping in person is just not essential. If you cannot wear a mask, there are plenty of other ways of getting shopping.

Every non mask wearer makes it harder and harder for elderly and vulnerable people to enjoy their lives.

The exemption argument is the battle cry of the anti-maskers, anti-vaxers indeed they revel in stands off with the police and security when confronted. This is one such person always spoiling for a fight to prove a point and they are word perfect on the rules. So basically unenforceable as they currently stand sadly.

Make it clear it is face coverings, so a scarf, a snook or a visor is acceptable. Have a priority queue for those who find it difficult to wear one for long periods of time. Make the transparent ones more widely available. Expand click and collect so those who find it difficult can only have to wear one for a minute or two, or have it brought to them outside.

Germans have no difficulty and I cannot see that their health is that much better than ours.

"If you cannot wear a mask, there are plenty of other ways of getting shopping."

Do you agree that applies to children and babies too?

Something certainly needs to be done about 20/30 year old labourers, builders, etc. They obviously think they're exempt as there's a steady stream of them in and out of our local shops buying their bacon baps, sandwiches, pies, etc, not a mask in sight.

@reformedcharacters

Staff in shops have no choice but to be there as they need to earn a living, people who can’t/won’t wear a mask have the choice to shop online or access help.

How is it fair that shop staff are given no choice in the matter? What if the shop staff are vulnerable? Are they just supposed to have no income or reduced income on furlough?

The problem is people refusing to view things from anything other than their own perspective.

There are also some small shop owners who are excluded from the govt support schemes, so they have no choice but to stay open and hope for the best. We have a couple of ladies in our village who run a small bakery/pie shop. They're both vulnerable healthwise, but aren't eligible for the SEISS scheme, so if they don't stay open, they will go bust. They have almost daily battles with customers to try to enforce the "one customer in the shop at a time" rule and the mask rules. They've had to ban a lot of twats who wouldn't wait outside for their orders to be prepared.

I don’t really see the issue with my comment. Most people I know keep a mask in their pocket or shoved in a bag somewhere simply because we have to wear them. I find it very hard to believe that everybody has a medical grade mask or keeps a never ending supply of sanitised ones in a carefully sealed sandwich bag on them at all times ready to change them every 20 minutes or whatever the arbitrary time is before you spontaneously combust and scatter covid particles across the universe.

@Ilovemypantry I've reported your post.