Sainsbury's and Tesco have joined the bookseller, Waterstones, which has said customers should wear masks to protect staff and other shoppers.

[UndercoverToad]

Good.

@MurielSpriggs

I wonder (idly, because it's not going to happen) whether if one supermarket broke ranks and said customers must (not should) wear masks they would get a competitive advantage from people who are pro-mask flocking there?

Would it outweigh business lost from those who wouldn't go, or got turned away?

(How this could be enforced, and how exemptions would be managed are also problematic!)

I would not flock to Asda, Lidl or Aldi, whatever rules were in place

@Fangsalot89

You are divisive in your very nature towards people who will not be wearing masks.

There are divisive people on both “sides” of those camps.

I prefer people who are more tolerant and have a live and let live nature. Each to their own really and I find anyone who judges another person based on their mask wearing or non mask wearing quite….. sad.

I haven't seen any conclusive scientific evidence that masks are worth the pollution they are causing

This reminds me of schoolchildren objecting to worksheets on the grounds that they “destroy the environment, Miss. All those trees!”

@borntobequiet

I haven't seen any conclusive scientific evidence that masks are worth the pollution they are causing

This reminds me of schoolchildren objecting to worksheets on the grounds that they “destroy the environment, Miss. All those trees!”

Though to fair in that case there is evidence that they do some good

[quote UndercoverToad]@bumbleymummy and if you are going to ‘lump under an umbrella’ my school age DD has been thriving, had an outstanding end of year reports and has learnt a great deal of compassion over the past year. So perhaps you are ‘assuming’ to fit your rhetoric. Her mental health has certainly not suffered.[/quote]
she must be one of the few kids that is thriving then !! most have had nigh on 2 years of broken education , periods of isolation ,unable to see their friends and many have suffered with mental health problems ,

@MyFirstMyLastMyEverythingBagel

Absolutely. I am also amazed at the speed in which people can be conditioned. Fascinating.

@MyFirstMyLastMyEverythingBagel

Its like Stockholm Syndrome. People have been conditioned and now the rules are being taken away they are begging for them back. I am happy to be corrected but I haven't seen any conclusive scientific evidence that masks are worth the pollution they are causing. I will not be wearing mine, I am expecting it to feel strange at first.

The BBC have even said that there is little evidence that they will prevent the spread of infection, but that they act as a very visible reminder to us all that there is a pandemic. I’d honestly rather wear a sticker stating that I’m aware of this fact than normalise or prolong the use of masks.

I hope shops won't abandon hand sanitiser. I think handwashing and sanitising has been every bit as beneficial as masks, but masks are easier to pick on because they are visible.

When Addenbrooke's hospital upgraded to FFP3 masks, it saw a dramatic fall in staff catching covid. Some masks do protect the wearer. Maybe if the government made this more widely known and increases testing in this area so that ppl can take responsibility for their own safety, there would be a lot less bickering.

www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/upgrading-ppe-for-staff-working-on-covid-19-wards-cut-hospital-acquired-infections-dramatically

I will be wearing my FFP3 and simply ask that others allow me to do so without judgement or harassment and respect my attempts to social distance. If you see someone wearing a mask why not assume they have good reason to be cautious and give them space.

Anti-viral masks are also now available to an extent. It would be good to see some testing on the protection these actually offer.

www.itv.com/news/central/2021-03-12/covid-face-mask-that-kills-coronavirus-could-be-available-to-the-public-soon
brilliantmasks.co.uk/

@Chillychangchoo “Live and let live” 😂

@Fangsalot89

Oh dear. You’re one of those people who can’t accept their own mortality aren’t you?

I don’t know if anyone’s told you this but….we’re all going to die.

[quote Chillychangchoo]@Fangsalot89

Oh dear. You’re one of those people who can’t accept their own mortality aren’t you?

I don’t know if anyone’s told you this but….we’re all going to die.[/quote]
It doesn't matter as long as it's not of covid, remember?!

@LucilleTheVampireBat

Absolutely. As long as it’s not covid, I’ll die happy .

@Chillychangchoo Wow, so insightful. 🤣

@Fangsalot89

You said it .

Try not to be spitting too many feathers on Monday, you’ll give yourself a heart attack. It’s not healthy 👍.

UndercoverToad:
33000 children are suffering with long Covid and that figure is rising
10 to 20% of those who get Covid - even mildly - suffer long Covid

Is there a source for this utter shite you are spreading?

The only link I can find is the Guardian (the Mail in reverse) so I expect we can dispose of that with a simple question ...

How many of these 33,000 / 10-20% have been professionally screened for Long Covid, and how many have been gleaned from self-reporting?

[quote Chillychangchoo]@Fangsalot89

You said it .

Try not to be spitting too many feathers on Monday, you’ll give yourself a heart attack. It’s not healthy 👍.[/quote]
Is that really necessary?

Problem is, I think most masks the general public wear are pretty useless. I’ve got a stash of cheap ones & they gape at the sides, aren’t all that secure on my face. I read some article that said the masks I wear (that plenty of others do too) are about 5% effective 🙈 but they are the only ones that don’t steam up my glasses, probably because my breath just goes out the sides instead!

@ilovesooty

@Fangsalot89 has hardly debated in a sophisticated manner, so I have simply reciprocated her responses further up the thread.

If that offends you, then that’s your problem.

[quote Chillychangchoo]@MyFirstMyLastMyEverythingBagel

Absolutely. I am also amazed at the speed in which people can be conditioned. Fascinating.[/quote]
You mean people reading the scientific evidence and coming to a reasonable conclusion about following the scientific evidence and retaining masks?

As opposed to the Telegraph readers' perspective of people not wanting to wear masks mainly because it doesn't feel nice and they can't be bothering doing something that will help other people remain well?*

• with valid exceptions for people who are exempt for other reasons of course

@Chillychangchoo 🤣
@ilovesooty No it’s not necessary but she’s insufferable and thinks masks are a joking matter so let her crack on ☺️

I think it's a good idea. We'll always have the mask avoiders but hopefully this will make the majority of responsible people be sensible in crowded indoor shops.

@Chillychangchoo It’s not a race to the bottom but I’m happy to concede 😉

Very good news though, I do shop quite a bit in Waitrose, John Lewis, Aldi & Tesco, so very reassuring.

And it's another reason to support Waterstones.

I don't think it's a good idea.
Big companies making announcements?

I'm struggling with this. Dh works for a huge company, think BT or British Gas, and they've said that mask wearing will continue.

I'm struggling to understand how they can get away with this legally, employment law wise, seeing as the Government have said it's not compulsory.