Non mask wearers

[Menora]

I’ve been generally observing in recent weeks since 19th July (and before too really) and the majority of people I see with no mask are men. I noticed for a while in the pandemic that in petrol stations it was men with no masks on, so got me noticing when I am out. Does this seem the same to you?
I am just interested, is this a general view or me being sexist (hope not). I wonder if men feel like they ‘look stupid’ in a mask so less likely to wear one?

What do you think should happen to all these non-conforming men OP?

Viagra prescriptions? Covid infection has been associated with erectile dysfunction in young men.

I am a woman and not wearing one because you have to draw a line somewhere. This virus is not going away, so come this time next month, next year there will still be people walking around in masks, which is ok if you don't feel comfortable, but what the majority of mask wearers seem to misunderstand is that some of us are ready and confident to move on now.

We cannot stay on the safe side forever, we need to make progress, not just stay in limbo. Please allow others to make their personal choice.

Poor guy tired why not let him choose from himself?! The fact he is feeling pressure to wear one, despite your claims of being relaxed about what other people do says it all.

You wear one, let your dh do what he wants, stop judging. It is a free country.

'and the majority of people I see with no mask are men.'

Usually overweight women ime. With tattooes strangely.

I think compulsory mask wearing will be brought back in again. Countries who have been slower to drop all restrictions have been the countries with lower numbers of deaths and cases and with minor restrictions ie masks, have returned to a more normal life sooner.

I am in core central London and most people are rightly unmasked in outdoor settings with fresh air and proximity between people BUT importantly masked when pragmatic and sensible to do so in settings where it is obviously scientifically beneficial. Naturally in indoor and or enclosed private property such as retail, office and shared mass public transportation - it is not only a reasonable and respectful pragmatic risk mitigation measure but reasonable expectation and responsible let alone a legal requirement as set out by controllers of these workplaces to protect themselves as well as lawful visitors or as a condition of carriage.

There should not be the necessity to legally mandate best practice risk mitigation measures as none of us want to drag this pandemic on indefinitely by not implementing easy to do respectful (to self first and foremost) risk mitigation protective measures.

You wear one, let your dh do what he wants, stop judging. It is a free country.

No it isn't. However if that's what you want - a free country - may I suggest FOREST (freedom for smokers organisation). Followed closely by Dignity in Dying - the campaign group for the humane option of assisted suicide (available in other more advanced and progressive countries).

Not just men OP - I don't wear one anywhere its not mandated, and I'm female.

I think compulsory mask wearing will be brought back in again

No chance. Same as lockdowns. There will be zero compliance for either.

@stepupandbecounted

I think compulsory mask wearing will be brought back in again

No chance. Same as lockdowns. There will be zero compliance for either.

Wrong. Sometimes stating something as fact doesn't make it happen however much you wish it would influence people.

Compliance has been high and polls continue to show widespread support for simple and easy mitigation measures like masks.

before people were made to wear masks in shops, hardly anyone did. Maybe 5% or probably less so most of the people who now wear one by choice, didn't wear one before they were made to

I wasn’t asking what people personally do, or the morality of it, it was just an observation and wasn’t sure if it was just where you live that makes a difference - fact is it’s now a choice not a legality and my post was meant to say - I feel like I am observing women choosing to wear masks more than men are.

I am generally interested in human behaviour, it is interesting. You can observe and question things without being judgmental to some extent hence me asking for other people’s observations!

So not what you are doing but those around you, is it different in ages or cities vs towns? I’ve worked the whole pandemic so wasn’t indoors for long periods so had been interested in it since the start.

I would notice I was often the only woman in one particular a petrol station for a very long time, rarely saw other women out and noticed that men would not wear a mask but on the occasion I saw a woman she usually was wearing it.

Shop workers seem mixed, just as many men as women.

But I definitely notice in the majority of shops where I live and work, men seem to not wear masks and more women do

I've.just returned from my first mask free holiday. It was fabulous, I didn't wear.one once. I'm young, slim, female, well educated, no tattoos.. Make of that what you will. I had a scan round Sainsburys when I was in there this afternoon and would say 50% of peop!e were sporting masks but there was no clear demographic.

@stepupandbecounted

Poor guy tired why not let him choose from himself?! The fact he is feeling pressure to wear one, despite your claims of being relaxed about what other people do says it all.

You wear one, let your dh do what he wants, stop judging. It is a free country.

You are making me laugh now. Agree with a PP who says it's the anti -maskers who are weirdly invested - you definitely prove that point. You know zip about me or my DH so please stop projecting. It's a little embarrassing.

I've noticed no trends at all. Was on a packed train a few days ago, less then half of people wore masks. I did, but no one around me did so it was pointless! Supermarket at a quieter time yesterday, about 10% of people wore masks, if that. I didn't bother. I wore one today in the supermarket at a busier time, but probably at least half the people didn't. I don't think there's any trend at all by age or gender and I think within a few weeks mask wearing be extremely low. It's on the way out.

@stepupandbecounted

I don't think it is an emotional response its it is more of a reaction to the hysterical rantings of how 'selfish' and 'dangerous' it is to not wear a mask. Of course it is not selfish to choose to live normally and without fear. Masks are not some magical pass to a covid free life, they are just a scrap of material that are usually worn incorrectly.

I would also add the article was covering the highest performing masks used for surgery and not the scrap of fashion cloth most people wear or there grubby reused a million times blue ones from amazon. Seriously people you are not saving yourself from anything by wearing a mask.

You told people who wear masks to "cling to their life raft" if it makes them feel better.

That's very strong and emotive language.

I don't wear a face mask because I have that level of emotion towards covid. It's just a safety measure for the 30 minutes I'm in a supermarket thats no skin off my nose and may prevent someone catching covid or giving it to me.

I certainly am not clinging to some imaginary life raft 🤣 I've had covid and I'm fully jabbed!

[quote TiredButDancing]@stepupandbecounted I disagree with you re masks helping and y ou are clearly anti-mask etc so I won't engage further on that one. Also, while older children clearly transmit, all the information and research I've seen that younger children do NOT transmit it as easily.

On the people are still vulnerable point - are you being serious? So anyone vulnerable must just stay home forever? Honestly, I don't get that attitude. I agree that there has to be a point at which we can't keep doing epic things to support vulnerable people, but wearing a mask is not that much of a hardship and if it allows a vulnerable person to do their supermarket shopping in person, it's a small sacrifice I am willing to make.[/quote]
👏👏👏 totally agree.

My parents have both had cancer and chemo through this. I'm hyper aware that there is imm7mo compromised people out there who've had to shut away for a year and go through horrid health issues alone.

Wearing a mask for 30 minutes has no effect on my life. But it may make a massive difference to someone else's. So I wear one. Because I'm not a selfish dick.

the majority of people I see with no mask are children who look 10 or younger

I'm flying back to the UK next Wednesday and as soon as I step off the plane and into the terminal building at Gatwick I'll be taking my mask off for good.

There will be very few places where I will wear one after that.

Sorry, meant to add I'm a female

That's very strong and emotive language.

Yes, rather like your ‘because I’m not a selfish dick’ passive aggressive and childish remark.

Not my experience, I am seeing people being extremely careful still. Mind you, it maybe that people wearing masks go to places where other people are likely to wear masks? Or stay outdoors?

I went to the shops this afternoon and it was quite a mixture of people not wearing them, male and female, all ages and sizes, with or without tattoos. Most not wearing them in Next, most wearing them in Waitrose.

Those who continue to wear masks generally just type in a non chalent way about how they'll help and how those vulnerable could be protected or feel safer.

Oh you meant those who are calling people selfish cunts.

Those you got called names and abused in shops when not wearing masks.

Oh yeah the mask people are really nice.

Extract from the Zoe Covid app (Kings College Research Study) suggests masks DO protect you and others, up to 60% and encourages people to continue wearing them.

“Wearing facemasks reduces both your risk of catching COVID and the chance that you will pass it on to other people.

A study involving more than 300,000 people showed that wearing face coverings reduces transmission within communities, in combination with physical distancing.

Data from our US ZOE COVID Study app contributors also shows that wearing a mask reduces your risk of catching COVID-19 by over 60%.

And our study of health workers early in the pandemic showed that those without proper personal protective equipment were five times more likely to get infected.

In short, wearing a mask protects you and the people around you.“