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Original poster

Just been to M and S - then Tesco

216 replies

leafygarden42 · 06/08/2021 16:19

and noticed that very few people are wearing masks. I know you don't have to etc etc but I thought that these shops were 'encouraging' people to wear them.

In M and S out of around 12 staff that I saw, only one was wearing a mask.

I felt like a bit of a weirdo for wearing one Confused -

OP posts:
QueenofKattegat · 07/08/2021 13:32

Glad to see that someone's busted out "I'm alright Jack" in this thread. I was worried it had disappeared but thankfully it's been trotted out. When selfish doesn't have the desired effect, chuck in I'm alright Jack. It's a winner.

AbsolutelyPatsy · 07/08/2021 13:33

@Againstmachine
i think the shops do care but their hands are tied, but there is no persuading you

AbsolutelyPatsy · 07/08/2021 13:33

is it @QueenofKattegat

i dont think there is any winning going on here

TheGenealogist · 07/08/2021 13:37

@AbsolutelyPatsy

seems idiotic not to wear one when advised. be a rule breaker, dont give a toss about others.
There is lots of government advice that people don't follow.

Don't smoke.
Don't drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
Stay at home when really heavy snow is predicted.
Don't eat blue cheese or pate when you're pregnant.
Get a flu jab if you're over 60.
Recycle your rubbish instead of putting it in the bin.

People are free to follow the recommendations, or disregard them if they wish. It's just advice. Masks are currently being advised. That means people are free to wear them, or not wear them.

Whatever your personal feelings on mask wearing, they are NOT breaking rules and are perfectly free not to wear a mask.

Sleepyquest · 07/08/2021 13:59

I was on mat leave @bunnybuggs fwiw on no pay as I was too scared to leave my baby in a childcare setting/couldn't as I wasn't a key worker.
I think we should wear masks for the next couple of years. It is no hardship and could protect many people's health.
Just because you've had 2 jabs, doesn't mean you're invincible.
And yes we stayed at home to protect the NHS as it was overwhelmed by the over 60s catching covid and needing intensive care. Obviously there were some younger people too but the majority were older hence why they were offered the vaccine first and you know it.

JudesBiggestFan · 07/08/2021 14:01

I've been out a lot in the past week. I've really noticed the lack of masks. Bowling alley, soft play, trampoline park, restaurants...barely any on show. Supermarkets a bit more split but all the time it feels like fewer people. I've stopped wearing mine. After my son caught covid and not one of the four other of us living in the house caught it a couple of weeks ago...chances of catching it in a public place seem very low. Never really believed a bit of fabric over the mouth made a blind bit of difference but did as I was told. It was all about reassurance/optics. Hugely relieved that life is feeling more normal and relaxed. God bless the vaccine!

TheGenealogist · 07/08/2021 14:12

I think we should wear masks for the next couple of years. It is no hardship and could protect many people's health.

On you go then. Nobody stopping you. For a lot of people however it IS a hardship and in England, they are exercising their legal right not to.

It's just like saying obesity is a big issue and everyone should go on a diet and walk 10k steps every day. Yes they should. But they are under no legal obligation to do so.

Againstmachine · 07/08/2021 14:24

@Againstmachine
i think the shops do care but their hands are tied, but there is no persuading you

Nope shops have put a sign up, they don't really care.

I'm not the one obsessed with how many people in shops are wearing masks.

herecomesthsun · 07/08/2021 14:40

@TheGenealogist

I think we should wear masks for the next couple of years. It is no hardship and could protect many people's health.

On you go then. Nobody stopping you. For a lot of people however it IS a hardship and in England, they are exercising their legal right not to.

It's just like saying obesity is a big issue and everyone should go on a diet and walk 10k steps every day. Yes they should. But they are under no legal obligation to do so.

Obesity however doesn't go on to make other people unwell in the same way as a very infectious novel disease which has killed over 100,000 people in the UK in the past year?
kowari · 07/08/2021 17:32

[quote Againstmachine]@Againstmachine
i think the shops do care but their hands are tied, but there is no persuading you

Nope shops have put a sign up, they don't really care.

I'm not the one obsessed with how many people in shops are wearing masks.[/quote]
I was followed by a security guard in Sainsburys today. Most people were in masks, I wasn't. That's the only reason I can think of. I was just a woman in my thirties, alone.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 07/08/2021 18:19

In most supermarkets I notice the customers are wearing masks but many staff are not, especially on the checkouts.

PopcornMuncher · 07/08/2021 19:55

I think we should wear masks for the next couple of years. It is no hardship and could protect many people's health.

You mean it's no hardship FOR YOU. You don't get to decide what is and isn't a hardship for others

AbsolutelyPatsy · 07/08/2021 19:59

i was followed in Lakeland, i was wearing a mask
they must have mistaken me for a thief!

i left

herecomesthsun · 07/08/2021 20:10

@PopcornMuncher

I think we should wear masks for the next couple of years. It is no hardship and could protect many people's health.

You mean it's no hardship FOR YOU. You don't get to decide what is and isn't a hardship for others

That was a point of view and a reasonable one.

No one is enforcing it on the point of death are they?

It is still kind, courteous and sensible to try and protect the vulnerable (indoors etc)

essentialhealing · 07/08/2021 20:17

I went to B&Q earlier and at least half the customers weren't wearing masks. None of the staff that I saw were wearing masks even the one's on the tills

I wasn't wearing a mask and it felt bloody brilliant. Double jabbed and getting on with life!

PopcornMuncher · 07/08/2021 20:26

No one is enforcing it on the point of death are they?

No, they're just calling you bolshy and selfish if you don't do what they want Hmm

QueenofKattegat · 07/08/2021 20:35

@AbsolutelyPatsy

is it *@QueenofKattegat*

i dont think there is any winning going on here

Oh have a day off 🤣
DameAlyson · 07/08/2021 21:43

you have to wear one on public transport

Depends where you are. In London you have to wear one on the buses and tube and some trains. Round here, not London, station announcements say wear one if your train is busy, which they mostly aren't. I didn't see any notices about wearing one on the bus the other day, so I didn't.

Local Co-op says 'feel free to wear a mask'. I feel equally free not to. As of this week, they've removed the one way system markers from the floor, so I assume they're not that bothered.

If a shop specifically says 'please wear a mask in our shop', I will if I need to go into that shop. But I'll probably shop elsewhere if I have a choice.

thickandfast · 08/08/2021 21:30

I think Waitrose has a very high mask wearing compliance, as others have noted everyone was wearing a mask the last couple of times I've been in

TheVampiresWife · 09/08/2021 07:32

Nobody is wearing them any more on buses where I am, but compliance in shops still seems to be high. I still wear my lanyard but the bus driver yesterday said 'You don't need to be wearing that any more', so I took it off. First time in over a year!

RampantIvy · 09/08/2021 07:54

I went to Junction 32 Yorkshire shopping outlet at the weekend, and about half of the people were still wearing masks, then went to a very crowded Meadowhall yeasterday where hardly anyone was wearing one.
The shopping outlet is outdoors, and Meadowhall isn't.

VanishingWitch · 09/08/2021 08:02

DH went to our local Co-Op yesterday, no-one was wearing masks in there - customers and staff. DH wore his because he still wants to but had a snippy comment from another customer about wearing masks. I think if you want to wear one, wear it and if you don't want to then don't. It's your decision, as it is theirs. Everyone has their own reasons for doing what they need to do.

HelloMissus · 09/08/2021 08:34

In London yesterday and I’d say 50/50 on the underground.
Almost no one in bars/restaurant (which were very full).

AbsolutelyPatsy · 09/08/2021 08:35

in london myself on friday, i wouldnt have said 50/50
more like 80% mask wearing
and the train about 95%

kcha30 · 09/08/2021 10:20

It's a mixed ball where I live. It seems a lot of people are still wearing them in shops which will great but I went to a local theme park at the weekend. There are a lot of signs asking people to wear them when in the inside bits, shops, ordering food etc but no one was.

I also went into a McDonald's to get food the other day. So busy, people queued with no social distancing and hardly anyone wearing masks. A member of staff (wearing a mask) said it worries her sick. Obviously they can't enforce it but no one was social distancing in the queue (it's a McDonald's without a drive thru so very busy inside). I felt out of place wearing one tbh.

I still wear one in indoor things, busy places and obviously healthcare settings!