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Original poster

To think friend is being really selfish

83 replies

Selfishmoms · 29/08/2021 21:16

We are in Cornwall which has one of the highest case rates in the whole country and masks will be required in our schools thank goodness. Today I went round to see my friend and she has been quite against lockdowns she once shared some us for them stuff on Facebook. I have been highly cautious and took a LFT before we went. Today she was chatting to me and called it “disgraceful” that masks would be required and says she has written to the school to say her DD (14) is exempt and won’t be wearing one even though she isn’t. Aibu to think friend is being really selfish and it will be the fault of people like her if schools shut again.

OP posts:
Bizawit · 30/08/2021 19:08

Or maybe she should be forced to wear a bell around her neck and shout 'unclean' as she walks around school

🤣🤣👏🏻👏🏻

lannistunut · 30/08/2021 19:21

Selfish is not a word I would use, but not wearing a mask indoors when cases are high is the wrong thing to do.

The UK government were wrong to get rid of masks in schools, on public transport and in shops. Individuals should be wearing them IMO, especially where additionally mandated due to exceedingly high cases.

Scotland has this one right, and England has it wrong.

Karlee30 · 30/08/2021 19:29

I do feel sorry for secondary school kids having to wear masks here in Cornwall when they go back. I feel they are paying the price for how bleddy busy it has been. Plus the rest of us aren't required. I feel that it's unfair. Saying that, if I was in the situation I soils just accept masks have to be worn and not argue. Thankfully mine are primary age. My eldest will be starting secondary school next year. Hoping covid will be under control more by then...

Karlee30 · 30/08/2021 19:30

Would not soils

lannistunut · 30/08/2021 19:38

With the exception of those who are exempt of course, presumably there is a correlation between how much of a moaner the parents are and how the kids feel about it.

BogRollBOGOF · 30/08/2021 22:19

More effective than no mask, does that help? Essentially covid is spread by airborne droplets from the upper respiratory system. Masks filter 50 to 80% of those droplets.

Shame they also filter significant amounts of verbal and non verbal communicatuon which are pretty important in education and the development of social skills. Extra important in pupils with a range of additional needs who are already generally disadvantaged and disproportionately so in time lost to lockdowns and the suposed "home learning".

hamstersarse · 30/08/2021 22:27

I think it’s pretty selfish to expect children who have a minute risk of being badly impacted by COVID to wear a mask all day, sacrificing key parts of their education. Again.

lannistunut · 31/08/2021 07:18

@hamstersarse

I think it’s pretty selfish to expect children who have a minute risk of being badly impacted by COVID to wear a mask all day, sacrificing key parts of their education. Again.
No, that's simply not selfish, it doesn't meet the basic definition of the word.

Potentially staff shortages are going to be a problem once teachers catch it. That's more disruptive.

Also, 5% is quite a high risk of having long lasting symptoms, I disagree with the 'minute risk' line. Death is not what we are talking about.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 31/08/2021 08:10

@hamstersarse

I think it’s pretty selfish to expect children who have a minute risk of being badly impacted by COVID to wear a mask all day, sacrificing key parts of their education. Again.
How does wearing a mask sacrifice key parts of their education?

Doctors and nurses wear them all the time and still do their jobs.

HelloMissus · 31/08/2021 08:15

We’ll masks would certainly impact on music, drama, sport, languages.

User135644 · 31/08/2021 08:18

Rules are for other people.

hamstersarse · 31/08/2021 08:31

Remember the days when teachers were saying they needed vaccinating to get back to teaching properly? They got that, now it’s seemingly forgotten.

It’ll never be enough for some people until covid doesnt exist anymore. Which is never.

Hellotoallmyfans · 31/08/2021 08:38

YABU - you sound like you have health anxiety OP. Do you take an LFT test every time you venture outdoors, to the shop for example? Your dc will be back at school soon mingling with all those kids so don't really get your mentality there.....

Keep your beak out and let others get on with their lives is my advice. It is going to get very stressful for you trying to monitor others behaviour - so you do you and let the rest do what they feel is right.
If the school want to insist everyone wears masks, that is for them to enforce.

Suzi888 · 31/08/2021 08:42

@Bizawit

Or maybe she should be forced to wear a bell around her neck and shout 'unclean' as she walks around school

🤣🤣👏🏻👏🏻

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

We have to live with it now, if you haven’t had it already then you soon will.

TinaYouFatLard · 31/08/2021 08:51

Masking children all day is despicable.

One day we will look back in horror.

Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree · 31/08/2021 08:52

The masks are only between classes, not during class.

IMHO it’s not a hardship to wear a mask for short periods of time. I do feel for those that had to wear them all day, but between classes (and in shops for example) is not difficult.

Twiglets1 · 31/08/2021 08:52

I work in a school and I was all for masks until all staff got the opportunity to get double vaccinated, which seemed to take ages as we weren’t prioritised. At one point the government line was “there is no evidence children spread Covid”.
However, now we’ve all been vaccinated I want to get back to normal in September including no compulsory wearing of masks for staff or pupils so I would say YABU

Notdoingthis · 31/08/2021 10:40

Teenagers should not be guilt trapped into wearing masks all day long for the sake of adults' anxiety.

Delatron · 31/08/2021 10:48

If kids can lick each other’s faces at festivals and share tents then they should be able to go to school without wearing a mask. We can’t have rules for kids in some areas and not others. Children have sacrificed enough for a virus that isn’t, on the whole, serious for them.

Creamyvanille · 31/08/2021 10:49

Yanbu

User56439876 · 31/08/2021 11:00

Is this a thing now, keys, phone, take LFT, go out. I agree with your friend and you are being ridiculous

Scottishskifun · 31/08/2021 11:17

@travellinglighter the studies showed that wearing a mask helped reduction against the original variant when the virus load and droplet size to catch covid were bigger.

Delta and alpha variants both only need a smaller droplet size which escapes a mask anyway unless a FFP2 or FFP3. The latest studies are showing only WITH social distancing of 2 metres do the masks do anything and actually ventilation is bar far a bigger and more effective way of reducing viral load (US study) 30 kids sat in classrooms for 6 hours a day is going to lead to viral air build up mask or no mask. Granted it will be quicker without masks but its still going to happen within a short time period if ventilation is poor.

The studies have also shown there is a 70% reduction of catching the virus with a mask on in a ventilated area IF worn correctly at all time periods (this was a study into car sharing ventilation)
The vast majority of people do not wear masks properly either they aren't fitted to the face, they touch the front continously, they aren't changed every few hours (a moist mask increases the risk of passing through particle matter), they aren't the required 3 levels or they are not washed at 60 degrees after each wear.

Given the above they have become a bit of a safety blanket tbh! Kids wearing them in schools doesn't make a jot of difference as they are poorly ventilated environments so it just lingers in the air hence the Welsh government is investing in improving air quality in schools and the Scottish numbers are so high especially in the 11-18 year old age bracket despite it being mandatory here.

By all means wear one if you want and for short face to face conversations they do reduce risk but with the new variants I'm afraid the old studies and graphics don't hold up!
Only 100% effective is a ffp2 or FFP3 which most people do not use and these are used in ICU.

Chippingbird23 · 31/08/2021 11:28

@Selfishmoms

We are in Cornwall which has one of the highest case rates in the whole country and masks will be required in our schools thank goodness. Today I went round to see my friend and she has been quite against lockdowns she once shared some us for them stuff on Facebook. I have been highly cautious and took a LFT before we went. Today she was chatting to me and called it “disgraceful” that masks would be required and says she has written to the school to say her DD (14) is exempt and won’t be wearing one even though she isn’t. Aibu to think friend is being really selfish and it will be the fault of people like her if schools shut again.
No she isn’t being selfish but you are
Mazblue86 · 31/08/2021 11:32

Wearing masks won't make schools safe. In Cornwall the rule is children have to wear masks around corridors, not in classrooms or outside. This means that children will be removing and replacing the same mask a minimum of ten times a day, rendering the mask entirely ineffective.

I'm not a covid denier, I'm afraid of going back to school, pregnant and without protection, but making the kids wear masks in the corridor isn't going to make that happen.

Just don't send your child if you're worried.

But your friend isn't being selfish; she's being sensible.

Delatron · 31/08/2021 11:33

People place so much importance on masks. It’s ridiculous. Do we think children/teenagers even wear them properly? Scrunched up in their pockets/ reused/ hanging down by their mouths. They are not doing anything...