Surely just bring the mask mandate back now?

[Maskedtonigh]

They are an easy measure that are no real hardship and could help (even if just in a small way) suppress this virus surely we should just bring back our mask mandate now?

@PurpleDaisies

I don’t think it necessarily needs to be a “mandate” again. Plenty of people are still wearing them here in the situations where they’d be mandated. A strong public message would really help. We’ve had nothing and the conservatives not wearing masks in the House of Commons with no distancing doesn’t help.

I feel for shops. It’s going to be a nightmare to enforce if it does become a rule again.

Are they bollocks!

Most people are bothering at all anywhere.

"I envy your naïveté, does it come naturally or is it forced?"

You didn't answer the question.

@ollyollyoxenfree

Would it be easier if those that are exempt sew a yellow star onto their clothes, just so that they stand out that little bit more as a lower class citizen to those who wear a mask. It is certainly coming across here that many who are keen for a legal mandate being introduced think they are saving the world and that attitude stinks

@Ginandfantalemon

Ah it wouldn't be a mask thread without causal racism.

Really offensive to use the holocaust and murder of Jewish people to try and score points in an argument about masks. Particularly as I'm guessing you don't particularly care about anti-Semitism when it's not useful to you.

Plenty of people in the Jewish community have asked people to stop doing this.

Oh for goodness sake! This is exactly what the problem is in this world. Too many people easily offended. And for people who are really finding mask wearing a big problem, it really has become a case of them and us. We get one life, and it now seems that if you are able to pop on your little mask and get on with it, fine and good, but there are plenty, whose life is literally on hold due to this. How is that fair? It can be a massive problem and being belittled or made to stand out because they have some disability, hidden or not, then in my eyes that is discrimination. For any Jewish people reading this, I apologise , I certainly didn't intend to be racist.

@ollyollyoxenfree

Would it be easier if those that are exempt sew a yellow star onto their clothes, just so that they stand out that little bit more as a lower class citizen to those who wear a mask. It is certainly coming across here that many who are keen for a legal mandate being introduced think they are saving the world and that attitude stinks

@Ginandfantalemon

Ah it wouldn't be a mask thread without causal racism.

Really offensive to use the holocaust and murder of Jewish people to try and score points in an argument about masks. Particularly as I'm guessing you don't particularly care about anti-Semitism when it's not useful to you.

Plenty of people in the Jewish community have asked people to stop doing this.

Just a standard example of Godwin's Law.

I'm not sure it is naive to expect proportionality and that my government not impose restrictions and mandate something based on little to no evidence.

So when do you think mandates and restrictions should stop? Do you think intrusive interference with individuals life and livelihood should come with some end date?

if you're bringing 'yellow stars' etc into the argument then you really have already marked yourself out as a bit of a cunt. So repellent.

If you genuinely can't wear a mask then of course you should have an exemption. If not, and there's a mandate, you should have to wear one. If there's a choice, as there is now, then you have got fuck all to moan about.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

Yip, and many in Scotland frequently liken our FM to Hitler.

Peteycat I don't agree with the pretense of your question which assumes I am naive.

the same goes for obese people who don’t look particularly fit and healthy to begin with, do they have any idea of the risk they are taking?

I imagine obese people are very used to suppressing their health risks. Obesity now kills 2.8million people a year worldwide, more than Covid has in 18 months.

Would seem odd to me if obese people wore masks - they clearly don't care about their health

@hamstersarse

the same goes for obese people who don’t look particularly fit and healthy to begin with, do they have any idea of the risk they are taking?

I imagine obese people are very used to suppressing their health risks. Obesity now kills 2.8million people a year worldwide, more than Covid has in 18 months.

Would seem odd to me if obese people wore masks - they clearly don't care about their health

I'm a size 16 and do care about my health. Sadly I'm unable to exercise and cutting my calories low enough is a struggle due to having hashimotos etc My immune system is more likely to kill me than my weight

"16:55Everanewbie

Peteycat I don't agree with the pretense of your question which assumes I am naive."

Have I pasted and copied something wrong? I didn't call you naive, at least didn't mean to!

@hamstersarse

the same goes for obese people who don’t look particularly fit and healthy to begin with, do they have any idea of the risk they are taking?

I imagine obese people are very used to suppressing their health risks. Obesity now kills 2.8million people a year worldwide, more than Covid has in 18 months.

Would seem odd to me if obese people wore masks - they clearly don't care about their health

I am obese due to medication. I can stop taking it and end up in hospital all the time.

@Peteycat

"I envy your naïveté, does it come naturally or is it forced?"

You didn't answer the question.

In my opinion masks project clearly the message that the wearer is conscious of the virus and is mindful of protecting those around them. It probably reads as ridiculous and no doubt you’ll all come for me with the flames of hell but in some ways I feel a bond with other mask wearers, like we are on the same level, whereas anyone not wearing one it says a lot about their character (genuine exempt aside)

I’m not sure why it matters but, If I was PM the mask mandate would have been properly enforced from the beginning once it was deemed a necessity, just as it was in Spain and France, everyone would still be wearing them and wfh would still be advised.

You weren’t expecting me to say I’d do the same as BJ were you?

@Peteycat

"I envy your naïveté, does it come naturally or is it forced?"

You didn't answer the question.

You didn't ask it. Or did you?

@Everanewbie

I'm not sure it is naive to expect proportionality and that my government not impose restrictions and mandate something based on little to no evidence.

So when do you think mandates and restrictions should stop? Do you think intrusive interference with individuals life and livelihood should come with some end date?

I have no clue what you’re trying to say. Are you implying the Covid statistics aren’t real?

Peteycat apologies. Misinterpreted. Long day!

Thewiseoneincognito I'm fine with that. I don't agree with your assessment of their effectiveness, but if it provides some comfort for you, then I'd fight for your right to wear a mask. Its your right and your choice.

Its telling people that they must do something that a) they dislike and find a burden; and b) evidence seems to show is quasi-ineffective that I have a problem with.

Must is something that must only be said when absolutely necessary and have a demonstrable effect. And when there is any question whether it is absolutely unquestionable necessary, must should be should, advised suggested.

@Maskedtonigh

They are an easy measure that are no real hardship and could help (even if just in a small way) suppress this virus surely we should just bring back our mask mandate now?

It's achieved nothing in Scotland.

@TheDogsMother

I'm just returning from a country where mask wearing is mandatory and everyone is fine with it. I've only been away 10 days but it's going to seem very strange at home with hardly anyone wearing them. If it helps cut transmission it's not a massive hardship really.

Ask Scotland if it helps transmission? (I'm in Scotland). It achieves f all. Just appearances

Thewiseoneincognito not at all. It is very real. That's why I accepted my vaccines, and if I get symptoms i'll test and isolate if +ve. But i don't feel that the level and severity of illness, especially post-vaccine warrants the imposition of such intrusive rules.

Covid deaths are sad, and I wish they didn't happen, but death is a fact of life. People die in accidents, old age and other illnesses. I don't expect to be banned from driving my car to work because of a pile up on the m25. Aside from that, I don't want mine, or anyone else' lives blighted by trying to save lives. If we are perpetually scared of dying we forget to actually live.

@janj2301

we still insist on them in our surgery. I always wear one outside the house as does my husband, my daughters/sons in law also wear them inside shops/offices but not in the street.

I can completely understand inside but why outside ? Hasn't it been proven that outside is minimal risk ?

@ilovesooty

I've recently returned from a country where masks are mandatory in public places. No one seemed to have a problem wearing one in shops or on public transport.

Hostility and resistance seems to be a peculiarly English thing.

Yes! And none of this "unless you are exempt". Wear your mask. End of message. England is so odd.

They shouldn't have stopped it in the first. To throw all the rules out the window was madness. I would have preferred some rules still in place than to have to lockdown in winter again

Wear a mask or don't wear a mask, its completely your choice. I really don't see the argument.
I dont wear one at all, but it certainly does bother me if people do, or don't.

@Primrosejoy

They shouldn't have stopped it in the first. To throw all the rules out the window was madness. I would have preferred some rules still in place than to have to lockdown in winter again

They didn't 'stop it'. People are free to wear masks if they wish.

Also worth bearing in mind that mandatory masks didn't prevent the last two lockdowns, so there's no guarantee it would stop a future one, either.

@Primrosejoy

They shouldn't have stopped it in the first. To throw all the rules out the window was madness. I would have preferred some rules still in place than to have to lockdown in winter again

So will you blame non mask wearers for causing a lockdown?