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?

@Hopeisallineed we are the same, before covid we always had someone in the family ill with a cold or sickness bug.
Since covid we haven’t had a single cough/cold/sickness bug and I’m 100% sure it’s because we’re still wearing masks.

Another one who's mask wearing reduced shopping to a bare minimum for the last 16 months

I am happy to wear one to the events I've booked in crowded spaces but I won't book more events, I won't go shopping, and I won't go on holiday until masks are not recommended

At the moment Whitty VERY CLEARLY said yesterday to wear them indoors, in crowded spaces

So I will wear them for the things I've booked because it's morally right (I do everything Whitty says) - but no more going out to places until he says we don't need to

@Haventhadaneggsinceeaster

We still have to wear masks in Scotland- I don’t think the figures show they are helping in any way if we compare with England. High school children still have to wear them all day in classes and everywhere else in school unless they are eating- again, doesn’t appear to be making a difference to transmission rates. Think masks have maybe been a bit of a false protection measure to be honest- I am not an anti masker and wear them and am not bothered but really don’t think they are all they are made out to be!

We still have to wear them here in NI too but there tends to be between a 20-40% compliance rate and even when people wear them they don't wear them properly (noses out usually or under their chin), so its really hard to tell whether they were ever useful or not. I suspect if everyone wore the ffp2 ones then it would make a difference but that's not going to happen, the compliance rate although higher than it is now it was never great. I am at least happy that they are mandatory in hospitals but even at maternity there's usually a queue of pregnant women lining up to ask the receptionist for a mask!

Don’t know why England got rid of masks. Although Scotland and NI still have masks and WFH and are really struggling. I’m in NI and wish we would bring in vaccine passports like Scotland are going to. Ireland already has them and their numbers are far better than ours. I’m not very hopeful about the next few months.

I agree OP, it should not have been done away with in the first place.

Although I am against vaccine passports, they are only mandated for events that are voluntary, so if you don't like it you don't have to go to football matches or nightclubs.

But if my employer decides I have to go back to the office, I have to use public transport. And I have to get food. So masks should be compulsory on public transport and in essential shops. And if they can manage in Scotland and Wales, they can manage in England too.

@INeed2P

Personally I don't see the point in bringing masks back - as PP have said, Scotland still requires them and has a high COVID rate. It's coming up to a busy time of year, the shops need customers willing to go in and with mandated masks that might not happen (the Trafford centre for example was so relatively quiet when masks were required compared to now they're not!) and our local shops were too.

The whole story of getting double jabbed to avoid masks and lockdowns and get life back to normal was told, now the majority of people are double jabbed with winter boosters to come I think it would be a hard position for the government to take if they reintroduced these measures - I think it'd slow vaccine uptake again.

Completely agree with all this. At this point they're a lip service that people should be free to choose or not (as was promised when the vast majority of adults got vaccinated).

Masks DO hinder normal interaction and the leisure/shopping/hospitality experience. For the sake of the economy and services that need funding, we need to give these industries their best shot this Christmas.

IMO the U.K. has never been nearly tough enough about masks. No signs saying ‘Masks obligatory’, like in many other countries. Too much fannying about with ‘Please wear a face covering - unless you are exempt’ - and anyone can say they’re exempt.

We’ve just had a short holiday in Majorca where everyone wears them in shops, and on the odd occasion when one of us forgot, we were very quickly reminded by staff.

Compare that to my local Asda where so many people wore them on their chins even before things were relaxed, and nobody ever said anything. After once seeing four 20 something blokes all talking at the tops of their voices with masks on their chins, I asked a member of staff why nobody said anything.
‘We’re not allowed.’

I think a lot of people will continue to wear them mandate or no, i will anyway and so will most people i know.

@noprofessional

I won't wear one again. I'll be "exempt" like every other fekker was.

A few people I know made sure they were exempt-on absolutely no grounds at all :( Made it worse for those who really did have a reason not to wear one

@PurpleDaisies

Did the previous mask rules stop people going shopping? I didn’t really notice that happening.

It definitely made me think twice if I really needed to go in to 'unnecessary' shops and it certainly stopped me from casually browsing or setting foot in shopping centres. I'm not a rabid anti-masker; I wore one when I was asked to and didn't and still don't give a thought to other people carrying on wearing masks. I do find them very uncomfortable however and will avoid going places if I have to wear one. If they bring back the mask mandate I will become exempt - I really don't want to wear one again.

I have no idea why we got rid of wearing them at all, it's such an easy thing.

Oh yes, the good old fabric face mask dragged from the car door pocket or handbag and with stretched elastic. Must be worn with an air of moral superiority and smugness.

As used by virologists, surgeons and medical staff around the globe

I still see lots of people wearing masks.

I am in Dublin and have honestly never seen anyone in a shop without a mask, (aside from children) the compliance rate is very high here. Like a pp i am delighted that we haven't had any of the usual coughs, colds, and tummy bugs in the family for the last year or so and as i said in my previous post i will continue to wear one. I think staff shouldn't have to wear them any more, but customers who only have to wear them for an hour or too, should. (Unless genuinely exempt)

I'm not a huge fan of masks, but wore one correct when it was a requirement, don't now, except when required (flights etc).

If they were reintroduced I would comply, but I wouldn't attend events, go to restaurants etc, it woukd just be for shopping etc

I feel many woud be the same, which would financially affect many businesses.

I'm in Wales and we still have to wear them so have no skin in the game, but just wanted to mention that cases have taken a sharp downturn in England over the last week or so.

Hopefully its a sign of things to come and we won't need to bring restrictions back in.
www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/

"10:44BrilloPaddy

Oh yes, the good old fabric face mask dragged from the car door pocket or handbag and with stretched elastic. Must be worn with an air of moral superiority and smugness.

As used by virologists, surgeons and medical staff around the globe hmm"

Totally agree.

So to all wanting them back, do you have any idea what this will do to the environment even further?

Still wear them in Wales- or meant to. Some people have stopped bothering though, it seems. You’re right, it’s no real hardship to wear a fucking mask.

The only people that benefit from mask wearing rules are people that sell masks or sunflower lanyards.... the environment suffers. My husband took me to a Devon on his motorbike last weekend, saw far too many discarded masks

I won't be wearing a mask again. I'm happy to have given them up. For me, it's worth getting the odd cough or cold if it means I can walk around in comfort.

"11:12Whammyyammy

The only people that benefit from mask wearing rules are people that sell masks or sunflower lanyards.... the environment suffers. My husband took me to a Devon on his motorbike last weekend, saw far too many discarded masks"

I see them strewn on pavements, hanging on bushes in the countryside. It's upsetting me that this is happening.

"11:11RudestLittleMadam

Still wear them in Wales- or meant to. Some people have stopped bothering though, it seems. You’re right, it’s no real hardship to wear a fucking mask"

Yes, it 'fucking' can be for some. Who are you to decide how people feel as a collective?

@ADreadedSunnyDay

No point. Kids in Scotland wear masks all day. Covid rates still one of highest in Scotland. All a bit pointless IMO. Social Distancing probably more helpful

I agree. People wearing masks get so close because they think masks are the answer to everything. I prefer to keep a distance

@Tal45 and @RudestLittleMadam

actually it is a great hardship if you are deaf or partially deaf as you can't lip read I explained in full further up thread

I really hope they don't bring the mask mandate back. I find them really uncomfortable to the extent that I've avoided places that require masks as much as possible. Food shopping has been a quick dash round the shop. I've loved the feeling of freedom now they they are no longer compulsory, being able to browse, not having to rush.
If they were reintroduced I'd be tempted to wear an exemption badge. Just can't stand the things.