People's behaviour in London

[catandcandle]

NC for this, because I probably sound like a bit of a loon. We left London as the lockdown 2020 started and have been living in deep rural bliss in an EU country ever since. Here we still have social distancing, madatory masks indoors everywhere, sanitisers at every entrance. I have spent a lot of the pandemic not going anywhere much, I WFH and it has been possible to pretty much isolate throughout. I did get on a holiday to another European country in the summer (after being double vaccinated) but it was country with low rates, I wore an FFP3 on the plane, and because it was a hot country I spent nearly the whole time outdoors and only went to eat at outdoor places etc.

We decided (after DS aged 12 has now been double vaccinated), to come on a trip back to London (DH for various reasons including fetching things he had to leave behind, me and DS just to see London again and see some friends). DH has gone today, DS and I plan to join him on Friday, for the weekend.

DH has just arrived in London and he called me telling me I am going to freak out, there are people in the shops without masks, no sanitiser at the doors, and when he asked someone to please social distance in a shop they mocked him. He is right, this will be very difficult, I have not encountered these things through the whole pandemic!

I am not asking AIBU, I very possibly am, but this is how I feel, and I hve been managing the pandemic this way because I could. I still want to go to London, and I realise I can take my own sanitiser and keep myself away from people. There is no way I am going to go indoors or on public transport without a medical-grade (FFP3) mask. The rates are just too high for me.

So, I just wanted to ask, are there still people who are going to be as cautious as me there? Will I be stared at and mocked because I (and DS) are wearing masks, shy away from contact and sanitise our hands? I don't suppose I should really care what people think of me, but I would just like to be prepared. I feel incredibly nervous about this trip now.

Barely anyone cares what you do, harsh but true. Busy getting on with their day they won't notice you unless your wearing something outrageous that is attention seeking then you might get a stare.

You do you.

OMG OP! Me and DH were double vaccinated by the Spring in the UK. In August, on holiday in Greece, DH and both teenage DCs caught Covid - mild colds all around.

You are completely overreacting IMO!!

@Newyorkhereicome

Tal45
That'll be why we're having 35,000 cases a day and most of Europe are on only a few thousand. It's so easy to wear a mask in a shop, sanitise your hands and give people a bit of space, but there is no social responsibility in the UK, people are far too selfish and entitled for that.

No the reason we have 35,000 cases a day is because we test around 10x more people than the ROW.

But the cases are there, aren't they ...

We live in France and our situation is like yours. We went to London at the end of August and we're pretty uncomfortable with the attitude but no one laughed at our masking up.

I teach in quite a few universities. The private one has a lot of pupils who over the last week have got very slack with masks. All under the nose or off. Public uni. Different story.

Why are you travelling if you are so anxious?

London really isn't the place for you right now.

Mocking almost guaranteed.

@Rosehip10

Why the drama over sanitiser for an airborne virus?

And the first post tells you how you may be treated here op?. We have a majority who will think you are being ridiculous but luckily only a small minority will say much to your face

I would come, take the precautions you can and be prepared to ignore the people who tell you to ignore covid as "it is over don't you know?"

@Ticksallboxes

OMG OP! Me and DH were double vaccinated by the Spring in the UK. In August, on holiday in Greece, DH and both teenage DCs caught Covid - mild colds all around.

You are completely overreacting IMO!!

And another one

I’m on a train in London at the moment …. It’s packed and prob about 20% wearing masks

Some people are still wearing masks In the shops and lots on the tube and no ones at all is going to mock you or otherwise for wearing a mask.

A lot of people are having to wear them all day at work and it is still part of their daily experience.

@frozendaisy

London really isn't the place for you right now.

Mocking almost guaranteed.

Not really though?

Yes. Things are pretty grim in London to be honest. Most of the measures have gone out of the window. I do everything I can to keep safe I.e wear a mask, stay outside, avoid public transport as much as possible etc. Westminster council yesterday told me cases are very high here and they are not allowing their employees into residents houses for bulky waste collection. I think the Gov are covering up what is happening to get the economy up and running with their herd immunity leanings.

What is FFP3?

Oh I don't know there are loads of cheeky teens scattered all over London town, mocked for masks no,but if you start demanding 2m diameter social distancing, yeah well good luck with that.

This is what an FFP2 mask looks like, they come with a validity certificate when you buy them. Some European countries don’t allow any other type of mask.

There are some with valves but those do more harm than good because it protects the wearer, but not those around them. Valves are banned where I live.

Mocking guaranteed? Really? Well they will just have to mock then tbh, because we will be in FFP3s in public indoor places/public transport (if we do use it) and of course on the plane. I didn't ask people whether I should go to London, for a number of reasons I am going. I explained my viewpont and the reasoning behind it, and asked for information about what is going on so I am forewarned and not taken by surprise. The breath of answers here is amazing! From get over yourself, haven't you heard it's all over, to helpful information, to why don't you just stay fucked off...!

Packing my collection of masks as we speak...!

You won’t get mocked for that mask.

I’ve seen quite a few wear them. No one cares.

Hi OP, it will be a bit of an eye opener for you.I don't think your post was goady at all. We have high case rates here and no mitigations and c.1000 deaths a week. Many in England normalise this. Much of the world doesn't. Not normalising this doesn't make you loony or anxious by the way. There is a larger risk of catching covid than in many other places. I'm not trying to make you more anxious, just think gaslighting is worse. So, wear a mask, expect that a fair few won't wear a mask on public transport, enjoy your trip.

@frozendaisy

London really isn't the place for you right now.

Mocking almost guaranteed.

This is really, really not true.

Unless the bits I’ve been in over the last month (SW London, Bow, Stratford incl in a huge crowd of drunk West Ham supporters queuing for and on the Tube, Victoria, Covent Garden, Wandsworth, the South Bank, Canary Wharf) are somehow outliers. Lots of people wearing masks inside and out. No one gives a shit or even really notices.

@EileenGC

This is what an FFP2 mask looks like, they come with a validity certificate when you buy them. Some European countries don’t allow any other type of mask.

There are some with valves but those do more harm than good because it protects the wearer, but not those around them. Valves are banned where I live.

Thanks! Dont think mine will be that, they came from Accessorize

Pubs are totally normal, so shoulder to shoulder, dancing, music etc, trains are packed at certain times, some wear masks, restaurants normal.

Concerts are back on such as at the 02, festivals, all football is normal, its to cold and wet to eat outside.

Thank you! I already knew when I asked the question that many people in London are on a different page from me, hence my asking the question. That is fine, of course my emotions and thoughts are going to be influenced by the fact that we have had one known Covid case in the village in 6 months and absolutely everyone wears masks. And the fact that my parents live in a place where they are still under strict restrictions and a night time curfew . What seems totally normal to me is not, as I am well aware, necessarily normal in much of London. I see the coverage of football matches, I watched the boxing the other week. I just wanted to understand what things are like "on the ground", so I am prepared.

FFP3 is a bit different from FFP2, but as people have pointed out, it is unlikely that anyone in London is going to pay enough attention to us to notice that...

The thing about London is that all humanity can be found here. You won't stand out wearing that mask.

However you may need to take it upon yourself to distance yourself from other people.

OP, I'm in London and me and DC still wear masks and I do find it easy enough to social distance. Lots of hand sanitisers in shops and I'd say about half of people wearing masks. I get you being nervous, it's a lot going into central London anyway after such a long while and probably feels very different for you.