Some restrictions back, fed up

[Ireallydontcare55]

Just heard the news about masks returning as of next week and changes to travelling rules.

It’s not so much that wearing a mask is inconvenient, it’s the fact that we were told restrictions were over and that we could get on with our lives.

I know I will get shot down for this post, but if it isn’t the ‘omnicron’ variant then it’ll be something else.

I’m sure many people will be in favour of tighter restrictions ‘until numbers drop’. And then what? In a few months’ time when the latest variant is out, will we have to do the same again?
“it’s just for a few weeks/months”

This isn’t going away. What’s the point of having 3 vaccines?

I’m fed up with it all, are people really prepared to do this for the foreseeable future ?

@JaniieJones

'Except I am told by Dr's not to wear them........ And you will be happy to know have a letter which states it too'

Oh that's great @Scottishskifun. I'm surprised though, I didn't think they did letters about face covers.

GPs aren't. Individual consultants may, at their discretion.

As anyone who had an extensive background in healthcare would surely know.

Depends on the shape and bridge of your nose

Yes, I am defo the wrong shape (sigh). Haven't yet found a fix but I live in hope.

I'm wondering if a lorgnette would help.

@Frequency No, I usually wear disposable FFP2. Yes, with wire, and yes, I try that position, and no, it doesn't always help. But thanks anyway for trying to help, I'm just unlucky. I probably can't get a very good seal round the bridge of my nose no matter what.

@Amazingblossoms

I'm with you OP

It's shit

And my autistic son who can't wear a mask (don't @ me that he can, you have no idea) will get even more crap from the nasty little shits at school who can't empathise with anyone who's even just a little bit different.

I'm so sorry for him.

I and many autistic people I know are in the same boat. It got to the point where I didn't go anywhere unless it was completely essential, even though we were doing nothing wrong. I've been so careful with social distancing, lateral flow tests, isolating if my children have the slightest symptoms etc but it doesn't stop the abuse.

It has been liberating recently to be able to go out again with so much less risk of random strangers being abusive.

I guess I'll have to hibernate over the winter now. I really feel for your son who can't do that as he has to attend school.

This thread really shows first world problems doesn’t it “wearing a mask is such hardship during a pandemic” (unless actual medical exemption you’re being a prat but you know what just don’t go near people who are trying to control the transmission of virus, you can get covid or whatever who cares)

Interestingly, when we have gone somewhere with my children and the five other adults in my family who are not exempt and were therefore wearing masks, I received no abuse: it seems that people were just being abusive to me because I was an easy target as a lone woman with children but don't have the courage of their "principles" to make the same illegal and rude challenge with other adults present. My conclusion is that these are just nasty, abusive people looking for someone vulnerable to have a go at.

@user52673882829

This thread really shows first world problems doesn’t it “wearing a mask is such hardship during a pandemic” (unless actual medical exemption you’re being a prat but you know what just don’t go near people who are trying to control the transmission of virus, you can get covid or whatever who cares)

It’s really no problem for me - I just can’t be bothered to, and won’t be.

OP MN are actively removing posts from and banning some of the nastier posters. This place has become ridiculously toxic, and the abuse hurled at people is beyond reproach. Try and remember these are REAL people with REAL
issues before you post abuse. Tbh the whole thread needs taking down and if I was you I'd report it and have it removed @Ireallydontcare55

And to be clear - I am not exempt and I can and do wear a mask even though it does makes me unwilling to go in shops especially in winter when the steaming up is worst. Shopping when you can't read labels and price tags is a real struggle. Socialising I usually take my glasses off. Theatre or cinema sems to vary, sometimes I've spent the evening taking my glasses on and off, sometimes it's fine. Either way the mask stays on. But I can still hate the way it restricts the things I used to enjoy and I can still moan about it! Wearing glasses never felt like a real handicap to me before Covid. Now it does. I blame Covid though, not the rules.

Mask wearing is a waste - the government knows this and that’s why they’ve gone for the low hanging fruit. Mandatory masks on public transport and in shops is purely a political decision to show that they are doing something. Masks are nothing more than a comfort blanket.

[quote IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls]@xxxGirlCrushxxx
Rubbish

I hold a clinic 3 times a week for people with significant mental health issues.

They all wear masks.

Its the idiots who "claim" mental health reasons that don't wear masks.[/quote]
I can quite believe it.

@KurtWildesChristmasNamechange

OP MN are actively removing posts from and banning some of the nastier posters. This place has become ridiculously toxic, and the abuse hurled at people is beyond reproach. Try and remember these are REAL people with REAL issues before you post abuse. Tbh the whole thread needs taking down and if I was you I'd report it and have it removed *@Ireallydontcare55*

Some of the truly alarmist, unpleasant posters on the Covid board have thankfully been banned, but sadly there seem to be others who have swiftly taken their place.

Then there's the ones who aren't overtly nasty, and whose posts technically don't contain anything offensive or upsetting, but who target posters with passive aggressive and subtly ableist comments. They're harder to report and their posts (and ability to continue with their nastiness) remain.

Unfortunately covid has brought out the worst in Mumsnet in many ways. A huge lack of empathy and understanding of others' situations, 'sides', people claiming to be compassionate and worried about the wellbeing of others while simultaneously telling people how selfish, weak and pathetic they are for being unable to wear masks due to disabilities or debilitating health issues/struggling with the isolation of lockdown/being concerned about losing their livelihoods and so on.

Try and remember these are REAL people with REAL
issues before you post abuse

Indeed.

@TheVampiresWife agree with all your points there. It's quite sad to read. I've been on this site for 12+ years and whilst it's always had its problems, covid really has brought out the worst in some people.

[quote IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls]@xxxGirlCrushxxx
Rubbish

I hold a clinic 3 times a week for people with significant mental health issues.

They all wear masks.

Its the idiots who "claim" mental health reasons that don't wear masks.[/quote]
Then you'll understand, surely, that not all MH issues are the same, and neither are the effects on the individual.

Someone who has been a victim of DV or SA and lives with PTSD as a result, for example, may have a very different response to mask wearing than someone with BPD.

[quote KurtWildesChristmasNamechange]@TheVampiresWife agree with all your points there. It's quite sad to read. I've been on this site for 12+ years and whilst it's always had its problems, covid really has brought out the worst in some people. [/quote]
I've been here for roughly as long and I agree.

(I love your username, by the way!)

@AlecTrevelyan006

Mask wearing is a waste - the government knows this and that’s why they’ve gone for the low hanging fruit. Mandatory masks on public transport and in shops is purely a political decision to show that they are doing something. Masks are nothing more than a comfort blanket.

No, masks reduce transmission. We now have evidence from systematic reviews of multiple trials.

I think there are also some posters on here @TheVampiresWife who are conflating their anti mask and anti vaccine sentiments with actual physical/ medical or mental health conditions. If you have an exemption this is completely acceptable and in fact this is a big reason why the rest of us should accept restrictions- to protect you.
But people extending this to complain about masks and vaccines in general need to take a look at themselves. There just seem to be SO MANY people on MN who have exceptional circumstances.
Last week we had outrage about vaccines, this week it's predictably about masks. And it's always the same... I always wear masks BUT I agree with vaccines BUT .
@Scottishskifun you have made it absolutely clear over a long time why you can't wear a mask - unlike all these other posters who have suddenly come out of the woodwork....

@TheVampiresWife thank you!

The lack of empathy on here is disturbing.

It's funny because we are supposed to be saving granny according to Boris but if she's cooped up at home with no human interaction, ah well it's crap but who cares.

She isn't cooped up at home. We're not in lockdown, people are just being asked to wear masks in shops. And granny is much safer if they do.

This whole thread is a massive over-reaction to a small thing (for most people) that we're being asked to do again.

My sympathy is for the people who were supposed to be returning home to see families that they haven't seen for two years, and whose trips are now being cancelled. Wearing a mask while you're in Tesco or on the bus, pales into insignificance compared to that.

@AlecTrevelyan006

You are wrong about masks .

But the strongest evidence in favor of masks come from studies of real-world scenarios. “The most important thing are the epidemiologic data,” said Rutherford. Because it would be unethical to assign people to not wear a mask during a pandemic, the epidemiological evidence has come from so-called “experiments of nature.”

A recent study published in Health Affairs, for example, compared the COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask mandates in 15 states and the District of Columbia. It found that mask mandates led to a slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate, which became more apparent over time. The first five days after a mandate, the daily growth rate slowed by 0.9 percentage-points compared to the five days prior to the mandate; at three weeks, the daily growth rate had slowed by 2 percentage-points.

Another study looked at coronavirus deaths across 198 countries and found that those with cultural norms or government policies favoring mask-wearing had lower death rates.

Mask wearing is just one of many different things we can do to prevent spreading the virus. Here is the Swiss cheese analogy which, IMO, does a brilliant job of explaining why we need to take mulltiple steps to prevent the spread.

@visitingagain

I think there are also some posters on here *@TheVampiresWife* who are conflating their anti mask and anti vaccine sentiments with actual physical/ medical or mental health conditions. If you have an exemption this is completely acceptable and in fact this is a big reason why the rest of us should accept restrictions- to protect you. But people extending this to complain about masks and vaccines in general need to take a look at themselves. There just seem to be SO MANY people on MN who have exceptional circumstances. Last week we had outrage about vaccines, this week it's predictably about masks. And it's always the same... I always wear masks BUT I agree with vaccines BUT . *@Scottishskifun* you have made it absolutely clear over a long time why you can't wear a mask - unlike all these other posters who have suddenly come out of the woodwork....

Apologies for "coming out of the woodwork".

@TheVampiresWife

Miserable isn't it. I've had it since my mid 20s but it took a long time to get a diagnosis. Luckily I don't pass out due to the pain but I sometimes wish I could! It's not something I would wish on anyone. Thankfully it's becoming better known.

You'd have laughed to see me this morning. I had to walk the dogs (didn't dare venture out yesterday with the wind). It's still here (good no wind) but pretty cold ( OK a problem for me). Trying to keep my face warm without actually setting off an attack by the hat and scarf itself means some creative head and face wear!

@TheVampiresWife most people are not being ableist, they are trying to counter dumbass comments like the below

“ It’s really no problem for me - I just can’t be bothered to, and won’t be.”