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 ?

@RampantIvy

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.

Indeed. That's one reason the abuse that those exempt from mask-wearing receive is so upsetting.

There are endless threads on here about people who feel it's acceptable to go to work/ visit family/ send kids to school when they have cold symptoms that could well be Covid, without testing first to confirm. People not complying with social distancing or isolation rules. Etc. With a large number of posters agreeing with them.

But people who can't wear masks are aggressively targeted and abused in public when it is just ONE small thing in disrupting the chain of infection that actually has a very small impact (2% per the study quotes above). People not testing/ going out when sick has a much higher impact.

Yes, there are equally or more meaningful interventions to stop virus spread but masks cause a lot of strong feeling because they are easy to see.

@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.

There is good evidence they reduce transmission. No idea why people are so aggressively opposed to them.

If they cause you distress, exempt yourself.

@TheVampiresWife yes i think I understand that 🙄

@Elphame in that case you were exempt and shouldn't have felt the need to comply.

@Elphame I too am sorry you suffer with TN. There was a case on one of the Hospital programmes and they called it the suicide disease as it is so horrible.

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

I wear a mask because I believe it's protective, to myself and to others and I'm not outraged about it. But I can still moan about need to wear a mask, in or out of the woodwork, because masks really do make me noticeably less able in my everyday life, though not so badly that I need an exemption. Sorry if that doesn't fit your tidy narrative that people are either genuinely exempt or making a fuss over nothing.

@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.”

Such comments are obviously stupid however it really isn't just people who can't be bothered who are targeted with the vitriol. It's happened to me many times in public from complete strangers - aggressive and abusive comments that contravene the law in that people do not have to explain the reasons for their exemption to anybody let alone random strangers - and the kind of comments on this thread further stir up that vitriol making people believe that hardly anybody is truly exempt and we must all be fakers. So yes, it does encourage ableism as it makes these abusive people bolder in believing they can behave in a disgusting way to people not wearing masks.

@Ireallydontcare55

There could be variants forever, it’s here to stay.

I think this is true, so there's no point in getting so upset about the fact this is what we are doing to stay safe/keep others safe.

[quote ThousandsOfTulips]**@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.”

Such comments are obviously stupid however it really isn't just people who can't be bothered who are targeted with the vitriol. It's happened to me many times in public from complete strangers - aggressive and abusive comments that contravene the law in that people do not have to explain the reasons for their exemption to anybody let alone random strangers - and the kind of comments on this thread further stir up that vitriol making people believe that hardly anybody is truly exempt and we must all be fakers. So yes, it does encourage ableism as it makes these abusive people bolder in believing they can behave in a disgusting way to people not wearing masks.[/quote]
It's not being ableist. If you can't wear masks because they significantly impede your life, don't wear them. You are exempt.
In my experience there is far more pressure NOT to wear them and if you do you can be made to feel extremely uncomfortable.

In my experience there is far more pressure NOT to wear them and if you do you can be made to feel extremely uncomfortable

This is the case in my, admittedly, limited experience

Not that i feel uncomfortable

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.

But they are cooped up at home because many can't wear a bloody mask while they're out because they can't hear/see properly or have dementia. One of my elderly family members was called a selfish old c**t by the mask police earlier this year because she wasn't wearing one. Do you really think she deserved that? Do you think it made her feel like people cared about protecting her?

I now have 4 elderly family members who will be staying at home yet again despite being triple jabbed and hoping to get on with their lives. They don't fall into any proper 'exemption' category as such other than they're old and the masks restrict vision and hearing, so not wearing one leaves them open to the kind of nasty shit I mentioned above.

So yeah, half of you are both patronising and ableist with your 'just wear a mask it's that simple' or 'you're selfish if you don't' schtick.

In my experience there is far more pressure NOT to wear them and if you do you can be made to feel extremely uncomfortable

Whereabouts are you?

I’ve not found this anywhere here

[quote user52673882829]@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.”[/quote]
Being told you're lying about your condition/to stay home and don't go to work, medical appointments, use public transport or go to the shops/that you are not disabled, you're selfish (all things that have been said on here over the past year and a half, and far worse besides) is ableist.

Advocating denying those with disabilities/health conditions which prevent them wearing a mask access to employment, medical appointments and essential amenities is ableist.

Calling people cunts, spitting on them, threatening and abusing them (all things many mask exempt have had to deal with) on account of their disability is ableist.

So. Yeah. They are being ableist, actually.

In my experience there is far more pressure NOT to wear them and if you do you can be made to feel extremely uncomfortable.

That's disgraceful. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone just minded their own business?

Unfortunately for many exempt people it's not as simple as 'just don't wear one'. There have been incidences of physical violence against mask exempt people. Last year there was an incident to some degree every time I went to the shops or got on a bus. I've talked about it before but particular low points include being spat at and being called a disease breathed tramp (in both cases by people who took down their masks to do so). Being told I didn't deserve NHS help if I caught Covid was another. And that's before you even get started on the stage whispers, the eye-rolls and the tuts.

If this has happened to you too I'm genuinely sorry. Like I say, people should just mind their own business and worry more about themselves (and their appalling behaviour).

I live in Cyprus and we have been wearing masks for what seems like forever. It is normal to us now, they are mandatory in ALL public places unless sitting down to eat or drink. €300 fine for non compliance.

I'm not prepared to stress over wearing a mask 🤷‍♀️
I'd wear one foreign it means schools stay open so my kids can be taught by an actual teacher and not me👍🏻

Yep!
I really hope some of the "it's selfish brigade" read some of the horrible treatment received and actually show some decency going forward rather than treating exempt people with disdain and some truly horrific behaviour.

@thevampireswife I'm so sorry you have had that, I've had a quite a few abusive comments but thankfully nothing too aggressive, yes regular stares, eye rolls etc as masks are still a requirement in Scotland but also been told on MN that attitude doesn't exist... Sadly it does.

I honestly hate that people feel justified in behaving this way full stop it's disgusting.
I honestly don't understand why others just don't get on with their lives and stop judging others when they have no idea the reason why.

'now have 4 elderly family members who will be staying at home yet again despite being triple jabbed and hoping to get on with their lives. They don't fall into any proper 'exemption' category as such other than they're old and the masks restrict vision and hearing, so not wearing one leaves them open to the kind of nasty shit I mentioned above.So yeah, half of you are both patronising and ableist with your 'just wear a mask it's that simple' or 'you're selfish if you don't' schtick.'

But surely we all have elderly relatives who of course struggle as do many, however they understand the need is to protect themselves as well as others. I have a disabled relative who would of course be 'exempt' but would rather use a face cover to protect themselves. Calling some of us 'ableist' because we are pointing out many jump on the exempt bandwagon is offensive.

Not sure how they restrict vision or hearing tbh. Of course Deaf people can't lip read but in that situation if requiring help from a member of staff the person would move their mask and keep 2m distance, which all are happy to do ime.

We all need to do our bit.

Wales and Scotland have exactly the same infection rates as England so as far as I'm concerned that's the biggest proof that masks are a waste of time. In fact London has been no worse than other parts of the UK, even though masks wearing has been particularly low in London.

Keep going everyone! Only two more pages to fill.

@JaniieJones

'now have 4 elderly family members who will be staying at home yet again despite being triple jabbed and hoping to get on with their lives. They don't fall into any proper 'exemption' category as such other than they're old and the masks restrict vision and hearing, so not wearing one leaves them open to the kind of nasty shit I mentioned above.So yeah, half of you are both patronising and ableist with your 'just wear a mask it's that simple' or 'you're selfish if you don't' schtick.'

But surely we all have elderly relatives who of course struggle as do many, however they understand the need is to protect themselves as well as others. I have a disabled relative who would of course be 'exempt' but would rather use a face cover to protect themselves. Calling some of us 'ableist' because we are pointing out many jump on the exempt bandwagon is offensive.

Not sure how they restrict vision or hearing tbh. Of course Deaf people can't lip read but in that situation if requiring help from a member of staff the person would move their mask and keep 2m distance, which all are happy to do ime.

We all need to do our bit.

Juts goes to show how little you understand about how masks restrict the elderly.

@Elphame Sorry you’re suffering with TN. DP has this too (sudden onset, mercifully quickly diagnosed last year during lockdown) and is currently struggling with a resurgence of symptoms after a period of remission over the summer. It’s a truly horrible condition.

Fortunately DP is pretty tough-skinned and has been able to brush off the regular abuse he’s received for being unable to wear a mask. I think it helps that he’s male too; a fair few of the self-appointed mask police seem to prefer harassing women and children rather than six foot blokes.

Hope you manage to ride out the new mandate OK and are able to apply your exemption where you need to without too much confrontation.

'Juts goes to show how little you understand about how masks restrict the elderly.'

I understand!! I have elderly parents and aunts, I have a disabled relative. Of course they restrict communication but if they contain any infected particles then it's worth the inconvenience. Hospitals and GPs, infact many places like hairdressrs and dentists have always asked people to wear them. It's not much different tbh.

@JaniieJones

'Juts goes to show how little you understand about how masks restrict the elderly.'

I understand!! I have elderly parents and aunts, I have a disabled relative. Of course they restrict communication but if they contain any infected particles then it's worth the inconvenience. Hospitals and GPs, infact many places like hairdressrs and dentists have always asked people to wear them. It's not much different tbh.

It's very different. It's the difference between my elderly relatives getting out and about a little bit on the run up to Christmas or back to being confined at home. Especially when they were all ill after the jabs and had thought it would mean their lives were no longer on hold. Surely you must appreciate that there isn't much life left to put on hold in your late 80s! Having spoken to my relatives they're devastated. But hey as long as they're safe eh