Why won’t so many Brits wear a mask

[IloveConkers]

I live in mainland Spain where I haven’t seen a single person without a mask in a supermarket since March 2020. I hear it’s the same in Germany and Italy. What is it about so many British people that makes them not do it when it’s clearly safer. I returned to the UK for a visit and found it horrifying. I was even looked at with disdain for wearing one! I just don’t get it!

Funny how few exemptions there are in the Eu, why would that be? Oh yes, medical confirmation required.
I’m sick of people coming up with excuses for not bothering. My baby doesn’t see my face - why? Do you wear the damn thing at home? No, thought not. I’m exempt, well for what reason, I have asthma, any idea how many medical staff have asthma and wear a mask. I don’t like it. Fucking tough, I don’t like racists, still have to live with them.
I’m not trying to make those who are exempt feel bad, or like social pariahs, just the idiots who come up with nonsense, who haven’t read or understood the science behind viral loading and the reduction of, those who say ‘Google a nonsense site’ rather than peer reviewed paper. You are part of the covid problem. You are part of the reason we have had some of the highest death rates in Europe, you and a stupid government to frightened to cancel Christmas because they fear their place in the popularity stakes.
Rant over; for now!

@worriedatthemoment - where did you get your figures from? Yesterday Germany 36.5K infections, population 84.1K. U.K. 54K infections, population 68.4K.

@luckylavender and both were in the 50000

@luckylavender worldometer

@luckylavender if your going to use figures compare how many tests the uk do compare to germany as well, state all the figured not just pick and suit those that suit

@luckylavender the figures i used were from first comment which wS i believe friday not sat , funny how you didn't reply then

@worriedatthemoment - I didn't reply then because I saw it today. I used yesterday's figures from worldometer. Also from worldometer - the German overall death rate is 1263 in every 1 million of population. U.K. is 2141 in every 1 million of population.

@worriedatthemoment & I didn't pick and chose, I answered your specific point.

Because the UK is full of morons with big egos who think they know better than scientists and their own comfort is more important than other people’s health

I'm not convinced medical certification would entirely deal with the problem of people who aren't genuinely exempt claiming exemption. I personally have at least four medical diagnoses/circumstances which could make someone unable to wear a mask. As is happens, I'm able to wear one (with some discomfort) and am therefore not exempt. But if I wanted to, I could very easily tell my doctor that one or more of these diagnosed medical conditions made mask-wearing impossible for me, and the doctor would almost certainly write the exemption. GPs aren't psychic or magic, they mostly go on what you tell them. A lot of people who cared enough about it could probably find a medical pretext. Requiring a certificate might deal with the casual non-wearer, but I'm pretty sure we'd just move from a situation where large numbers of people claim exemption when challenged without being truly exempt, to one where even a written medical exemption was looked on with suspicion, leaving those who can't wear a mask not much better off.

They never went away in Wales so it is unusual here to see people without.

It baffles me too. They protect other people well. They protect the wearer to a certain extent too. 70% with the medical ones I think.

If you (non mask wearer) can’t cope (and are not properly exempt) with wearing a mask to nip to the shop or go for lunch etc then get a grip. Think of the ICU doctors and nurses in full PPE all day, caring for the people you (non mask wearer) might have infected by not wearing a mask. I find it a bit pathetic to be honest. I don’t like wearing one, I struggle to hear without lip reading and they make me feel a bit sweaty and hot, but it’s a small sacrifice to make to try and protect each other. I can cope with that! Very few, apart from the truly medically exempt, can’t cope, really.

ClumpyMascara

Because the UK is full of morons with big egos who think they know better than scientists and their own comfort is more important than other people’s health

Not here in Wales. We never stopped wearing them. May be this is just an England thing? Not saying the English are morons of course. Just saying the attitudes to mask wearing are different here.

@Suspiciousmind20

ClumpyMascara

Because the UK is full of morons with big egos who think they know better than scientists and their own comfort is more important than other people’s health

Not here in Wales. We never stopped wearing them. May be this is just an England thing? Not saying the English are morons of course. Just saying the attitudes to mask wearing are different here.

And now they are back to being recommended the English have started wearing them again.

I think we need to start having a bingo card when it comes to the English and mask wearing.

I always wear one and have two separate medical conditions which could exempt me. It isn't in fact a problem.

I can see why some people are angry about the behaviour of the government and think they shouldn't have to bother. However, it's not about them, is it? The thing is to contribute to keeping ourselves and others safe, despite poor behaviour at the top and elsewhere. Also I realise a mask only improves protection by 20%. But that is not nothing. Lots of us have avoided covid as a result, and also we know there are far fewer colds and flu than there would have been.

It just comes across as selfish to be honest -
“I don’t want to wear one because it’s not comfortable and I am not going to consider those around me that may need to be protected” - until someone they know gets seriously ill that is

There's alot of angry people on this thread. I'm not sure why the aggression is necessary in all honesty. And the posters who are telling me I'm not exempt without actually knowing anything about. I thought we were all meant to #bekind to each other.

I'm curious about what the exemption rules are in countries where lots more people are wearing masks than in England.

@Suspiciousmind20

They never went away in Wales so it is unusual here to see people without.

It baffles me too. They protect other people well. They protect the wearer to a certain extent too. 70% with the medical ones I think.

If you (non mask wearer) can’t cope (and are not properly exempt) with wearing a mask to nip to the shop or go for lunch etc then get a grip. Think of the ICU doctors and nurses in full PPE all day, caring for the people you (non mask wearer) might have infected by not wearing a mask. I find it a bit pathetic to be honest. I don’t like wearing one, I struggle to hear without lip reading and they make me feel a bit sweaty and hot, but it’s a small sacrifice to make to try and protect each other. I can cope with that! Very few, apart from the truly medically exempt, can’t cope, really.

This with tinsel on on.

@ALittleBitConfused1

There's alot of angry people on this thread. I'm not sure why the aggression is necessary in all honesty. And the posters who are telling me I'm not exempt without actually knowing anything about. I thought we were all meant to #bekind to each other.

People have said you're not exempt because you told us you're not exempt — you said "I put it on and now it rarely bothers me". You're exempt if your illness or disability means you personally can't wear it. It's not diagnosis-based, it's about whether you personally can wear it. You've said you can, therefore you're not exempt, even though others with the same condition are exempt because they can't wear it. Like me — I can wear a face mask even though I have autism with sensory sensitivities, asthma, anxiety, a trauma history involving being suffocated, etc., any one of which might for someone else mean they can't wear a mask. (I do wish some mention had been made of fluctuating ability to wear a mask — there have been times I've left shops to remove mine for a few minutes, but on the whole, I can wear it, so I do. From what you say about it "rarely" bothering you, you're the same as me — mostly okay, but occasionally it's not possible.)

There are other exemptions like age or extreme distress but I'm guessing from how you were talking about "technically exempt" that you probably have a diagnosis that's been mentioned somewhere as potentially being grounds for exemption.

Funny how few exemptions there are in the Eu, why would that be? Oh yes, medical confirmation required.

Well said. I go into town almost every day, and have yet to see anyone here not wearing a mask when they should be. Funny that there are so few exemptions here also.

@ALittleBitConfused1

There's alot of angry people on this thread. I'm not sure why the aggression is necessary in all honesty. And the posters who are telling me I'm not exempt without actually knowing anything about. I thought we were all meant to #bekind to each other.

People are unable to understand that the effects of many medical conditions might fluctuate on a day to day basis, so one day you may be able to tolerate the mask and another maybe not. They don't get that on days when you are able to tolerate it you may decide to wear it because you want to do your bit to help.

The exemption still applies though should things change and you need to use it. We can all only do our best.

I think it's reasonable to assume that if someone has a fluctuating condition the exemption would only apply during times they're unable to wear it (excepting people for whom it's unpredictable whether wearing the mask will trigger a problem)? I mean, for me, my health conditions lead me to have serious problems with my mask something considerably less than 5% of the time. Does that mean that the other 95%+ of the time it should be entirely at my discretion whether I magnanimously "decide to wear it" to "do my bit to help"? Or should I consider myself subject to the same rules as everybody else during those times?

I wish people would stop saying G 'technically exempt '. That doesn't exist. You either are or you aren't and yes that can vary on circumstances as you may be able to wear a mask in some circumstances and not others.
The phrase is used too often to say if I can wear a mask with x condition then so can everyone else with the same condition which is rubbish.

Yes, some angry people on here. One in particular who dissected one of my posts bit by bit and accused me of being nasty about people who don't wear masks, whilst wilfully/stupidly (not sure) ignoring my support for the genuinely exempt. I'm not allowed to express annoyance at the sheer volume of non compliance without being pounced upon and accused of making things worse for those who have a medical exemption. This is a discussion thread about mask wearing. If a stray mask refuser wanders on here and doesn't like my opinion, tough. If a person unable to wear a mask wanders on here, they will see that I sympathise with the problem of them being lumped in with those who can't be arsed wearing a mask.