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Original poster

Why won’t so many Brits wear a mask

484 replies

IloveConkers · 10/12/2021 17:50

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!

OP posts:
Raffiamat · 13/12/2021 13:35

They're not being barred, they wear a mask!
I'm in Vietnam.

oneglassandpuzzled · 13/12/2021 13:39

@HardbackWriter

I love the way these threads always go:

'it's because English people think they're SO SPECIAL.'.
'yeah, that's right, there's nothing special about English people'
'that's right, they're the worst people who have ever existed and unlike every other nation on earth who are selfless'

Confused and no one ever seems to spot the irony.

I also like all the people who pat themselves on the back for being Scottish or Welsh.

You haven’t mentioned the Empire. We don’t wear masks because of brexit and colonialism. 😁
alloalloallo · 13/12/2021 13:51

@Raffiamat

They're not being barred, they wear a mask! I'm in Vietnam.
Of course they are

If a person with a disability cannot wear a mask and there are no mask exemptions, then of course they are barred from working, buying food, going to school, accessing medical care

TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 13:55

@Raffiamat

They're not being barred, they wear a mask! I'm in Vietnam.
How can people who can't wear a mask wear a mask?

Of course they're being barred, if (as you claim) no exemptions are permitted.

Are you okay with thousands of people being unable to access employment etc?

alloalloallo · 13/12/2021 13:56

@Raffiamat

I don't think a lot of people in the UK get how some countries are. No exemptions. You are made to wear a mask if you want to leave your house. It's not up for debate!
So some countries are excluding people with disabilities who can’t wear masks from going to work? Excluding children from education? Accessing health and medical care? Being able to shop for food and necessities?

And you post like that’s a good thing Hmm

BlaBlaSmthSmth · 13/12/2021 13:58

@Raffiamat

I don't think a lot of people in the UK get how some countries are. No exemptions. You are made to wear a mask if you want to leave your house. It's not up for debate!
The unashamed ableism of this. Is this something you're proud of?

I'm so thankful to live somewhere that doesn't bar sections of our community from going about their lives. Jesus.

SLH2003 · 13/12/2021 15:04

Because there was no requirement to.

fakereview · 13/12/2021 15:08

So some countries are excluding people with disabilities who can’t wear masks from going to work? Excluding children from education? Accessing health and medical care? Being able to shop for food and necessities

I don't think they are, but you need evidence of your disability. Rather than just saying "I don't want to wear one so I am exempt". Though where I am virtually everyone is wearing one. Other than the aforementioned barbers where all the customers and staff are unaccountably exempt.

fakereview · 13/12/2021 15:12

@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
what, like all the MNers who keep telling people that they have to get a PCR for any symptom whatsoever and think they know better than the NHS what symptoms you need to test for?
DeclineandFall · 13/12/2021 15:18

DH on a train today back to Scotland from London - he's genuinely shocked how few people wearing masks. Where we are in central Scotland mask compliance on public transport and in shops is very high. Not because we think we're special as someone sniped up thread but because the rules to do so have never been removed. Mind you he's in First Class because its work - maybe they think covid is for the plebs only.
This is what happens when public health is politicised by the people in charge

Coffeepants · 13/12/2021 15:19

Because they’re selfish and really don’t care about anyone but themselves.

Hemingwayscatz · 13/12/2021 15:21

Because they were told they didn’t have to anymore, perhaps? Brits don’t like being told what to do so there’s that too.

samyeagar · 13/12/2021 15:24

Eh, it's gotten way easier to just embrace what ever names and shaming tactics are bring thrown about than to engage. If it makes them feel better to call names and shame, then I'm happy to help them.

TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 15:24

@Coffeepants

Because they’re selfish and really don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Or they're exempt.

HTH!

Anonymous48 · 13/12/2021 16:31

@TheVampiresWife

Where I live being exempt isn't a thing. If you go somewhere that requires a mask and you're two years old or older, you have to wear one, with no exceptions

Where do you live, @Anonymous48? Almost all countries have exemptions. If yours doesn't, I'd like to commiserate with you for living in a country which does not allow disabled people/those living with health conditions to access employment, healthcare, essential shopping and so on. It must be awful to live somewhere so discriminatory, I'm so sorry Flowers

I'm in the US.

When masks were mandatory in my state there were things put in place for people who were unable to wear a mask. For example, online schooling rather than in person. Delivery or curbside pickup for shopping. Working from home.

For non essential things, such as the theatre, if you can't wear a mask where it's required, then you can't participate.

Coffeepants · 13/12/2021 16:35

Lots of “exempt people” until last week trains in London had hardly anyone wearing masks despite signs and announcements. You cannot tell me that 80% of the population is exempt! Further there is no certification to be deemed exempt so anyone who doesn’t want to wear a mask will simply say that they are. As others have pointed out, this doesn’t seem to be an issue in other countries.

Spikeyball · 13/12/2021 16:53

"When masks were mandatory in my state there were things put in place for people who were unable to wear a mask. For example, online schooling rather than in person."

Online learning is not going to work for children with severe learning disability and autism. Poor kids, getting kept away from others and making life horrendously difficult for their parents.

People are accusing others of being selfish and not caring about others but treating those families like that shows a high degree of not caring.

TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 16:55

@Anonymous48 what if you couldn't do your job from home? Or needed regular medical appointments for, say, blood screening?

Most states had/have exemptions in place. How unfortunate that you live in one that doesn't, and values disabled people so little.

TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 16:57

@Spikeyball

"When masks were mandatory in my state there were things put in place for people who were unable to wear a mask. For example, online schooling rather than in person."

Online learning is not going to work for children with severe learning disability and autism. Poor kids, getting kept away from others and making life horrendously difficult for their parents.

People are accusing others of being selfish and not caring about others but treating those families like that shows a high degree of not caring.

It's always the posters who claim to be so very caring and empathetic and aware of the needs of vulnerable people etc etc who spout this ableist nonsense. Always.
TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 16:59

@Coffeepants

Lots of “exempt people” until last week trains in London had hardly anyone wearing masks despite signs and announcements. You cannot tell me that 80% of the population is exempt! Further there is no certification to be deemed exempt so anyone who doesn’t want to wear a mask will simply say that they are. As others have pointed out, this doesn’t seem to be an issue in other countries.
Other countries have exemptions too.

As has been said previously, would you really want to live in a country which effectively barred disabled people and those living with health conditions from employment/healthcare/shopping for essentials/education?

BlaBlaSmthSmth · 13/12/2021 17:34

It's always the posters who claim to be so very caring and empathetic and aware of the needs of vulnerable people etc etc who spout this ableist nonsense. Always.

Spot on.

LobsterNapkin · 13/12/2021 19:30

Laws, culture, what people think will make a difference.

Basically, people tend to think that since it's not required by law or public health, they are free to make their own decision. And unlike some cultures there is a tendency to independence rather than socially enforced conformism about such things, so people really will often do what they think is best if there is no rule.

As far as why people think they won't do, it's one, or often several, things:

  • A lot of people really hate them. They can't hear or people can't hear them, they become face blind, they make people break out or feel short of breath. (For some reason people who don't care one way or another seem to completely discount how much many others really dislike them.)
  • They have doubts about how efficacious they really are for covid in daily life, they think they are somewhat or a lot less effective than some people think. And the research on this doesn't particularly contradict that, so no, they don't have that view because they are "thick."
  • They consider that covid will be with us permanently, and they are not going to mask permanently. So the question for them is, when to stop? For a lot of people, when everyone has had a chance to be vaccinated seems pretty logical. There isn't another clear milestone that's likely to emerge.
gofg · 13/12/2021 19:38

I don't think a lot of people in the UK get that in many other countries there isn't the huge amount of people who "can't" wear a mask. People who have a genuine reason can get an exemption, but you don't get the people who decide that not wanting to wear one is a good enough reason to be exempt. The number of posters I've seen who can't wear one because they have asthma for instance - and yet people here with asthma wear them with no problem. Of course people in other countries don't like wearing masks, but that isn't a good enough reason to not do so, which it seems to be in England.

Coffeepants · 13/12/2021 20:47

I would like to live in a country where people have some consideration for others. If you are genuinely exempt there should be a process for certifying and I struggle to believe that many people are exempt. More that they do not want to wear a mask as it is inconvenient

TheVampiresWife · 13/12/2021 20:56

@Coffeepants

I would like to live in a country where people have some consideration for others. If you are genuinely exempt there should be a process for certifying and I struggle to believe that many people are exempt. More that they do not want to wear a mask as it is inconvenient
Well, in the UK there isn't a process for certifying exemption. That's just how it is.

May I suggest you yourself have a bit of 'consideration for others', and not judge those without masks, or celebrate countries which shut disabled people away.

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