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Original poster

Would you comment on a non-mask wearer when in public?

511 replies

92miles · 27/12/2021 15:48

If you passed a fit young person coming into a busy venue as you were exiting, and that person wasn't wearing a mask, would you say anything to them?

I wouldn't because you've got no way of knowing if that person is exempt. It is also possible the person does have a mask and had simply forgotten to slip it on. I think they will pretty soon notice others wearing masks and it will remind them if that's the case.

I've witnessed other people making comments to non mask wearers when in public though.

OP posts:
Theblacksheepandme · 29/12/2021 00:50

The below bugs the shit out of me also. Also wearing it under the nose is annoying. I would be more inclined to say something to those people. I would never say anything to someone not wearing a mask. I was on a flight recently and lots of people had it under their nose. When cabin crew walked past they lifted it up so clearly they know they are not wearing it correctly

Pensieve
It’s not the exempt or the occasional genuine forgot my mask people that are the problem - it’s the chin hammock people! Just stop it, wear the mask or take it off and own not wearing one.

Blossom64265 · 29/12/2021 01:17

I have pretty severe claustrophobia. The panic attacks in the beginning were intense. When I wear the mask for any length of time, my brain starts to turn to mush. When DH and I had to spend several hours signing contracts for a financial deal, normally I take the lead, but this time around, by the end he had to simply tell me where to sign. I do not qualify for a mask exemption and I don’t think I should.

Mask exemptions are for people who can’t physically put on their mask or remove it, who have physical pain, or who truly can’t tolerate wearing it at all like children with severe sensory disorders. They are not for middle aged women who can use CBT even if it is exhausting and sometimes fails so you end up running for the door so you can tear the damn thing off before you start sobbing because popping in to buy milk turned out to be difficult that day.

XenoBitch · 29/12/2021 01:19

@Blossom64265

I have pretty severe claustrophobia. The panic attacks in the beginning were intense. When I wear the mask for any length of time, my brain starts to turn to mush. When DH and I had to spend several hours signing contracts for a financial deal, normally I take the lead, but this time around, by the end he had to simply tell me where to sign. I do not qualify for a mask exemption and I don’t think I should.

Mask exemptions are for people who can’t physically put on their mask or remove it, who have physical pain, or who truly can’t tolerate wearing it at all like children with severe sensory disorders. They are not for middle aged women who can use CBT even if it is exhausting and sometimes fails so you end up running for the door so you can tear the damn thing off before you start sobbing because popping in to buy milk turned out to be difficult that day.

I hope you can find it in yourself to eat Biscuit through your mask.
BogRollBOGOF · 29/12/2021 01:27

@whiteroseredrose

I have been wondering, if you are someone who doesn't wear a mask because you are exempt, are you at all concerned when you are surrounded by others not wearing masks, potentially infecting you?
No. Masks cause me far more bother than fretting about covid. Vaccines give me more protection than the ill-fitting, reused, ususally unregulated products that most people apply to their faces.

I currently have Covid and it's so far behaving exactly like a normal cold.
When I get back into public places in the next week, between being fully vaccinated (inc booster) and natural immunity I shall have zero shits to give about Covid itself. Masks unfortunately remain a problem for a while yet...

The upside about getting Covid over Christmas was that I haven't been anywhere to infect anyone with my bare disease ridden breath and my symptoms occurred before I could pass it on to family.
I am most disappointingly not a super-spreader.

Blossom64265 · 29/12/2021 01:32

@XenoBitch

did you not get that I was talking about myself being the crazy woman sobbing in the milk aisle or do you really not think we should be pushing ourselves to keep others safe?

elliejjtiny · 29/12/2021 01:54

No of course not.

I agree that there are some people in the UK who don't wear masks and either claim to be exempt when they aren't or openly admit that they just don't want to wear one. There are obviously also some people who genuinely can't wear a mask.

We can either waste a great deal of time and money getting GP's or other health professionals to decide and issue cards to the genuinely exempt. Or we can do what we do now and allow people to decide whether they are exempt or not and accept that there will be a small number of people who are able to wear a mask but don't.

Underhisi · 29/12/2021 06:30

"This exemption nonsense is beyond ridiculous. It doesn't apply in other countries. You wear a mask. End of."

Most other countries have exemptions.
Your experience of life must be narrow if you really think everyone can wear one.

DickMabutt73962 · 29/12/2021 06:57

@Spikeyball

"Somehow autistic people here manage to wear masks"

People like my son won't be wearing masks.

"I'm in Toronto, Canada and we all wesr masks."

That is not correct. Toronto has mask exemptions.

I've just come from Toronto. Everyone wears masks. Signs everywhere say 'no mask no service'. My friend who lives there says that exemptions aren't a thing in reality, and everyone is told to mask up or refused service. People just do it
Spikeyball · 29/12/2021 07:13

Toronto has legal exemptions. Quite a wide range in fact. Businesses are allowed to provide their services in other ways but that doesn't negate the fact that exemptions exist.

People like my son won't "just do it". It is impossible for them to, just like they can't do lots of other things because of their severe disability. Did you not know that people like him exist?

TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 08:04

@Josette77

I'm in Toronto, Canada and we all wesr masks. You can't go into a store without. My son has sn's, but he wears one because it's the law. If you go to school you wear masks, if you are a parent at pick up you wear a mask. There are no exemptions. I have asthma and ptsd but I get on with it, because I have to.
Toronto has exemptions.
TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 08:07

@Viviennemary

This exemption nonsense is beyond ridiculous. It doesn't apply in other countries. You wear a mask. End of.
Most 'other countries' have exemptions in place.

If you admire the few countries which bar disabled people/those living with health conditions from employment, education, healthcare, public transport and so on, that might be an aspect of your personality you need to work on.

Theblacksheepandme · 29/12/2021 08:14

XenoBitch
What did you mean by that?

I hope you can find it in yourself to eatthrough your mask.

TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 08:14

@DickMabutt73962 whatever your friend says, exemptions exist in Toronto in law. Five in 1000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, for example. There are almost three million people in Toronto. Going by the statistics, that's a fair whack of people with TN, the majority of whom will be unable to wear a face covering of any sort. And that's just one condition which may require exemption.

Exemptions exist, people will need to use them, and shame on any business owner who refuses service (unlawfully) to a disabled person.

DaisyWaldron · 29/12/2021 08:35

@Whataday198

I don't get this concept of 'exemptions'. Where I live there are no exemptions. Everyone over the age of 2 has to wear a mask.

Which means that a number of disabled people will not be able to leave their homes. Odd thing to be proud of.

The thing is, when significant numbers of people are in indoor public places without masks, however good their reasons, that also means that a number of disabled people will not be able to leave their homes.

I don't know what the answer is. I don't see how both groups can be accommodated.

TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 08:43

@DaisyWaldron I'm disabled and I can't wear a mask (I have TN but I also have RA, and am on immunosuppressant drugs for it, so I'm also CEV).

There isn't the government support for people who can't wear masks or people who are vulnerable and should perhaps stay away from people who can't wear masks to stay at home, unfortunately. I'm not supposed to go into busy public places but sadly I don't have a choice.

This is the hand we've been dealt and it's shit but we have no choice but to get on with it.

You're right, there is no answer - but it's essential that the inability to wear a mask shouldn't exclude you from access to employment/healthcare/education etc.

SueSaid · 29/12/2021 08:44

'Five in 1000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, for example. There are almost three million people in Toronto. Going by the statistics, that's a fair whack of people with TN, the majority of whom will be unable to wear a face covering of any sort.'

Most will. I don't know anyone with TN who can't wear a face cover. Obviously there may be rare extreme cases where people like you wet yourself if anything touches your face and you pass out as you have claimed previously but it certainly isn't the norm.

Figgygal · 29/12/2021 08:45

Nope i dont say anything but do wonder why if theyre genuinely exempt they dont wear a lanyard to avoid any grief or judgement. I do suspect many just don't give a shit and actually since masks are proven to be effective in preventing spread there should be more enforcement to minimise risk for those who are vulnerable and which many of the European countries are doing

But would i say anything .......no

Spikeyball · 29/12/2021 08:50

Talking about the UK, given that most people have the option of being fully vaccinated, there are very few people at serious risk. Those people would always have been at risk even without covid and would have needed to be careful about where and when they went.

Ds has a different disability which means his life will always be restricted so I know about restrictions.

PAFMO · 29/12/2021 09:01

@Theblacksheepandme

XenoBitch What did you mean by that?

I hope you can find it in yourself to eatthrough your mask.

It was a snarky comment to the previous poster who had explained that they suffer from claustrophobia and have panic attacks but wear a mask. The biscuit icon is a time honoured MN tradition of basically saying yeah right. It seems that some exemptions, for some people, are more valid than others. @Blossom64265 Flowers
Theblacksheepandme · 29/12/2021 09:22

Blossom64265
I completely get where you're coming from as I have felt exactly like you but I wear a mask the same as you.

Theblacksheepandme · 29/12/2021 09:26

PAFMO
Thanks for the explanation. I'm quite new to a lot of this.

MrsDeaconClaybourne · 29/12/2021 09:27

I'd rather live somewhere where a few people don't wear one when they could than somewhere where people who genuinely can't feel they can't access services and normal life in case people are abusive to them.

TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 09:32

@JaniieJones

'Five in 1000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, for example. There are almost three million people in Toronto. Going by the statistics, that's a fair whack of people with TN, the majority of whom will be unable to wear a face covering of any sort.'

Most will. I don't know anyone with TN who can't wear a face cover. Obviously there may be rare extreme cases where people like you wet yourself if anything touches your face and you pass out as you have claimed previously but it certainly isn't the norm.

When have I said I wet myself if something touches my face?!

Actually just did a proper laughsnort at that Grin

(Incidentally you've also previously said you've never met anyone with TN so you're clearly a bit confused this morning!)

TheVampiresWife · 29/12/2021 09:34

@Figgygal

Nope i dont say anything but do wonder why if theyre genuinely exempt they dont wear a lanyard to avoid any grief or judgement. I do suspect many just don't give a shit and actually since masks are proven to be effective in preventing spread there should be more enforcement to minimise risk for those who are vulnerable and which many of the European countries are doing

But would i say anything .......no

I've always worn a lanyard. Unfortunately the sort of person who's going to shout abuse at you/spit at you and so on isn't going to be put off by a lanyard. They tend to think that because they can be bought online by anyone, exempt or not, people who wear them are just piss takers.
VikingOnTheFridge · 29/12/2021 09:48

Absolutely. If someone is going to be an arsehole, a lanyard that anyone can acquire won't put them off.

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