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Original poster

People really have had enough haven’t they?

324 replies

DontWantTheRivalry · 11/01/2022 10:13

I was in my local newsagent this morning and it was me, two women behind the counter and 7 other shoppers.

5 of us were quite huddled together whilst waiting to pay, so we were very close to the staff members behind the till too, and the other two people were still shopping.

Of the ten of us in the shop, which is quite a small newsagents I was the only one wearing a mask and nobody was even bothered that nobody else was. I mean, the shop assistants aren’t going to make an issue of it seeing as they don’t wear masks either.

I felt like such an idiot as I stood there wearing one.

I’m not threatened by Covid, I would love for things to go back to being mask-free, I only wear one because guidance says to rather than because I want to, but I was just so surprised that nobody else was wearing one too.

I felt so uncomfortable wearing one and I think if my hands weren’t full of food and things I probably would have taken mine off because I just felt silly.

It really has made me think that people have just had enough haven’t they?

OP posts:
KurtWilde · 11/01/2022 10:28

Yes, they have. And about time too. I noticed it this weekend when I was out shopping in the city centre. 99.9% normal, an occasional mask, zero social distancing, everyone looked relaxed and comfortable again.

MsTSwift · 11/01/2022 10:32

It’s over isn’t it? This new variant is so mild it seems ridiculous all the mask wearing and social distancing now most people testing positive literally have no or negligible symptoms

hamstersarse · 11/01/2022 10:34

I think it's more likely that people have done a risk assessment and realised that it isn't really that much of a worry anymore

TulipsGarden · 11/01/2022 10:35

I find it very weird that people 'feel silly' for wearing a mask, and think that is a good reason for not wearing one. I remember people saying that back in the summer, and wondering why people were so concerned about what others think.

Face covering are currently required by law in indoor public places.

Rainbowbrite2022 · 11/01/2022 10:39

It’s a lot of fingers in the ears let’s pretend the virus is gone or is that it’s now just a cold. It’s not a cold, it’s not that mild in some people and is causing huge issues in hospitals/care homes. It’s also very contagious spreading to non covid areas easily despite infection control measures in place.

Nobody really cares now they are tired of it all which I get it’s been a long two years. Lots of people have already had it and now think they can’t catch it again. They didn’t die or didn’t have symptoms so it’s all fine. Everyone wants to be normal but unfortunately we are still in a pandemic world wide it’s not just going to disappear.

However it soon becomes apparent that they care when they or their relative can’t get an ambulance/bed, they are sent home earlier than planned or their treatment/scan/operation is cancelled which is currently what is happening my trust. Visiting is cancelled again which is awful. Worst we’ve been through the whole pandemic. It’s not affecting icu luckily in the same way thanks to vaccination but it’s normal wards and many are also kept monitored at home. Even a small number of 150-200,000 cases a day means a lot of hospital admissions unfortunately that despite the lack of coverage is causing massive issues in health and social care.

Lindy2 · 11/01/2022 10:41

Mask wearing is still very high here. A shop with that many people huddled together without masks would be very unusual.

Most people are doing their normal activities though.

At the moment though I have a fit and healthy friend in their early 40s who tested positive on Boxing Day and I'm worried is now on the verge of needing hospital treatment. Don't get too overconfident because it might come back and bite you.

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 11/01/2022 10:42

Tell that to my adult son who could die if he catches it, and only recently is allowed out of his house, only for a 10 minute walk every day.

Thethreecs · 11/01/2022 10:45

People all over the world are fed up. Where I live masks are mandatory everywhere, we're so use to them that it's second nature to wear one. Tbh I'd feel uncomfortable not wearing one, while covid doesn't affect some and many don't mind getting ill we can't take any chances with 2 vulnerable people here.

If you don't have to wear one, don't want to wear one, don't worry about getting covid then stop wearing one. Every person is different and every situation is different, only this morning I received an email from dds sn school to say 3 teachers tested positive, they don't wear masks even though they're mandatory as many of the kids are afraid of them so the school decided that no one wears them as the majority were afraid. Dd isn't afraid of seeing masks, she can't wear them, but unfortunately now this means I'm sitting here shitting myself that dd has picked up something, she's very ill health and if she gets covid unfortunately it's not 'just like a cold' for her.

Whatayear81 · 11/01/2022 10:45

Where are you?

SE town here and pretty much everyone wearing them in shops

Whatayear81 · 11/01/2022 10:46

I half heartedly wear them just to avoid drawing attention to myself. But really, most of the time I have it below my nose

WingingItSince1973 · 11/01/2022 10:59

I was in a shop yesterday where most of us were in masks. A lady came in same time as me without one and was on the phone saying she had forgot her mask and what should she do? The she said that people should get used to it anyway and carried on. I hate wearing them but I'm a rile follower and seems most of the locals are too.

TheKeatingFive · 11/01/2022 10:59

The behavioural scientists always said that people would only remain strongly motivated so long as they were afraid for themselves or their loved ones on a personal level.

With 3 shots, a milder variant, better treatments, that fear has dissipated very strongly for the majority. So yes, a significant number of people are done.

doublemonkey · 11/01/2022 10:59

This reply has been deleted

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Ilikecheeseontoast · 11/01/2022 11:02

Yes I’ve been to lots of places recently with no masks in sight. Baby groups, shops etc. Loads of families on top of each other in the family changing room at the swimming oool at the weekend, hairdryers on, everyone acting ‘normally’. Hallelujah!

whenwillthemadnessend · 11/01/2022 11:02

I'm
South east and mask wearing is still high but our hospitals are at breaking point so no one wants to end up in a&e for anything!!

Beamur · 11/01/2022 11:08

Yes people are fed up but it's far from over.
This variant may be causing a milder infection (vaccines and prior infections being a very significant reason) but it's no less dangerous for many people and it's easier to catch.
There will also be more variants. How we react to those remains unknown.
Keep wearing the mask.

x2boys · 11/01/2022 11:09

I don't think wearing a mask is a bad thing tbh ,i had a pretty nasty non covid virus that floored me for weeks , maybe I could have avoided it if I had worn a mask
It's pretty much the only restriction we have anyway .

Whatayear81 · 11/01/2022 11:19

@x2boys

I don't think wearing a mask is a bad thing tbh ,i had a pretty nasty non covid virus that floored me for weeks , maybe I could have avoided it if I had worn a mask It's pretty much the only restriction we have anyway .
So you didn’t wear a mask?

Are you vaccinated out of interest?

JessicaKenny2018 · 11/01/2022 11:21

We are in Norfolk and everyone is wearing masks here still

RobotValkyrie · 11/01/2022 11:31

I just wish mask wearing was treated as an individual decision, much like wearing a scarf or not (the winter garment type, not the cultural/religious type!).
All this caring about what other people chose to do with their bodies is really oppressive and unhealthy. Like what you wear or not represents some form of political statement. Urgh.

I wear a mask for my own comfort (sometimes it just feels right), I remove this mask for my own comfort (glasses fogged up, hard to breath after running to catch the bus, etc.), I couldn't care less what other people are doing, and I wish they did the same.
I understand the valid concerns of CEV people and their families. But medical tyranny has to stop. The psychological harm is real.

TheKeatingFive · 11/01/2022 11:34

I agree that a shift towards medical grade masks for those who want to wear them to protect themselves is sensible.

Relying on the entire population (many of whom are low risk and know it) wearing masks badly, strikes me as not a great idea.

x2boys · 11/01/2022 11:36

I am Indeed vaccinated @Whatayear81 doubly plus booster .

LadyCleathStuart · 11/01/2022 11:40

@x2boys

I don't think wearing a mask is a bad thing tbh ,i had a pretty nasty non covid virus that floored me for weeks , maybe I could have avoided it if I had worn a mask It's pretty much the only restriction we have anyway .
In Scotland the requirement to wear masks has never been removed and almost everyone I see is still wearing one. I've still managed to catch a number of awful non covid bugs since Autumn as has nearly everyone I know.
IndigoC · 11/01/2022 11:40

The virus doesn’t care if you’ve “had enough”.

Whatayear81 · 11/01/2022 11:41

@x2boys

How come you chose not to wear a mask?