Who is planning to ditch masks as soon as we are legally allowed?

[polar81]

Is anyone else planning to ditch the masks asap? The only reason I wear one atm is because of the legal mandate and it will go as soon as that's dropped.

If you are staunchly pro-mask then this is probably not the thread for you! I know all the arguments on both side and they have been fully rehearsed on this board for the last 2 years. I am simply interested to gauge how many people also want to ditch masks asap, when the law allows.

It would be fab if we could have a thread on this topic that didn't include the words- selfish, it's no hardship, why wouldn't you?, we're in a pandemic ffs, I wear my mask to protect others etc.... that's lovely, and we already know!

It’s only a few weeks off two years to be fair. Just saying.

Glad to see masks go. I want very good at wearing them, so this takes the stress away.

Yep. Off with my mask! I'll be as careful as I can without one, won't invade anyones space, wash hands etc but can't live in a mask when I don't have to

Masks went back in in about late November in England in shops and public transport but have been 100% required on the London underground as far as I remember for at least 18 months and are almost unbearable and I just hope S Kahn does the right thing and gets rid of them there too although apparently he won't
www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/face-masks-must-still-worn-22803946

Actually I think they will be able to kick you off the train but not fine you on the tube so in a sense it probably makes them voluntary - thank God.

"However, Mr Khan’s spokesperson expressed dismay about the PM’s scrapping of the mask law.

Th [ person] added: “We can stop people boarding, but this is a level down in terms of powers and is not the law anymore. Police officers can’t fine people or prosecute them.

“Our preference would be for the government to keep the legislation around masks on public transport. Sadiq has been very clear masks should be enforced.”

Under the current law, Londoners can be fined £200 for failing to wear a mask on public transport. This will no longer be possible from next week."

"Face covering exemption badge

People who are not required by law to wear a face covering can order a free badge from Transport for London to let our staff, British Transport Police and our customers know that they are exempt."
So the current includes if the mask causes you severe distress.

Presumably there will be no law exempting people from masks from a week tomorrow however so TFL must change this page otherwise people will not know on what basis they are exempt. tfl.gov.uk/campaign/face-coverings

My daughter was a approached with her baby by 2 over bearing TFL officials today about her mask but she is exempt. They were going up to loads of people in a very nasty way.

@Againstmachine

You dimished it by saying it hasn't been two years well what did you mean by that. To me it means it hasn't been enough.

However, it hasn't been 2 years.

And plenty of people will still be wearing masks, selectively.

Yes come on people, it’s not been two years. It’s been one year and ten months.

Don't forget the 3 weeks, 5 days

Will they still be required for hospital appointments? I'm mask exempt and have been delaying an outpatient hospital treatment because I can't face having to justify to someone on the door why I am mask exempt. This would enable me to get quite important medical treatment.

@TheMerrickBoy

It's been two years though, and we definitely know that vaccines make a massive difference. None of this is to say that there is no danger at all to anyone, but I think we're certainly in a position to say it is less lethal than either rabies or ebola.

How many people have died from Ebola in the UK?

What is the total death rate of people from Ebola worldwide ever?

How contagious is Ebola compared to Covid?

Interesting article .
www.forbes.com/sites/coronavirusfrontlines/2020/07/31/why-is-covid-19-more-deadly-than-ebola-an-infectious-disease-doctor-explains/

I was listening to a scientist in the radio who said that we had abnormally low levels of flu this year which was probably because of wearing masks and vaccinations.

@Exibstudent

Will they still be required for hospital appointments? I'm mask exempt and have been delaying an outpatient hospital treatment because I can't face having to justify to someone on the door why I am mask exempt. This would enable me to get quite important medical treatment.

Worth asking. Where I am in Australia, a hospital I attended as an outpatient had a no exceptions mask policy.

Oh, you had a typo, so I fixed it for you OP.

Only Brits I think you mean Gits complain about wearing masks', 'I live in a world where other people matter and we not only wear them, we love it too”.

I’m very happy about the announcement yesterday and can’t wait to stop wearing masks next week. I won’t be wearing one once the legal restriction has gone. I’m also happy that self isolation will be ending in March. We will finally be back to normal and able to live life properly again.

Glad to see them go, will be able to go out to the shops properly again rather than a quick in and out

I will be ditching mine.

Great news, can’t wait too ditch the masks.

Will keep ours for peace of mind in our personal circumstances. Don’t care what other people do.

@PersonCareHotline

Oh, you had a typo, so I fixed it for you OP.

Only Brits I think you mean Gits complain about wearing masks', 'I live in a world where other people matter and we not only wear them, we love it too”.

Gosh, your wit astounds me

Yes I can't wait. And people saying 'I'll do what I did last time' aren't really getting it I don't think - this isn't temporary like last time, they are now saying we need to learn to live with Coronavirus like we live with flu (and we don't wear masks during flu season). As a mum of a small baby during the pandemic masks were just one more thing to faff around with and make me feel uncomfortable, when I had my baby in a sling and mask on I couldn't see him as the mask obstructed my view. I understood the need for them previously and stuck to the rules but can't wait to see the back of them!

@vodkaredbullgirl

Don't forget the 3 weeks, 5 days

Lmao.

Given that rounding up or down is extremely common and widely accepted, we're likely to see people using two years to describe the duration of the pandemic from now until well into the summer. We'd probably all do well to get used to that now, because the well akshully it's been 22/25/23 months line isn't going to get any more incisive between now and June.

I think most people will ditch them, they did last time. I remember being on public transport the day before the mandate came back in and barely anyone was wearing one, the next day everyone was. I think it shows most people are just wearing them because they don’t want to break the rules

@Sunshine1235

I think most people will ditch them, they did last time. I remember being on public transport the day before the mandate came back in and barely anyone was wearing one, the next day everyone was. I think it shows most people are just wearing them because they don’t want to break the rules

I agree with that. A few months ago people were pointing to surveys which showed that most people wanted to 'keep masks'. But real life evidence shows that what people tell pollsters and what they actually do are not always the same thing.