Finally ordered a sunflower Lanyard

[Woodandsky]

Feels ridiculous doing it now when the rules are relaxing again, but I've managed my asthma all through the mask wearing by taking things easy and not going out that much. I also have anxiety issues that made the thought of having to explain why I sometimes find masks difficult really worse than risking setting off my asthma.

Anyway now that I'm getting out more I'm having to wear a mask more and more often & starting to have issues; yesterday I was on a train & had a huge asthma attack due to having to run for the train then drag my case through several carriages to find my seat. I then had a massive panic attack about being on a train & the tube without a mask (I couldn't breathe with it on), in the end I don't know where the asthma stopped and the panic attack started.

I checked my Facebook in the evening and friends are posting about how we should all carry on wearing masks after the restrictions are eased (for good reasons I know) and I thought I can't carry on any longer, so I finally ordered a lanyard & card saying I can't wear the mask due to my asthma, it has emergency instructions about the inhaler and a space for an emergency contact too, I feel like such an idiot for leaving it for so long!

I will try to wear a mask as much as I can still, but I'll always have it in my bag for when I can't.

Just wanted to share, anyone else held out & suffered for this long in order to try to do the right thing or not stand out?

@Lovemusic33

These lanyards no longer mean a thing, so many have purchased them because they can’t or don’t want to wear a mask. I bought them for my DD’s before all the covid stuff, both my dc have autism, the lanyards made it easier to do things and visit places without people asking questions “why is dd holding her ears?” Or “why is dd flapping her arms?” But now they seem to be used to say “I’m not wearing a mask because I have anxiety…PTSD…breathing difficulties….etc…”. It’s made them pretty useless now for people like my DD’s.

If you don’t want to wear a mask or can’t wear one then don’t, you don’t need to justify yourself by wearing a lanyard.

People find it even more confusing now if the child is wearing a sunflower lanyard and a mask, and my friends son has been told he doesn’t need to wear a mask as he’s exempt!! My son has asd but won’t wear a mask or a lanyard. It’s sad the original meaning of the lanyards has been lost and they’re just seen as mask exemption now

I really dislike people wearing the sunflower lanyards as it takes away from their true purpose of highlighting a hidden disability. No one cares if you're not wearing a mask ffs.

Social media is a weird place. Opinions are often expressed that don't match real life.

There will be plenty of people ditching masks tomorrow.

I think most people here have agreed that ‘if you can’t wear a mask then don’t wear one, don’t use a lanyard to highlight this, you don’t need to explain yourself to anyone’.

My dc both have ASD, they both wear masks, they have had too at school, Dd1 has been wearing one for 7 hours a day so I find it hard to understand why people feel they need to use a lanyard (which is to mark a hidden disability) to pop to a supermarket for half an hour and not wear a mask? If you really can’t wear a mask then don’t wear one. After tomorrow a lot of people won’t be wearing them….including me.

@Woodandsky

Lovemusic33 yes it's a shame that there wasn't something else that specifically for mask wearing and those that used them for their original reasons couldn't keep that too.

They sell mask exempt lanyards everywhere. Why not use one instead of a sunflower one? Like this.

www.amazon.co.uk/Exemption-Lanyard-Duty-Free-Rotating-Shopping/dp/B092W5PQF1/ref=asc_df_B092W5PQF1/?hvlocphy=1006816&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&hvnetw=g&hvadid=499221531551&hvpone&hvlocint&th=1&hvpos&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-1324490264381&hvrand=13700187189797032696

My dc both have ASD, they both wear masks, they have had too at school, Dd1 has been wearing one for 7 hours a day so I find it hard to understand why people feel they need to use a lanyard (which is to mark a hidden disability) to pop to a supermarket for half an hour and not wear a mask?

It's probably because we are not all your DD1?