Why are Sainsbury's (and others) asking for continued mask wearing?

[jowly]

To keep their staff well? ( many don't wear one even now)

To give customers a sense of security?

I'm very willing to wear one if there's a reasonable reason to.. and I get all the theories why we may be wise to. But why are supermarkets going for this request? Why is it in their interest?

Am I missing the obvious?

Bit meaningless by the supermarkets really.

So, there’s really less risk sitting in a bar or restaurant for 3 hours without one, but pop into a shop for 10 minutes, where you’re constantly moving, and suddenly your chances of infection multiply?

My point about grubby pieces of cloth earlier referred to the fact that most people kept their masks screwed up in their pocket or their handbag until required - I certainly do! I can’t imagine those working in a controlled medical environment do the same, so not really comparable.

[quote nevergoesaway]@Huntswomanonthemove and is it true, as a previous poster said, that surgeons and surgical staff only wear fit tested FFP3 masks, or do they wear the blue surgical masks that lots of people have been wearing through the pandemic?

I’ve only been in a surgical environment a couple of times, but I remember seeing those blue surgical masks worn by everyone there.

I know they’re worn to prevent a patient’s bodily fluids from getting on the staff, but are they also not worn to stop the opposite? Eg a surgeon sneezing and it going on the patient? I thought they worked both ways.[/quote]
I don't know what they wear now but when I worked in theatres, about 10 years ago, the masks were the blue ones.

@TheChip I doubt there's seperate restrictions for unvaccinated.

Would be a logistical nightmare to keep checking who is and isn't vaxxed

sainsburys and asda people still wearing masks in my experience today

@Huntswomanonthemove

Thanks for clearing that up, I just assumed they would be using higher grade ones as that was what was shown on covid wards on the news and not having any experience on what is and isn't used.

I assume they handle them correctly, change regularly and dispose of them properly? If so my point about how many people will handle and store them stands.

Erm, you obovuslt haven't been keeping up with the news OP.
The only reason for removing restrictions today is to allow Boris Johnson to placate his backbenchers and therefore see off the threat to his job. He's doing it to save his skin.
It's not based on science, it's politics.
The pandemic is not over. There were still 100K cases yesterday and 400 lives lost.
I'd keep your mask on indoors for the time being, if I were you.

@Lalliella

Umm, to limit the spread of covid. Have you heard of that at all?

Or maybe because they realise that scrapping Plan B is all about politics and popularity, and nothing at all about public health, and they don’t want to collude in that.

This

[quote 2X4B523P]@Huntswomanonthemove

Thanks for clearing that up, I just assumed they would be using higher grade ones as that was what was shown on covid wards on the news and not having any experience on what is and isn't used.

I assume they handle them correctly, change regularly and dispose of them properly? If so my point about how many people will handle and store them stands.[/quote]
Yes once scrubbed for an operation staff never, ever touch their masks. Masks are disposed correctly, after every procedure and a new one is used for the next patient.

I've had a hard time during the pandemic watching people fiddle endlessly with their masks. The way some people wear them as well, is ridiculous. Wearing them under your chin seems especially popular but under your nose or hanging from one ear seems to work for some. Some people only seem to have one mask, which is filthy. not envy.

Yes once scrubbed for an operation staff never, ever touch their masks. Masks are disposed correctly, after every procedure and a new one is used for the next patient.

Also a operating theatre is a very different place to a shop. Sterile, often ventilation is improved with a steady downflow, and also they are cutting into peoples body's not sat on bus with them.

@Huntswomanonthemove

Indeed, worst of all are those that pull down to cough or sneeze. Kind of defeats the purpose and much worse than doing so into crook of elbow.

Because it’s madness to take them away completely as numbers are still going up . So to wear in crowded places is sensible and not that much to ask

@CamomileTeabag and @nannygoat50 I agree with you both.

I live in Wales and nearly everyone wears masks indoors. I’ve never been more grateful to have a sensible government. The people who go into shops massless instantly identify themselves as vulnerable for whatever reason so I give them a wide berth.

isn't there still advice that people should wear masks when they are close to people they don't normally meet? which would include other shoppers and shop staff.

Because there's a pandemic on and numbers of cases are extremely high. Other countries are doing their best to stop the spread, even though this is a very hard task. To abandon everything is just plain wrong. This government is always wrong, it would appear. Wearing a mask is no great hardship but is one thing that can help. So why not?

@godmum56

isn't there still advice that people should wear masks when they are close to people they don't normally meet? which would include other shoppers and shop staff.

Advixe, not mandated

It makes complete commercial sense. If you include things like asthma, pregnancy, age, being overweight, then a very large percentage of the population does, to some extent, have vulnerabilities to Covid. And on top of them is a large percentage who, frankly, don't have the money or the time or the inclination to be bedridden, even if it's for a few days.

A supermarket or shop that keeps mask rules then is going to do brilliantly from people wanting to be in a safer space if they go out at all. I, for one, have been noting which supermarkets are continuing with masks and I'll shop there - partly out of not wanting to get ill, but also not wanting to spread it to someone more vulnerable and having their ill health or death on my conscience.

The ones of us who can make a choice can actually do something good to help everyone.

Government advice is to wear masks indoors although it’s no longer law.

Makes sense to me

Everyone I know has either got the virus or has just had it. It hasn’t gone away, I’m happy to wear a mask anywhere I go to protect myself and others and will continue to do so as numbers are going UP again

I would say to protect there staff, yes some don't wear masks, but they probably have underlying conditions.
They probably also think, if people still wear masks, it might limit the amount of staff, that are off with covid.
I work in a shop and still wear a face covering, as I have a cold at the moment and make sandwiches, so I don't want to breath over someone's food.
Also one of work colleagues, who I work in small kitchen with, has had covid last year, she got long covid, she is now off with phenomenon. Her mum, is elderly and she is scared that she, will not be able to look after her mum, if she gets poorly, so I wear my mask to protect her and her mum.
I know the mask might not work, but it's better than gambling. I have had my jabs and booster. So I will carry on in shops, there is always too many people coughing and spluttering near m, at this time of year, I think covid has made me a bit of a germaphob.

Maybe, like the rest of the country, they don't have alot of faith in our prime ministers ability to make important decisions

Because they have common sense. We are
Still in a pandemic and numbers and very high still. I’ll continue to wear them everywhere indooors and the school playground. I work in a hospital which I suspect will continue with masks for the foreseeable future

This really frustrates me. We are still in a pandemic, just because Borris has decided to let 'survival of the fittess' happen doesn't mean covid will go away.

Borris has decided to let 'survival of the fittess' happen

Statements like that frustrate me.

Boris has relaxed the rules again, only because he wants a some positive news to distract everyone from the "partygate scandal"

We are still in a pandemic, but judging from his disastrous performance in running the country, he really couldn't care less about anything or anyone, except saving his political career.

Sainsburys is just hedging its bets that there are a lot of people that feel safer still wearing masks..