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?

[WhatIsThisPlease]

I regularly shop at Sainsburys and their staff haven't worn masks in months.

Surely if their customers are being asked to wear masks the workers should be too?

[User764832]

They are only urging and suggesting so just do as you want really.

[SickAndTiredAgain]

@MyOtherProfile

To do their bit to try to minimise transmission. I've never loved Sainsbury's more.

What do you mean? They are doing basically nothing - which isn’t a criticism, they’re a supermarket it’s not really their responsibility. A few shops (including sainsburys I think) said this last summer but if you went into them, they were exactly the same as shops that didn’t say this.
They hope by saying it, some people like you will shop there more.
But they won’t actually do anything, so as not to piss off shoppers who don’t want to.

As I said, I’m not criticising. They’re a supermarket so of course they want to encourage more customers in. And I doubt any actual scientific evidence played a part in their decision to essentially make a statement but not back it up with policy in the actual shops.

[User764832]

There were threads like this last time and I don't recall any shops actually asking me to wear a mask there were just signs suggesting it.

[Awalkintime]

Even though there is no policy or guidance on wiping front to back, we still do it because it is a sensible thing to do.

[MoggyP]

Because they'll be dong attitudes studies, and will have found that that is what their shoppers actually want.

Other support ermarkets are available

[SuPerDoPer]

Supermarkets only care about their bottom line. They think it will be good PR and that people will think that they are a "caring" giant corporation. They want more people to shop there and they think this might set them apart from others and therefore make them a few more quid. It's not rocket science.

[stayathomer]

Frankly I have never seen anyone being stopped in my local Sainsbury for not wearing a mask.
Not in sainsbury's but in our workplace when we have politely asked people do they have a mask with them we have had a mix of people apologising because they forgot but more often people saying really loudly that they're exempt, but drawing attention to you so other customers can hear. The manager had to call the police twice because of people shouting that we were part of the problem, trying to muzzle them etc. Now, because we have no security the agreement is if you don't think they're going to take it in the spirit it's intended you just try to get them served and out as quickly as possible

[MoggyP]

It's not 'setting themselves apart' when several of them are doing it - Sainsbury, Morrison, John Lewis/Waitrose

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60137428

USDAW favour the wearing of masks.

[DoctorSnortles]

’mask-anxious’ ?!

I wear a mask to prevent spreading Covid and to reduce my risk of catching it. I work in a school with crowded classrooms and corridors, where there are currently many cases of Covid. I am not ‘mask-anxious’ because I choose to wear a mask, I am being sensible.

I really dislike some of the language used around this issue.

[Perfect28]

Yes you are missing the obvious. It helps reduce transmission. The numbers are insanely high. Are your really asking this?

[BarbaraofSeville]

Because any sensible risk assessment concludes that covid is still a public health hazard and mask wearing helps to reduce risk of transmission.

Coming up to two years in and people are still asking this?

[midsomermurderess]

You'd be raging if you were in one of the devolved administrations where it's very much still a thing. It's a public health measure, a mitigation against a highly transmissible virus. Who knew.

[Leonthelobster]

Even though the daily figures are going down I’ve never known so many people who have just had, have or a just getting over covid. Most of my family, my bf, 3 friends, lots of acquaintances, my hairdresser. It seems to be everywhere in my neck of the woods. I hate wearing a mask but for the time being I’m not going to ditch them.I think Sainsbury’s are following their best judgement rather than that of a self-serving prime minister and trying to keep their staff and customers safe in their stores.

[Aishah231]

Virtue signalling - and it costs them nothing that's why.

[megletthesecond]

Because it reduces transmission a bit.

What part of airborne transmission have you not understood about the last two years? Why are we so weird about masks in the UK?

[nether]

Those who are mask-anxious

Please wouid people refrain from using ablist language.

The critically vulnerable are not 'anxious'

Never assume that public places should be for the healthy only.

Yes, the pandemic is still going on. We think cases are 'low' only because they have been much higher. Vaccination means the numbers being hospitalised are proportionately much lower, than goodness. But that doesn't mean it will be trivial for all.

And unless you're going to be interrogating everyone about their medical history, his wouid you know who is clinically vulnerable?

Wouldn't it be better to realise that there are about 500,000 critically vulnerable, 2m CEV and 8m or so CV people (that's over a tenth of the population) and that they need to shop too. And that masks make everyone safer

[BarbaraofSeville]

From the HSE guidance on working safely during covid-19

From 27 January, there is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face covering. People are still advised to wear one in crowded and indoor spaces where they may come into contact with people they do not normally meet.

Sainsbury's, like many retailers and other public facing businesses are probably struggling with staff absences due to illness and isolation. Anyone who's ever worked in retail will tell you that it's common to pick up every bug going, because of people coughing and sneezing in your vicinity, day in, day out.

[MoggyP]

@megletthesecond

Because it reduces transmission a bit.

What part of airborne transmission have you not understood about the last two years? Why are we so weird about masks in the UK?

It's the vocal wing of the Tory Party, and their U4T lackies.

They've got Boris in their sights, and he's buying them off - same principle as hard Brexiteers (and much the same people, politically)

[itsgettingweird]

The same reason a lot of places are?

Maybe their personal risk assessments shown it lowers risk and therefore they are asking but cannot mandate?

We still wear them in crowded places at school. I doubt we'll be told to stop as our outbreaks are getting out of control! Having to close classes is no good for our children's education so we will comply to do our best to limit transmission.

I'm quite surprised how many places still have quite strict rules. Probably because working in schools we literally have masks and "open a window"!

I took ds to Specsavers for his eye test the other weekend and they are still sanitising chairs and anything anyone touches. So other places do have their own risk assessments

[User764832]

I sure anyone vulnerable will be wearing a proper mask so will be protecting themselves anyway, they won't be wearing some 50 for a fiver job from Amazon or an old cloth thing wrapped round their face

[itsgettingweird]

@BarbaraofSeville

Because any sensible risk assessment concludes that covid is still a public health hazard and mask wearing helps to reduce risk of transmission.

Coming up to two years in and people are still asking this?

Best summary yet!

[MeanderingGently]

To help stop the spread of infection.
Just because Boris has decided we can choose whether to wear a mask or not doesn't stop the fact that infections are there. I presume Sainsbury's would like to protect their staff and their customers as much as possible.
Is that so difficult to grasp?
I shall continue to wear mine in whatever shop I go in, and whenever in crowded places.

[countrygirl99]

@Aishah231

Virtue signalling - and it costs them nothing that's why.

Yep. As soon as masks weren't compulsory last time virtually all the staff stopped wearing them. At the time I go virtually all the customers carried on. It did strike me that as someone working from home and carrying out my hobby in the outdoors the staff were far more of a danger to me than vice versa.

[Peregrina]

Surely if their customers are being asked to wear masks the workers should be too?

There's a difference between having to wear one when you spend no more than an hour shopping there, and can keep your distance from most people and being on the checkout for 8 or more hours serving a constant stream of people. The screens help protect both staff and customers.That strikes me as a good balance.

As a glasses wearer putting a mask on is a nuisance because they steam up, but I will still wear one as long as Covid is still pandemic. I am not interested in saving Boris Johnson's sorry skin either, which is the main reason for relaxing the regulations.