Annoyed that masks can be a way that people are judged

[Twattergy]

I went to a hairdresser today. All staff wearing masks. I asked on entry ' do you require me to wear a mask?' and receptionist said 'no we can't force you to, it's up to you'. So I didn't put one on. I had one with me, but now it isn't mandatory, I made my choice based on fact that I have been tripled jabbed and recovered from covid 2 weeks ago. I kept having the urge to tell the staff 'I have been tripled jabbed and recently recovered from covid which is the main reason I'm not wearing a mask'..but I thought why should I have to justify this? Any of the masked people in there could be unvaccinated, or even knowingly have symptoms of Covid, but because they are wearing a mask it is assumed they are doing 'the right thing'. And me in no mask, I think many people would assume I'm being anti social, when in fact I have been highly responsible with vaccination. I'm annoyed at the huge potential for judgements around mask wearing now that it isn't mandatory. (I would wear a mask where is is mandatory eg London transport or health care settings BTW I'm not a radical anti masker). Ifnyou were sat next to me in the hairdresser would you judge me? Would you want me to tell you I was fully vaxxed and recently recovered?

Being vaccinated mainly protects you. Wearing a mask mainly protects people around you.

Telling people your vaccination status would be weird, mainly because most people are vaccinated now, so if someone felt the need to point it out (while not wearing a mask), I’d probably assume they were lying.

I doubt anyone was particularly fussed about you not wearing a mask. You wouldn’t have been the first customer in there without one.

Also, being triple jabbed didn’t stop you catching it, did it?

I'll be so glad when the whole mask judgement thing finally dies a death for good.
I've never seen nastiness in my life like on a mask thread. So many people spaffing on about how they care so much and want to protect others whilst demonstrating sociopathic levels of venom to rape survivors with PTSD.

I have done everything to protect them - I am fully vaccinated and also recently recovered from Covid.

How on earth would they know this?

You sound hard work, arrogant and disrespectful.

@wondersun

Exactly. And to give it enough thought to mumsnet post about its how’s they understand masks protecting others etc. They don’t know you were triple jabbed and recently recovered, you don’t know what variant you had and if they have vulnerable relatives at home.

Johnson removed masks to save his job. He doesn’t give a crap about us, we need to protect each other.

This.

Masks - the better ones particularly - do reduce transmission. They protect both wearer and others.

I don't see why anybody (other than the small minority of genuinely unable to wear one) wouldn't want to help protect other possibly more vulnerable people.

Also, with Omicron the reinfection risk seems to be higher than previous strains.

Obviously nobody can force you to wear one but equally nobody can force others to stop having regard for the more vulnerable.

For gods sake, wearing a mask is hardly a huge hardship for most people. 🙄

I work with people who are cev and immunocompromised.Lots of them tell me they feel safer going out when they see people wearing masks because they wont know about vaccination status. So I wear one because I have their voices in my head (not literally!) and also it might help reduce risk of infecting a cev person. I think well get to a point soon when infection rates are low enough to not worry so much, but not quite there yet.
But I wouldn't judge you because you might not be listening to people who want to get out and about, but want to feel a bit safer doing so. Or you might not feel masks make any difference so cev people are wrong to feel reassured by them anyway.

You're two weeks out of recovering from Covid, and you would have been in close contact with the hairdresser. On these grounds alone, wearing a mask seems to make sense, right?

Johnson removed masks to save his job.

If this was the case why have Denmark done the same? Why are Norway and Sweden doing so shortly?

I wouldn't judge you - it's now 100% your choice and I wouldn't expect you to justify that choice neither. If you want to - fine. If you don't - that's fine too. Live and let live.

You spend too much time worrying about what other people think @Twattergy.

It's also worth remembering a topic much talked about during lockdown and re people very frightened of vaccines.

The need to have better understanding and empathy for mental health.

Health is holistic. Wearing a mask can help to ease the (justifiable) worries of the CV - makes it easier for them to feel they can (more safely) have the freedom to participate in society.

It's a small thing to do (for most) yet makes a big difference for many. Both reducing physical risk and improving mental health.

@2X4B523P

Johnson removed masks to save his job.

If this was the case why have Denmark done the same? Why are Norway and Sweden doing so shortly?

You would have to ask their governments that question.

Here in Ireland , we are only now coming out of restrictions. But it is still compulsory to wear a mask in public places and certainly
in hairdressers etc . They were actually one of the last industries to be opened as they were considered to be such close contact risks.

Just seems foolhardy not to wear one . And I hate having to do it but feel it is still necessary.

@Tealightsandd

Don't need to, they've decided like us that they are no longer required. If no other country was removing mask mandates then one could argue that it's political but as they are it doesn't hold water.

They're not all at it.

Stillfunny has just posted from Ireland

I see more people without a mask than with a mask have done for weeks now.

They didn't say no you don't need to, they said we can't force you to, it's your choice. That suggests they wanted you to wear one, so having heard that and then seen you not put one on, yes, I would judge you.

I had covid recently too so not wearing a mask. I am not contagious anymore, and as far as I am aware you cant get reinfected straight away.

Even if I didn’t think I needed to wear one, I would do it out of politeness, particularly if I’d asked them and got the response back that you did.

@Tealightsandd

They're not all at it.

Stillfunny has just posted from Ireland

No, not all of them. Three other countries so far that I know of and over the coming weeks I dare say more will do so.

More and more not wearing them. I wouldn't bat an eyelid

Politeness has nothing to do with wearing or not wearing, it's a personal choice...ASKING was the polite part even though it's unnecessary

Further to the three countries, Finland recommends face masks but, from what I could see, have never been mandatory!

I'd judge you and I wouldn't care that you were vaccinated since you can still catch and pass on Covid. I think non-mask wearing in that situation was performative and considering it may have worried other clients I think it was selfish of you not to wear the mask you'd brought with you.

I live in an area where numbers are still high through the first omicron wave and wards in hospitals are being closed due to staff absence. There is another variant now, more infectious, not as ‘serious’ as delta, more like a bad cold/mild flu for most, but, it still means that more people will be off work, nurses, doctors, teachers, those involved in producing and transporting goods and that will impact on all of us. If wearing a mask will let you have your hair done while reducing the chance of you transmitting a virus that will make other people ill why have you got a problem with it? They are caring enough to wear one for you.