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Original poster

Scottish MNers - will you be ditching the mask today?

158 replies

WeOnlyTalkAboutBruno · 18/04/2022 16:27

I haven’t been out and about today (wfh) but my husband was in town with the kids earlier and said he saw a pretty drastic reduction in mask wearing. There are debates on Twitter and it seems to be a fairly even split from that.

I’ll be ditching mine, to be honest. Given the rates we have had since England dropped the mask mandate, I don’t see any evidence that they are actually doing anything.

I do however suspect that a lot of places will want to keep them in place anyway - has this been the case in England?

OP posts:
WouldBeGood · 18/04/2022 20:23

I’m actually excited to go shopping now!

AnnesBrokenSlate · 18/04/2022 20:31

@Scottishskifun

The Covid numbers are so high atm. It makes absolutely no sense to pretend it doesn't exist

Nobody is pretending it doesn't exist but its not going away ever, everyone who wants to be vaccinated is and unless your using a FFP2 then it does naff all against the newer variants because they are more transmissible and require smaller viral load and smaller particles for infection.

I don't care if people wear them or not but do some reading into effectiveness of what your wearing based on the current variant and not the original

Perhaps read what the NHS doctors are saying about the lifting of all restrictions, the Covid rates and the impact on the NHS. We do wear the most effective type of mask because we have vulnerable family members and, as I posted, lots of friends and family on the frontline.
PearlclutchersInc · 18/04/2022 20:38

It'll be interesting to see how the numbers go - but since most of the half wits of all persuasions have dumped theirs it maybe won't make a lot of difference.

Pootle40 · 18/04/2022 20:44

Yay I'm a half wit apparently AND PROUD

Felix0204 · 18/04/2022 20:47

Ive just arrived home back to England. I was visiting family in Scotland. Hardly anyone wore a mask in a lot places last week, seemed they were already on the way out.

TimeForPeace · 18/04/2022 20:51

I was on Tesco today and it was about 50/50. Did see lots of parents/grandparents wearing masks while trailing multiple kids in with them. I'd love to understand their logic of the "I'm protecting you" mantra.

WouldBeGood · 18/04/2022 20:52

@Pootle40 Me too!

Kittyshopping · 18/04/2022 20:55

@WeOnlyTalkAboutBruno

I’d imagine that businesses taking that position will ultimately find that some people will vote with their feet. I would. Not because I think wearing a mask is a big deal but I really object to the sanctimonious, guilt tripping, virtue signalling nature of that stance.
This, with bells on.
Dentistlakes · 18/04/2022 21:00

The staff in the shops and at the gym appear to still be wearing them. I wasn’t going to, but had one in my pocket and did put it on when I saw the staff wearing theirs. It feels very awkward though. I think I will still carry one but not wear it unless I’m requested to.

Pootle40 · 18/04/2022 21:18

Not at my Bannatyne's they weren't

Scottishskifun · 18/04/2022 21:37

@AnnesBrokenSlate I have multiple friends in the NHS including ICU consultant, physios who have done respiratory, midwives and nurses.

They are all fatigued of course they are but majority agree since vaccination and change in variants they are seeing less and less serious. The issue is with bed blocking and huge backlogs and staffing issues partially down to covid positive but also down to burn out.
Masks don't change that, it's a illness which is not disappearing ever its here to stay. Most of my friends are very accepting of that and the ones in ICU are thankful they at least get the right level of PPE!

rookiemere · 18/04/2022 21:38

Not wearing one unless I have to.

I'm in the office tomorrow so will be interesting to see what the position is there. It was daft anyway, you wore one when standing up and moving ( so when you were unlikely to be close to someone) but not when sat down.
Also getting the bus in and out, so not sure what the Lothian bus policy is.
I'll do what I'm told, but it makes me grumpy when posters are up suggesting I wear a mask to "be kind and considerate to others".

PrincessSpanky · 18/04/2022 21:40

Absolutely, they are gone.

ssd · 18/04/2022 22:16

What ive found one of the things that's hard to understand about all this is the view of lots of scotsnet posters that wearing a mask automatically makes you a nicola sturgeon superfan or a pro independence supporter. And usually said with a sneer. I get most scotsnet posters have found their like and hate the snp and the thought of independence. Which is their right, of course. It'd be boring if we were all the same. But the superior attitude is getting boring. I can understand some people still want to wear a mask but so what? It doesn't make them mad snp fans. It makes them people who are wearing a mask, thats all.

Namesrus · 18/04/2022 22:21

I work for a local authority we have been told to continue to wear them in our offices. I had to put up signs “asking” visitors to the building to continue to wear them but it’s compulsory for staff.

CharityShopChic · 18/04/2022 22:24

Yes. Cannot wait, it's long overdue. And it's fairly clear that our "dear" First Minister isn't bothering either.

Don't care if people continue to wear them, that's up to them. But it doesn't make them morally superior. And they can't insist/require/ask me to wear mine.

PivotPivotPivottt · 18/04/2022 22:25

I didn't wear mine today when I went shopping and the majority of people still wearing them were elderly it made me feel a bit guilty. I did notice that all the staff had masks on and the only one I seen who didn't had a sunflower lanyard. Are staff members still being made to wear them? I don't know if I still have to wear one in my workplace I'm due back this week so will find out then.

I've hated having to wear a mask and my glasses steaming up. I also have quite a physical job and the mask makes me feel worse when I'm hot and sweating and out of breath. But I have horrible teeth and a double chin so have also enjoyed wearing it and being able to laugh without covering my mouth and not worry what people are thinking when I'm talking to them. I think I'm going to be even more self conscious than I was before because wearing a mask for almost 2 years gave me a bit more confidence.

CharityShopChic · 18/04/2022 22:35

@GoldenOmber

The Covid numbers are so high atm. It makes absolutely no sense to pretend it doesn't exist.

Are people who are ditching masks pretending it doesn’t exist, though? Surely they’re just making different decisions to you against a background where it does exist? I mean it’s still going to exist when we’re all old and grey, so…

Well exactly.

I know Covid exists. I had it last month. As did DH. My wee covid NHS Scotland app says I am "immune" until September. Covid isn't going anywhere, it's here to stay and the cases will rise at fall in a seasonal patter from here on on.

GrouchyKiwi · 18/04/2022 22:36

@ssd

What ive found one of the things that's hard to understand about all this is the view of lots of scotsnet posters that wearing a mask automatically makes you a nicola sturgeon superfan or a pro independence supporter. And usually said with a sneer. I get most scotsnet posters have found their like and hate the snp and the thought of independence. Which is their right, of course. It'd be boring if we were all the same. But the superior attitude is getting boring. I can understand some people still want to wear a mask but so what? It doesn't make them mad snp fans. It makes them people who are wearing a mask, thats all.
I can't stand the SNP and totally agree with you ssd. It's a weird interpretation to put on people feeling comfortable with masks.
Daftarchie · 18/04/2022 22:39

Yes

womaninatightspot · 18/04/2022 22:45

I work for the council and masks are staying in all council buildings. Even the guys who are out in the vehicles have to wear them although we've ditched the slave cars which were introduced for social distancing.

SuziQuattrosFatNan · 18/04/2022 22:49

I'm not in Scotland but I'm a regular visitor (live just over the border). I'm exempt (I have trigeminal neuralgia) and last time I was in Edinburgh I was constantly told by staff in shops, restaurants etc to put my mask on, despite wearing a lanyard. In one bar, I was told I had to use the disabled toilet as opposed to the ladies as I'd be on my own in there, so I 'could keep everyone safe'. What seemed nuts to me was that everyone had to put masks on to get up to go to the toilet or to leave, but while we were there we were packed in on long communal benches/tables - people were sitting a few inches away from me on both sides, talking loudly to be heard above the music and general noise.

I obviously won't wear a mask when I next visit but DH will, just as he does in England.

GoldenOmber · 18/04/2022 23:15

I don’t really care if anyone wants to keep wearing a mask. I don’t particularly like seeing seas of masked faces, but my dislike of it doesn’t override their right to do whatever makes them feel comfortable, so fine, wear six if you want to.

What I’m hoping we don’t get, though, is what some of my English friends did - make a massive drama when the laws change about how “I will certainly not stop wearing MY mask!” and accusing those who do of being anti-science sociopaths, then quietly give up masks themselves after a couple of months. Hmm

MangyInseam · 18/04/2022 23:38

@Dentistlakes

The staff in the shops and at the gym appear to still be wearing them. I wasn’t going to, but had one in my pocket and did put it on when I saw the staff wearing theirs. It feels very awkward though. I think I will still carry one but not wear it unless I’m requested to.
Lots of them may have been told they had to. I'm not in the UK but when mask mandates stopped here a month ago, many employers told their employees to keep wearing them, because they don't want to make customers uncomfortable. In my workplace they told us we have to keep wearing them for now, apparently the boss was worried there might be disagreement among staff and is hoping to avoid that for now.

I hate it though, and I don't want customers to feel obligated. In fact I'd rather they didn't so maybe we can get out of them. 90% of people here wear cloth anyway so pretty ineffective.

Gingerkittykat · 19/04/2022 00:06

I went to the Co-Op this evening and I was the only one wearing a mask. There were only about 10 customers and staff in the time I was in but looks like people are ditching them.