Respirators/FFP3 - do you see people wearing them? Do you wear one? Do people get grief for wearing them?

[AboveBeyond]

I don’t live in the U.K., but will be visiting U.K family this summer. My family prefer to wear ffp3/N95 when flying/using public transport/visiting crowded indoor spaces. Where we live this isn’t unusual and nobody gives us any bother for it. However, I’ve read threads on social media from people in the U.K. who have been hassled for wearing respirators/face masks. One described being aggressively coughed at, another heckled.

I’m trying to get a sense of whether this is unusual or common. It will affect our holiday plans a bit if we know that we are likely to experience this. We were hoping to go to some museums and shows and indoor malls etc.

This post isn’t asking for a discussion about the efficacy of using respirators or discussing why we choose to do so, we are comfortable with our choices. Just trying to gauge what it will be like being a masked family going out and about. Hopefully it will not be an issue.

thanks

Where I live (east of England) rarely see anyone with any type of mask anywhere. If I have seen the odd one, it’s just a basic disposable type one.

Probably the exception now, even in clinical settings, but never seen undue attention towards anyone wearing one,

Mask wearing isn’t widespread but you do still see the odd person in one. I can’t say I’ve seen anyone getting any hassle and think most people would presume (like myself) that serious health conditions are involved and it would be a seriously dick move to give them any grief for it.

I see a few people wearing them, and the ordinary 2R face masks, not many these days though but I’ve never seen anybody hassled, heckled or coughed at for their choices.

Im sure I’ve read this exact same post before though, have you asked this previously?

I'm a bit more relaxed now but I'll still wear an FFP3 mask (the thicker white ones, rather than a cloth or blue surgical one) if it's crowded like a bus/ train or I'm spending a long time in an indoor public space. I might also do it if I've got a cold etc to try and stop the spread.

Honestly I've never had any odd glances let alone someone say anything. I don't live in a big city though. I often see approx one other person in a mask of some kind.

People on the whole understand that families can mask to protect a more vulnerable one.

Wear your masks and ignore any stupid comments from other people . It’s none of their business why you’re wearing a mask. People wear masks not just to avoid covid but also after some surgeries and/or to avoid other respiratory viruses, fungal spores etc.

As is often the case, social media isn’t representative of real life.

You won’t be abused in real life for wearing a mask in a crowded public space.
Posting about it on the internet is a different matter..

Thanks for the responses. Good to know. No, not posted about this before. I used to mostly lurk on the breastfeeding threads ten years ago, with a different BF related name which no longer felt appropriate.

I never see anyone wearing one but I can't imagine that anyone would care in the slightest if someone was

Maybe it depends where you live

I'm in London. People in masks of various sorts on the Tube are unusual but not so rare as to draw attention. I can't imagine anyone getting hassle here for it.

I have to admit, I assume now that when someone is wearing a mask that they're unwell (Covid or otherwise) so stay out of their way. I don't really care or judge them though.

Never worn one, see them occasionally although tbh even when they were a legal requirement most people in my area went for the blue paper or cloth ones. Am in the North of England.

I'm in London and whilst 99% of people aren't wearing masks at all, no one will care that you are or what kind is.

Not seen anyone getting hassled for wearing one (London). I normally just assume person wearing a mask is well read re: covid, is more vulnerable/ protecting someone vulnerable, is a tourist or has covid! Hope you have a good trip.

There are usually one or two people wearing them whenever I go into a big supermarket, I don’t think anything of it and I’ve never seen anyone getting any hassle for it

It is unusual, to the extent that you may very well be the only people in a venue wearing one. If you're OK with that and you are all adults then that's fine; I very much doubt you would be hassled and it wouldn't be remarked upon at all.

The mask wearers I do see (I saw one today in the supermarket) are all elderly people. I can't remember the last time I saw an adult of working age wearing a mask.

As for children, that's a very different matter - mask wearing was never required or recommended in England for children under (I think) 12, even back when it was compulsory for adults to wear them, so this is something that has never really been seen here. If you have young children in your party and you stick FFP3s on them, then it may well attract stares/comments.

In answer to the other question - no, I have never worn a N95 or FFP3 type respirator and the only times I have worn any type of face covering was when there were legal consequences for not doing so.

I wear an N95 on public transport (London) and in most indoor public places e.g. museums/shopping centres. I've never had any abuse for wearing one (yet!). On my local highstreet there are always a few people wearing the blue surgical type of mask.

Enjoy your trip to the UK.

To most onlookers, I think a mask is a mask isn’t it? So the type of mask is really of no consequence in terms of public perception.

I’d no idea what an FFP3 respirator looked like but after googling it just looks like a white mask slightly bulkier than your standard “disposable mask”.

Its not usual or commonplace for mask wearers to be heckled or abused in the UK. I’d take the social media posts you’ve read with a pinch of salt!

I find this quite sad you would even have to ask, but I guess you're looking for peace of mind.

I think if people see you and your family wearing these types of masks, they will be even more inclined to leave you alone rather than come closer. They will assume you're all carrying something they rather not catch. I live in a very busy London area and work in central, you hardly see nay masks on the tube, but if I spot someone wearing one, subconsciously I assume it is because they are ill and I steer clear.

You should be fine, do what makes you comfortable as you're not hurting anyone. Enjoy!

As above, you do still see a few people wearing masks, and I also presume that they are currently COVID+ or have ongoing health issues that means getting ill with something else would be serious for them.

I've not seen people being hassled in real life, ever, not even during the height of COVID, it's more comments you saw on places like this about "face nappies" and other such puerile armchair warrior shit presumably from puerile people.

I live in London. Not many masks about now- maybe 1 person in 50 on the tube? But I wouldn’t look twice at someone in a mask and I’ve never heard of anyone getting hassled. It’s fine.

Never see anyone wearing a mask now - even in hospital settings.

I see multiple people wearing various grades of mask on the tube every day. I rarely see them elsewhere but wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I did. If I saw a whole family wearing them I would think it unusual but assume you had health reasons for doing so.

Mask use is rare. You assume someone either has an active respiratory infection or are severely immunocompromised. I consequently tend to give masked people a wide berth, they are wearing them for a reason. Not sure why you would wear one otherwise