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AIBU

Sorry......more mask talk

(145 Posts)
Daftbag1 Tue 13-Oct-20 19:27:05

Before starting, I should say that I have both hidden and obvious disabilities and wear a lanyard, not to explain not wearing a mask (I've been using a mask for months), but to alert staff that I may need help. I also suffer from long term and serious mental illness including severe anxiety.

Since the requirement for mask wearing, anyone who doesn't fancy wearing a mask, seems to have acquired a lanyard . AIBU to feel that EVERYONE except perhaps those on oxygen therapy, should be required tsome use some form of face covering, if they are really unable to use a mask, use a cotton scarf, or arrange for home delivery, but don't put others at risk.

TillyWhiz Wed 14-Oct-20 10:46:11

If we are to defeat this virus then we do need to wear masks. I have friends working in retail who are obliged to wear masks all day despite having respiratory conditions. If they can do it so can we. I find it hard work trying to shop with one on so I try not to. I do online grocery shopping and buy online when I can. Those with serious conditions which means they can't wear masks then should really carry on avoiding shopping areas. We've done it once before, we can do it again. Let's be good this winter and hopefully we will defeat it. And don't chuck those disposables on the ground - or even choose to wear them - landfill will be horrendous. There's loads of community mask trees around.

winterwhite Wed 14-Oct-20 10:51:26

I would like to see more evidence that mask-wearing makes a worth-while difference to the transmission of infection to compensate for the limitations in getting on with life.
For glasses-wearers in particular they are fiddly to put on outside, with great risk of dropping glasses in the process. Too easy to pull the mask too high up the nose and obscure vision, as I do all the time ('Mask-wearing gran falls in gutter', that will be me).
Of course I comply, but resentfully, and feeling that if more cabinet ministers wore glasses 24/7 we might see a changed tune, and more sympathy with this problem. ?

Grannynannywanny Wed 14-Oct-20 11:01:39

Calliestmon I agree. It’s clear passing high street hairdressers and beauticians that a visor is often their chosen protection. I wouldn’t like to have my hair done by someone wearing a visor which is funnelling the wearer’s (possibly virus laden) breath directly onto me. Science says masks should be worn for mutual protection and anyone who wants to wear a visor should also wear a mask. That’s why NHS staff wear both.

Witzend Wed 14-Oct-20 11:12:31

Bamm, if your DiL has been diagnosed, surely she could be provided with a lanyard? I should imagine that it’s virtually impossible to get someone with dementia to wear a mask - or to keep it on for any length of time - given that they’ll almost certainly be unable to remember why it’s needed.

SillyNanny321 Wed 14-Oct-20 11:21:54

Hate going out as I have to wear a mask obviously will not go to a shop or on a bus without. Have to decide whether to go without glasses & miss the bus racing down the road or to go out & seem ignorant when someone speaks as I have not worn my hearing aids. Hate trying to see where the aids have rolled to then get them back in round glasses & mask. Decisions decisions so hardly go out now. Stay home & climb the walls. Hope this is all over soon!

aggie Wed 14-Oct-20 11:32:25

I wear glasses and hearing aids and wouldn’t go out without a mask . They do tangle in both , but I wait till I’m sitting back in the car before I take it off and have learnt to make sure my glasses are on top of the mask before I get out of the car so they don’t fog up as much
Surely it’s better to put up with the mask as we have been advised , if people wear them under the nose or not at all it’s hard to calculate the effectiveness of the masks
My Daughter has just suggested the ones that tie round your head , rather than the elastic ones ?

lizzypopbottle Wed 14-Oct-20 11:39:02

I tend to shop at quiet times. I wear my mask and I'm happy to do so but I wrench it off when I get outside and exclaim, "Ahhh!" A lot of older people round here wear them under the nose. I think posters and announcements should stress the correct wearing of masks.

On a lighter note, the regular announcement over the tannoy in Sainsbury's begins, "Please help stop the spread by wearing a face covering..." and I can't help imagining a 'colleague' running round after a rogue jar of Nutella shouting, "Stop the spread!"

Daftbag1 Wed 14-Oct-20 11:43:36

One option for visor wearers is to effectively make the visor into a hood, like those worn by bee keepers.
You can purchase visors which offer a closed fit at the top, if you then tape two layers of fabric around the sides and around the base so that this fabric could then tie at the back of the mechanics would act as a seal.
Or simply make a pull over hood, that way nothing causing the feeling of not being able to breathe

lizzypopbottle Wed 14-Oct-20 11:44:15

I make sure I'm not near anyone when I go Ahhh!

TerriBull Wed 14-Oct-20 11:48:54

I sympathise with anyone who has a condition that precludes them from wearing a mask, I imagine there are accusatory stares from some. Sainsburys do put out loud recorded messages to that effect, pointing out that some people have conditions which exempts them from mask wearing to raise awareness of that.

I was all for masks when the lockdown started, I don't enjoy wearing mine, it's just something we have to live with for a while it seems. Like others, I have to wear glasses for print, sell by dates etc., so it's a constant whipping them off and on in supermarkets and the like otherwise they get so misted up.

I had to pick up something from our nearby John Lewis earlier this week, I thought I'd have a browse, something I haven't done for a while, after a short time, I decided I'd had enough, shopping isn't an enjoyable experience with the mask, quite hot and bothered after a while. We had to cancel a couple of flights this year, factoring in time at airport and then on plane with masks, I'm glad we did.

Daftbag1 Wed 14-Oct-20 11:50:28

As for social distancing......don't get me started.......

Lanyards can be obtained by simply walking into one of the large supermarkets and requesting one they are free and you can not be asked any questions about your disability. Alternatively have a look for the sunflower lanyard site on line.

Daftbag1 Wed 14-Oct-20 12:01:31

People could turn mask wearing into a plus, I love my masks, they hide all my wrinkles, my moustache and chin whiskers, not to mention my extra chins!

JenniferEccles Wed 14-Oct-20 12:16:32

I think it will be better in the Winter when we can wear a scarf and just pull it up when necessary.

JANH Wed 14-Oct-20 12:20:26

Unfortunately, I suffer with severe asthma and part of my diaphragm doesn’t work, so I am always wheezing and short of breath. I find in this weather, colder, that the mask protects me from the cold air and that I can actually breath easier behind the mask. I feel that alot of people are just taking advantage of a lanyard, they were very easy to obtain with no checks that I know of. However there are also the genuine people who get abused. If the lanyards had only been issued by GP surgeries or the like, perhaps only the genuine would have received them.

TwinLolly Wed 14-Oct-20 12:41:26

For fun but serious.

Jess20 Wed 14-Oct-20 13:02:20

My son only has about 21-24% of his lung function due to cystic fibrosis. He says that wearing a mask is unpleasent but does not reduce his oxygen saturation levels (he's tested it repeatedly!). He always wears a mask if other people are about, including outdoors. He hardly ever sees anyone but us indoors as he's never stopped shielding. We also wear masks outside the home where there are other people around. I accept a few people may have had some sort of unresolved/untreated psychological trauma and could find wearing a mask impossible but they are few and far between and I don't know why almost everyone can't just get on and wear a damn mask!

ShazzaKanazza Wed 14-Oct-20 13:42:40

My SIL has a lanyard she wears with pride because she finds wearing a mask claustrophobic and plus she doesn’t believe Covid exists!!!! Anyway my daughter is a midwife and wears a mask for most of a 14 hour shift and she has asthma.
I was in a central Manchester shopping centre and I was pushing my granddaughter and the security guard gruffly pointed me to the one way. But the amount of burly men strolling past him without masks was shocking. I thought well what’s the point of you but you can pick on a granny lol. Sorry rant over! Needed to get that off my chest lol

Grannynannywanny Wed 14-Oct-20 14:21:42

TwinLolly I think I saw just about everyone of those mask positions this morning while shopping!

LinkyPinky Wed 14-Oct-20 14:25:03

For stacking up the layers, may I recommend panty-liners? They’re perfect. Just stick them on inside whatever sort of mask you’re wearing. This is especially useful for snoods, which are not really effective otherwise.

M0nica Wed 14-Oct-20 14:29:41

That sounds like an excellent idea LinkyPinky. I will follow that up.

Phoebes Wed 14-Oct-20 16:04:45

Think how much money we are saving on lipstick!

Grannynannywanny Wed 14-Oct-20 16:15:00

All together now ? ?

Lucca Wed 14-Oct-20 16:20:05

“* My SIL has a lanyard she wears with pride because she finds wearing a mask claustrophobic and plus she doesn’t believe Covid exists!!!!*. So hopefully she has signed a disclaimer to the effect that she won’t clog up the nhs if she contracts the non existent Covid. Does she also believe the Earth is flat ?
Dear oh dear.

Omits01 Wed 14-Oct-20 16:21:34

In the UK and have noticed a lot more people wearing masks in the street now that the next round of lockdowns is upon us. Sadly people are still getting too close. Do they think wearing a mask means they can get nearer than two metres?

ShazzaKanazza Wed 14-Oct-20 16:33:23

Lucca
She believes that also!!