Pre mask shopping - will you?

I agree Jennifer about the future of our town centres. A lot of shops were dying before all this, so I'm not very hopeful. Must be very disheartening, especially for the small independent shops.

I think most supermarkets will be quieter than normal today as lots of people seem to have stocked up earlier in the week to avoid going today.

I’m wondering what shopping will be like in the winter, going into overheated shops with a mask which will make us feel hotter and hotter.

I really do fear for the future of our town centres.

We seem to have a pet hate for masks. Like everybody else I don't love wearing them but I understand that if I don't, I shouldn't be allowed in shops and public transport. I do believe it protects me as well as others, in fact I've always worn it before in supermarkets.

I have just returned from Waitrose - my first time since early March and the car park was half empty (on a Friday!), we were allowed in one at a time to avoid congestion in the doorway, everybody was wearing a mask and nobody seemed to be buying huge amounts from what I could see. It felt very quiet and there were loads of yellow stickers on fresh salad and veg.
All the better for me!
And possibly because I have not used my card since March, I got a £4 off a £40 shop, valid until next Friday! ( Absence clearly makes the heart grow fonder.)
Not good from Waitrose’s point of view of course, but I appreciated the space around me.
Coffee shop was shut though
I do wonder if all this faffing about face coverings isn’t because some people like to be awkward? They are possibly the same people who were most vocal about missing seeing their grandchildren during lockdown. Well we can’t have it “every which way”.

mcem

Wearing a tubular 'mask' entails pulling it up over your face as you remove it.
Undoing ties or elastic means the mask comes straight off and into the sink for washing.
Far less contamination risk.

I understand your point mcem, I am careful and they are very stretchy and its the lesser of two evils. If I wear a mask I can’t wear a hearing aid. I’m only hard of hearing not deaf but its only recently I’ve realised how much I lip read, so with everyone wearing masks which muffles speech as well, I’m pretty much deaf.

I’m avoiding being inside communal spaces with people as much as possible anyway. Too dodgey.

I don't like wearing a mask but will do so for the general good. People in Europe have been wearing them for ages. I think a lot of people in England are behaving like spoilt brats.

Actually I do remember the protests when seat belts became compulsory, the queues for certificates from doctors etc. There is now no medical condition which will automatically exempt you, and if you are not wearing a seat belt, you may well invalidate your insurance.

Perhaps if the insurance companies cotton on (excuse unintended pun!) and refuse to pay out life insurance to someone who entered a shop without a mask and caught it, then some might think again. Though sadly the reason for wearing them is unselfishly wishing to protect others rather than yourself, and some people don't do unselfish.

I understand that at the moment the risk of encountering someone with CV-19 in a shop is 1:3000. It is minimal, but I guess you would hope that that 1 person in 3000 was wearing a mask!

pipdog thank you for coming back and explaining.

I nipped into our local supermarket for some bread an yoghurt two days ago. Yes, I was wearing a mask. I haven't been in a supermarket since mid March but this past week decided as the mad queues had gone and it seemed quiet again I could risk it.
It felt like a build up to the apocalypse. People (usually men) with the large trollies overflowing with items, especially toilet role. My son in law later suggested lots of people were stocking up so they wouldn't have to wear masks.
What is the matter with this country?! Some people see it as an infringement of their civil liberties to ask them to consider other people. Are the anti maskers the same people who are anti vax and have BBQ's on our moorland risking fires, just because they want to.
Selfish bar stewards

Wearing a tubular 'mask' entails pulling it up over your face as you remove it.
Undoing ties or elastic means the mask comes straight off and into the sink for washing.
Far less contamination risk.

(Love it Furret!)

Herbie9

Wouldn't wear my deaf aids with a mask. Have already lost a nice gold earring! Does anyone else have trouble like this? I suppose the answer is cotton washable masks with ties around the back of the head but I can't find them in the shops and I couldn't make one. Plenty of the diposable ones for sale with the roun d the ear elastic which just aren't suitable.

I have the same problem Herbie. I wear glasses and hearing aids and there just isn’t room for mask straps behind my delicate lug-oles.

I love scarves and I’ve been wearing tubular scarves for several years as they don’t waft off and dress up a plain tee shirt or top. They’re perfect for masks. If you’re particular, folded in three they’re well within guide lines and can be slipped up over the lower part of your face with ease. If I’m wearing one as a mask for any length of time I bring it over my earrings too and haven’t lost one yet.

SeaSalt do a nice selection but cheaper ones are out there.

.

This is no different, to me, than many on here who pre official lock down went out for “one last hair cut” or “one last night out to eat”, as though the virus wouldn’t hit because lockdown hadn’t started yet.

It’s not just one age group. It’s every age group

Frankly I think it’s selfish of people to not want to wear a mask in indoor public spaces. Why does a person’s right to decline to wear a mask trump the right of others to remain safe? There are a few people who can’t wear a mask for true medical reasons, but seriously, is it as many as are claiming? If poison gas was being released into the atmosphere I think it’s very probable that those very same people would be first in the queue for a mask. Well Covid19 is poison to some people. The difference with gas is that gas kills all, but Covid19 kills some. Don’t be selfish, wear a mask.

Orangerose

We have worn masks since March. It’s just common sense to protect others and yourself. I’ve got used to it now and it doesn’t bother me. Happy to do it to help stop the virus.

Quite! Your one simple sentence says it all.?

I am so pleased I live in France where it has been compulsory for the last few days. Even though I suffer from asthma I still wear a mask and although they don’t have to, my DDC 4, 8, and 10 do too. It shows respect to others and I hope saves lives. Keep calm, wear your mask and carry on.

Greeneyedgirl, what I meant was that it is all far too late so I don't think it will make much difference now. What I had hoped for was lockdown not ending yet for going out socialising, no meals out etc. To me that would have far more sense and been more worthwhile in stopping the spread. Pubs opening and people flocking to beaches is why we are seeing rises in cases.

I do see the need now pipdog. COVID-19 has not gone away, far from it and people are still dying daily in the U.K. from the infection.

Many towns are seeing an increase of cases and our so called test and trace system is still inefficient.

When the winter sets in there will likely be many more cases, as the cold weather and indoor activities provide optimum conditions for the virus to survive and spread.

If contact tracing does not improve greatly we will see a further surge.

You can make a good mask from a sock. No sewing needed and no elastic either. Look on Youtube.

I for one feel that wearing masks now is too little to late and really don't see the need now. I haven't been out for the whole of lockdown for health reasons and have today for the first time had a bit of a wobble as I now realise I won't be going out for quite a long time as for various reasons I don't like wearing masks. I have decided that if I can't go into shops etc. without wearing one then I will just have to stay at home. That is my choice but ..today I feel trapped!

Should someone be given the choice to go into a supermarket, sneeze and infect many of the other people in that shop (some of whom may die). Hmm. That’s a difficult one, isn’t it. Or, it appears to be difficult for some people. Reminds me of many of the arguments put forward by the gun lobby in America. Personally I prefer to protect other people by wearing a mask. I wonder if people would be happier wearing a mask if it was proved that doing so protected the wearer 100% but they don’t want to do it because it only protects other people.

“ But the rest of us should be allowed to decide if and when we wish to cover our nose and mouth.”. Why Magmar?

If the people who won’t wear masks decide to not go shopping, I’m all in favour of that! It makes it all the safer for the rest of us.

Honestly, some people sound so petulant about masks, like a 3yo who doesn’t want to put their shoes on.