Pre mask shopping - will you?

Maybe scientists are doing their research on differing data, hence differing outcomes? But it's very frustrating when scientists and politicians are giving conflicting advice and no one seems to know what to do for the best.

Whats all the fuss about, its only wearing a mask for a few minutes.
Where I live, in Sweden, there are conflicting interests, the scientists, two day ago, have said the wearing of masks does no good at all, where as most countries have wearing of masks compulsory, why do scientists have to disagree, they arent politicians!

Just been to Waitrose where everyone was masked. The staff (sorry, 'partners') on the shop floor were all wearing either masks or visors and the checkout operators were, as they have been throughout, behind perspex shields. I'll try Aldi tomorrow.
It's quite entertaining to see the variety of masks being worn. Apart from the standard surgical type, many customers had evidently made their own. I was wearing a candy-striped one.

A man was photographed in Oxford St yesterday wearing his mask. Unfortunately it wasn’t covering his nose ?

Maggiemaybe whilst I was in Sainsbury's today, they had a tannoy announcement asking customers to please be aware that some staff and customers had hidden disabilities and could have valid reasons for not wearing a masks. A member of staff told me that there had already been a couple of arguments between customers who had taken it upon themselves to challenge other customers.

There's a video online showing the abuse doled out to a deaf blind young woman travelling with a guide dog, whose sister lifted her mask briefly so that she could lip read. Even after the situation was explained, the abuse continued.

Richard Kramer, chief executive of the disability charity Sense, said his organisation had received “lots” of reports of disabled people being challenged for not wearing a covering. He said: “These experiences cause distress and anxiety, and lead many disabled people to feel they have to stay at home, where they become isolated. We welcome the government’s introduction of ‘exemption cards’, but more must be done to raise public awareness of who is exempt from wearing face coverings, so the public are on board and disabled people feel supported.

After reading some comments on here, I can only agree.

That makes sense to me.
The shield is just that - a shield to stop spray or droplets from going onto the front of your face.

Saw an article in an online paper today (sorry can’t find it again) saying that staff at a restaurant who wore only face shields had contracted Covid while others who wore masks hadn’t.

Now unless I dreamed this, surely this is just a little more evidence that masks protect the wearer too?

#justwonderingaloud

Just come back from shopping at Waitrose and afterwards picking up a coffee. I must say it was wonderful to see everyone, even staff wearing masks in the store and outside but the down side is I am now hopping mad that this awful government did not bring in this rule in March. It would have have saved many from the virus but I suppose better late than never.

We must be a pretty flawless lot, here.
On the buses, and in the shops, a lot of people try to just walk in and only take the mask out of their pocket when and if asked.

Ok so I just went into town. In m and s food bit there was ONE person not wearing a mask. A man in his SEVENTIES at a rough guess. And I don’t think he was exempt at all, as I saw a blue mask in his jacket pocket.
There’s a bit of illogicality going on. In one shop you could try things on, not that I did, in another where I collected some shoes I’d ordered I couldn’t even try them on and had to bring them home to try....

Thanks NikDumpling. Good idea with scarves - I'll try that.

Friend in her 90s masked up a few days ago and braved bus to outdoor market. She reports that using the bus was fine, people respecting sensible precautions. The outdoor market however was ‘shoulder to shoulder as usual’!

BlueSky

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.

If they are shutting at this point because people are refusing to wear masks, I think that’s ridiculous if those people then turn around and complain that all of the stores are closing.

Exemption not exception (wretched Spellcheck!)

Smileless. I do sympathise. If you are that claustrophobic, I am sure your GP would be able to give you an exception letter. Fiddling with it to pull it away from your face, or only wearing it over your mouth is the same as not wearing one.

I watched a thread on Fb where people were saying they could not, or would not, wear masks for various reasons. One even came up with the science behind tetany being caused by rebreathing carbon dioxide, ( True but, not caused by wearing a mask).
There have been lots of trials proving that oxygen saturation is not reduced by wearing a mask.

My question is this: why are there so many retired doctors and nurses? Shouldn’t we all have died years ago from wearing masks at work?

CraftyCat no, staff don’t have to wear one they can if they want but don’t have to
I went to Asda today got my mask out at the door and put it on I only saw one lady not wearing a mask I expect she had an excemption but very few staff were wearing them I was there about an hour and was ready to take it off when I got back outside but I expect to do as I m told especially when it makes sense in a crowded shop
The charity shop I work in has had an advisory letter to say ask customers to wear a mask if they present without one (we sell them for £1 each) but you cannot challenge them further than that, the letter also states staff do not have to wear masks

Also should help prevent passing on colds and flu I guess.

Megs36 As it can be a week or more before you know that you have "got it", and as it is infectious without you showing any symptoms, everyone who is going to come into contact with anyone else in a shop, hairdressers, doctors, or anywhere else ought to be wearing a mask. If you wait until you think you may have caught it, you have probably already given it to two or three others.

Also, a mask does make it less likely that you will be infected by someone you meet who is too careless to wear a mask themselves.

Everyone in our little town seems to be wearing some sort of face covering when inside shops, but most are still taking them off outside. Probably because we have a high population of Wrinklies who can’t understand each other when they stop to chat and the youngsters are all full of bravado and rebellion.

I don’t like not being able to see other people’s expressions. I can’t judge whether they’re just looking in my direction or want to speak - or often, even if they have spoken!

People should use their common sense as to when and where they shop and whether they wear a mask. I would personally be cautious and cover up near others. However, there is a real issue of creeping authoritarianism in the government issuing blanket orders.

Moreover, this particular dictat is effectively dead in the water since the police will not enforce it and at least three major supermarkets will not force their staff to confront public non compliance.

It was a rather difficult experience for me. I'm claustrophobic and the first shop I went into today I put on my light weight mask just before entering and immediately felt panicked.

I had to keep pulling it forward in attempt to calm down and by the time I got to the check out I was so desperate to leave, that I left one of the items I'd purchased behind. Thankfully it was spotted and an assistant followed me out to give it to me.

Mr. S. had gone to the bank which took longer so thank goodness I'd opted for the shop.

He suggested when we went to the supermarket that I just put it over my mouth, which was marginally better but I still had to keep pulling it forward.

Once we'd emptied the trolley at the check out I had to leave him to finish as I had to get out so I could remove the mask altogether.

I'm hoping that I'll get used to it.

Any one of us could have 'it' without knowing.
For lots, they have no symptoms at all, but that doesn't mean that the person you give it to will be the same. It could kill them, or have life changing results.

Correct me if I’m wrong, I know someone will!, if you are wearing a mask to protect others does ‘this mean you think you’ve ‘got it’, if so surely you should be tested.????