And about time, too!

Lots of people are talking about "exemption lanyards". These are available to anyone, no proof required. It doesn't affect me now as I'm shielding again; I do though have an exemption as I have severe asthma. Most of the time I'm able to wear a mask for the length of time it takes to go to a shop and I have a nice selection to choose from. The one time I had to take my mask off, as my breathing wasn't good, the assistant serving me in Morrisons told me off as if I was a naughty school girl! She wouldn't accept my asthma society exemption on my phone & insisted I should have their own lanyard. I explained that I was unable to get one as they had none left. Half the shoppers were sporting them including all 5 members of a family standing outside happily puffing away on their cigs! I never did get a lanyard and haven't been back to Morrisons either because of the lack of compassion especially as I was obviously struggling.

Nannan2

nicholab- how awful for you& those others- but thats what i mean- people in your position need a proper official plastic exemption card to recognise this from the Government- so that the ones who 'just cant be bothered' are not being allowed to take advantage of a rule that was clearly meant for genuine reasons like yours and some medical reasons to not wear one.

And use up more precious time of health professionals doling them out and checking eligibility, further delaying the vaccine rollout.

Maybe we should use a sign like this. Translation ..If you enter this shop without a mask we shall have to take your temperature. PS . We only have rectal thermometers

Yoy are all very lucky even being encouraged to wear masks, in Sweden where I live there hasnt been any talk about face masks until recently, when you are required to wear a mask when on public transport from 7 am to 9 am then 3pm until 6 pm I wonder if the powers that be think the virus disappears between 9 and 3, its amazing how they can think of suggesting this, apart from that, there are no masks worn anywhere, so think yourselves lucky that most people in the UK wear them.

GrannyRose15. No, I don’t want to live in a country such as you describe. That is why I believe we should all follow the rules, wear masks outside and do everything we can to help stop the spread of this awful disease.

Grannyrose- so it was,-but often it is said that Churchill referred to or quoted some of Shakespeare's works into his own works.

Grannyrose- im sure they wouldnt be the same health professionals checking/doling out these that are employed to 'roll out' the vaccines- they do have different departments for different things i hear....

Rosie 51 Good luck with that?
I find, as an asmathatic, a perspex face shield (anti splash}that covers from forehead to below the chin has yet to be challenged by anyone be they staff or shoppers when carrying out my shopping.
This is comfortable.can be thoroughly cleansed and reused.

I agree people should wear masks it's getting ridiculous. My friend AS wears a mask at all times he has very limited lung capacity so if he can anyone can their is no excuses.

I always wear a mask, it’s uncomfortable but it’s not for a long period of time. I think of the NHS staff and how uncomfortable they must be having to wear a mask all day. If they can put up with it, so can I. We’re all in this together and we all have to do what we can. Shops should be given the powers to stop people entering without a mask or a lanyard.

@Nannan2 Boris does give the impression he feels like Churchill! But he’s more Churchill dog than Winston ?

If teachers can threaten to strike feeling they have unsafe working conditions goodness knows what shop workers would be able to claim. Dealing with idiotic adults not children from whom there is less risk allegedly. There is no social distancing in shops and the lanyards are available to anyone just print one off. My DH has one for his disability but it's nothing to do with breathing, he could abuse it but he doesn't but many will.

Would those who say they can’t wear a mask get on better with a visor?

They are not claustrophobic at all and glasses don’t mist up.
Better than nothing I would have thought.

People seem to have forgotten about the bus driver in France, during the first lockdown, who was killed for confronting a passenger for not wearing a mask.

I agree that things should be tightened up and masks compulsory but, most shop workers, bus drivers etc are neither sufficiently trained nor paid enough to police mask wearing.

JenniferEccles Visors protect the wearer nor other people. Visors are fine but, a mask is also needed,

Not other people

I was shocked to see a whole family in the supermarket without masks the other day. Apart from not wearing masks I thought that the idea was that people didn't take the whole family on a shopping expedition, particularly children. I suppose that the security guard on the door didn't feel up to taking on four adults to stop them coming in, but people were visibly backing away from them, including the poor cashier.

Rosie51 If someone's health issues are such that they can't wear a mask for the duration of a shop, then they're far too vulnerable to be out and about in a pandemic.
Iagree that there are those who say they're exempt and actually aren't, but that's not everyone, some of us actually do have conditions which give us exemption.

What would someone who is 'genuinely exempt' do under 'your' rules, if they live alone, don't get on with their neighbours, have no-one local who could shop or collect meds for them and don't spend enough on groceries to get home deliveries?
I guess it would be perfectly OK in your mind for them to either starve due to a lack of sustenance, die from a lack of 'essential' medication or commit suicide through poor mental health due to never being allowed to set foot outside their home.

The only shop I'd consider going into, a little convenience store, has a strict rule.

Those not wearing masks will not be served, they'll be told to leave.

I do admire the owner, who says he has a right to refuse to serve people.

Downing St press conference at 5, allegedly re exercise and supermarkets.

Viridian

Here, in south Cornwall, the bus drivers won't let you on without a mask or lanyard. Otherwise most people are wearing masks, except the tourists, of which there are still quite a few around, maybe they're second home owners. They stand out by a mile! And our Covid numbers are increasing. I do hope more stringent measures are brought in.

So VERY sick of the generalisation that everyone in Cornwall who won't wear a mask must be a tourist or a second home owner. It's very lazy, insulting and xenophobic. Can you please stop this? Comments like this (of which, at various places on the internet) are seriously off-putting to those who you'd normally be welcoming to the county for the tourist revenue. (And do you know where these 'quite a few' tourists are staying, with all hospitality closed? No, didn't think so.)
I'd also love to know what makes a second home owner 'stand out a mile' too, for future reference for when I eventually manage to re-visit my own house there. Then I'll know what to wear so you locals can avoid me.

Two colleagues in Tesco Greenock have died with Covid so I rather suspect Tesco's all over will improve their Covid policies

OK have some bad news.I have the virus .god knows how.not the full covid but it has attacked my gastric places.am being sick .I can't keep down food .I ache all over am dehydrated and woozy.am constipated and stomach pains.been to urgent care three times.yesterday had antibiotics and painkillers by drip.still dehydrated no matter how much water I drink.

I said from the start of this that if I was a shop owner I'd put a notice on the door to say 'No mask, No entry.' The shops let them in as they don't want to lose money. Simple as that. ?

And if they can't wear a mask for some reason they should wear a see thro visor.