Can shops still insist on customers wearing face masks?

Why not?

Simple enough thing to do to reduce a perceived risk in a healthcare setting I would say.

Biscuitmuncher

casdon yes I know all that but how does any of that mean that a mask in the street will save you from a virus?

Another strange comment to add to the asbestos one and others. Very few people actually wear masks in the street (although perhaps those who do are particularly vulnerable), so perhaps this is just a way of veering away from the topic under discussion. Those who don't want to wear them now don't have to, so why make the fuss? The rest of us will just get on with wearing our masks.

If I were an optician I’d love mask wearing to be permanent. They must occasionally be up close to some very smelly breaths!

I work in a Care Home for the Elderly. After being free of coronavirus for over a year, we have had an outbreak - only 3 residents - the staff are tested weekly (pcr test) and are asked to test daily (lateral flow). All negative, therefore, we can only assume that the virus has come into the home via a visitor. Just goes to show that even though you have no symptoms, you can still be infectious. All the more reason to wear a mask in public places.

I have no problem with wearing a mask to protect myself and others who are in close proximity to me . I too have had appointments at Specsavers recently and was happy to protect them as well as myself by wearing one , their system is very good and placing chosen frames into a tray to try on is excellent, they clean the frames afterwards before putting them back on display… same goes for hospital and doctor visits , I’ll always wear a mask due to being classified as extremely vulnerable, having survived Covid-19 for the past 2 years I’m not about to risk getting information the sale of not wearing a mask …. Common sense really !

*information should read infected ‘

LilacChaser

I won't shop anywhere where I'm asked/told to wear a mask.

Why not?

Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the optician unmasked and breathing all over my face.
I will definitely be wearing mine.

In Feb/March last year my optician asked me to "just pull it down out of the way", it being my mask, which kept slipping and being a blasted nuisance. Yay! I thought. Someone with sense. And pulled it down. She kept hers on.

Why not? Because they disgust me beyond measure. Can't even handle them, let alone put one near my face.

LilacChaser

Why not? Because they disgust me beyond measure. Can't even handle them, let alone put one near my face.

Aye, ok then...what happens if you had to go into hospital and had to wear one?

I don't know of an optician that doesn't insist on masks being worn for all reasons already stated; so good luck to anyone saying they'll lose custom.

Biscuitmuncher

I don't think I have ever been moved to anger since joining this Forum.
The complete absence of humanity and common decency you show to Lucca makes me sick.

Just that.

Sorry, for Forum read Gransnet site.

i have not been able to wear a mask since the start of the pandemic, i have been very careful and i did get covid 2 months ago. at the height of the pandemic i stayed in, any hospital appointments i asked first if it would be okay. when shops re-opened i always asked if i could come in. i am not an anti-masker, i have epilepsy and the mask wearing was bringing on seizures as i got so worked up with having something over my face. even now i still take a test if i am going out to an appointment or with my son and his family.

LilacChaser

Why not? Because they disgust me beyond measure. Can't even handle them, let alone put one near my face.

How did you manage when they were mandatory?

ixion

Biscuitmuncher

I don't think I have ever been moved to anger since joining this Forum.
The complete absence of humanity and common decency you show to Lucca makes me sick.

Just that.

Thank you Ixion.

I have been in hospital and other areas where I was supposed to wear one. I wore my exemption lanyard when masks were mandatory. If that wasn't good enough, I wore a visor. People were generally satisfied when I showed a negative test.

And before we get the selfish/murderer/stupid remarks (right back at you) I've never had covid, therefore never passed it on.

It’s because it can be classed as a heath facility. I had to wear one when I went for a blood test, to have my ears syringed, to have a mammogram, and to see the podiatrist. It’s different rules to shops

How do you know you've never had covid LilacChaser? I'm sure you have heard of people who are asymptomatic. Could you not have been one of them? You wouldn't know, would you?

At my dentist I have to wait outside to be admitted and then wear a mask inside

I’ve just returned from Sainsburys. A few people were wearing masks but the vast majority were maskless. I wore my mask.

Please do some more research Biscuitmuncher - you are TOTALLY wrong!

Masks can never be a cure, but they do help prevent transmission, and protect you from others. My son and family live in Japan and the whole population wear masks to help prevent transmission - and did so pre- covid - with great results.
I can never understand why people won’t wear them to protect others. Just selfish!
There was some research that initially stated they made no difference, but science soon proved them wrong and the opinions were changed. Obviously a few of you never caught up with that.
I hate wearing a mask as I have asthma and other issues, I am also in and out of hospital quite frequently for day surgery, and I am so very glad of all the care taken to protect others.
I still wear one and will continue to do so.