So masks are to become optional, do you think this is a good idea?

I'm so glad that my community social media Facebook isn't focused on gossip and "blacklisting" families for transgressions as yours is growstuff. As for they haven't been named but just about everybody knows who it is; I'm surprised that that hasn't been reported by the afflicted family as online bullying; it sounds like a most unpleasant place to live.
We stick to just the restaurant recommendations, swapping plants and when the book club meetings are on. Far less toxic and judgemental of our neighbours.

MissChateline

I would have thought that refusing to serve a customer who wasn’t wearing a mask when it is not a legal requirement might well be discrimination.
I have a problem with a local shop who refuses to take cash. He says that this is to prevent contamination from the notes and coins. The fact that he has abysmal ventilation in the shop and he is happy to serve customers with their masks dangling all over the place is neither here nor there. I am aware that he is not obligated to accept cash but I have pointed out that he is losing certainly my custom and that if others. So a shop that didn’t allow me in without a mask would lose a lot of customers.

I would refuse to shop where cash is not accepted, if the shopkeeper is worried about contamination he can wear gloves and use sanatizer, I would use my own discretion concerning masks, always have one at the ready.

Chewbacca

I'm so glad that my community social media Facebook isn't focused on gossip and "blacklisting" families for transgressions as yours is growstuff. As for they haven't been named but just about everybody knows who it is; I'm surprised that that hasn't been reported by the afflicted family as online bullying; it sounds like a most unpleasant place to live.
We stick to just the restaurant recommendations, swapping plants and when the book club meetings are on. Far less toxic and judgemental of our neighbours.

Oh! It does all the swapping plants, book club meetings and offering to do people's shopping stuff too.

Actually, I wonder if you realise how judgmental you're being about where I live!

However, there are members who would in non-Covid times be the school gate gossipers - I don't believe they don't exist in other areas. Unfortunately, nobody can control what they talk about - it happens. It's no more venomous than a local version of GN bitching about Meghan - but with more reason, as real people had actually been affected.

The admin did close the thread and remove some posts. I don't think any names were actually mentioned, but it was obvious that the people involved knew who it was and, from what I gather, the family is known for being vocal about not wearing masks. It's a fascinating insight into how peer pressure works.

It's no more venomous than a local version of GN bitching about Meghan - but with more reason, as real people had actually been affected.

I think that's what Mumsnetters refers to as "whataboutery".

Chewbacca

^It's no more venomous than a local version of GN bitching about Meghan - but with more^ reason, as real people had actually been affected.

I think that's what Mumsnetters refers to as "whataboutery".

I think it's probably true.

Hasn’t it been proved that there is practically no risk of catching the virus from cash?
Why then are we hearing about so many traders insisting on cards only?
What happened to giving customers a choice about how they wish to pay for purchases?

It doesn’t affect me as I pay for virtually everything by credit or debit card but I still think it’s so wrong to insist on cards.

These days it seems as if too many businesses are run to make life as easy for them as possible and to hell with the hapless customer.

Another thing. Can we hope that all those allegedly ‘working’ from home might now go back to the office and deliver a proper service to their customers?

How many of us have spent countless hours on the phone to companies over the past year, only to hear a recorded message blaming the virus for their appalling service?

Az59

Yay no masks at last can’t wait!

Why ? It’s been no hardship for goodness sake. Such a fuss.

Bossyrossi if I was you I would wear the special masks which protect you with the one way filter..it will be interesting to see what people will do, I had hoped we would be keeping masks for a while, I shall be carrying on wearing mine in busy shops, surely their must be some protection, we can only hope that people are sensible. We have no choice but to learn to live with covid and just hope it dies out.

Actually, I wonder if you realise how judgmental you're being about where I live! hmm

It was you who described it growstuff! You described your community as "more or less blacklisting a family who don't wear masks" to such an extent that the online comments on social media were bad enough for "an admin to close the thread down and remove some posts, but the damage had been done". You yourself admitted that "you wouldn't want to be in that child's shoes when he went back to school". That poor child.

Based entirely on the information that you've provided about that community; yes, I've judged.

estg2967 very well said, totally agree with your points.
The scaremongering continues, with daily reporting of increased infection. Infection does not equal similar figures for hospitalisation or deaths. Daily figures of other diseases, not reported, will be equal or more to covid and also do not equal death or hospitalisation.
I shall keep a mask in a pocket for use in crowded indoor settings for the sake of protecting my husband who is awaiting surgery, but will not be wearing one as a matter of course as previously in unnecessary and ambiguous situations. As remarked elsewhere, there are many anomalies, such as having to wear one for a couple of feet in a cafe or coffee shop to reach your table, then taking them off while eating, drinking and talking with whoever you are with - the couple of feet of mask wearing makes no sense and I think these anomalies are what are causing the questioning the use of them.
I am in the group who do find wearing them a hardship for various physical and psychological reasons, though have been doing so as required, and find it offensive for others to state flippantly that there's no hardship in wearing them and can't see why others have a problem wearing them - I strongly disagree.
As I said, I will continue on a far more limited basis to use one as I see fit and have risk assessed for (I was previously a manager and H&S rep trained in risk assessment), but where I see no need, will certainly not.
I will not be condemning those who wish to continue using them, and would expect similar respect paid to those who choose not to, once 19 July has arrived.

Beanie654321, if there is a rise in cases while they are mandatory, how can you say that they are effective?

Nannapat1 I think that although they were mandatory, not everyone was wearing them, or social distancing. I certainly saw loads in my neighbourhood who were going about their lives as normal and ignoring the rules.

Savvy then I expect that it will be the same when legally enforcible restrictions become advice. Personally I am mystified by the importance so many attach to mask wearing as somehow being the key to beating the virus. Perhaps it's because it is a visible symbol of 'doing one's bit'.

Nannapat1

Savvy then I expect that it will be the same when legally enforcible restrictions become advice. Personally I am mystified by the importance so many attach to mask wearing as somehow being the key to beating the virus. Perhaps it's because it is a visible symbol of 'doing one's bit'.

Maybe you should read the results of some of the research if you are mystified.

Growstuff, do please provide me with a link so that I can educate myself ?

I will be wearing my mask and I am dreading the bus journey to work when things get a bit back to "normal"

I’m not waiting until the 19th. I started yesterday.
B&Q, Garden centre, local tip, car wash.
It was interesting that one of the girls on the check out didn’t have a mask on.

“ and find it offensive for others to state flippantly that there's no hardship in wearing them”. Well that was me and I wasn’t being flippant. How long do people spend in shops ? How many people were genuinely needing to be exempt ? Sorry but a lot of people just “didn’t like” wearing a mask.

MerylStreep

I’m not waiting until the 19th. I started yesterday.
B&Q, Garden centre, local tip, car wash.
It was interesting that one of the girls on the check out didn’t have a mask on.

I have asked before meryl why you are so anti mask ?

Nannapat1

Beanie654321, if there is a rise in cases while they are mandatory, how can you say that they are effective?

Clearly because of other factors like not social distancing, travel etc. Sorry but that’s such a silly argument, would you have preferred to have no masks and see how much worse we could have had it ?

It is interesting to know that in places like Taiwan where they have controlled infections since February 2020, they still have to wear masks on public transport. It is ridiculous that the UK government learnt nothing from them. The New Zealand government did.

It's a no brainer! If you're still petrified by the numbers spewed out by the government and the BBC, then wear a mask. That's entirely up to you but at a time when deaths are at an all time low and you sitll believe all the hype about 'cases' (which means nothing) then you, along with the government, are part of the problelm. If you have Spotify, Tunein or some other podcast app, have a listen to the second half of the ritchie allen show for Monday 5th July to listen to the interview with a very well respected funeral business owner.

I see that Jersey which recently relaxed the rule on masks has had a surge in cases meaning that Guernsey now requires people arriving from Jersey to isolate for 10 days

I believe Cyprus has added us to their red list now. All getting silly. I am sure this so called 'Delta' variant is just about everywhere now. It is just that our government has kept banging on about it that had made other countries take the high ground. Other countries have just kept their mouths shut. That is the only difference. I am hoping Boris will now learn to keep his shut!

Chewbacca

^Actually, I wonder if you realise how judgmental you're being about where I live! hmm^

It was you who described it growstuff! You described your community as "more or less blacklisting a family who don't wear masks" to such an extent that the online comments on social media were bad enough for "an admin to close the thread down and remove some posts, but the damage had been done". You yourself admitted that "you wouldn't want to be in that child's shoes when he went back to school". That poor child.

Based entirely on the information that you've provided about that community; yes, I've judged.

A lot of local facebook pages are like this aren't they? I am members of a few and they all go on about teenagers, people smoking, parking, petty crime, so and so did this, everyone appalled, drunks, people swimming in the river, the overflowing bottle banks, our MP flytipping, gypsies...they've ran out of bags at asda, no potatoes in the co-op...the list seems the same everywhere. Oh and stray cats and dogs on the loose. Is this cat a stray? <links to photo of very well fed cat>