Would You Be In Favour Of Mandatory Mask Wearing Again?

[DavidinSouthampton]

Yes - the only sensible thing to do…..

 

[Norman Potting]

No problem in wearing one to protect those who I may breathe over. Decision influenced by two daughters who have Saturday jobs in supermarkets.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We are due ours in November. I read that there is a bit of a bottleneck at GP surgeries but plentiful supplies of vaccine. There does seem to be slow uptake in older age groups as well as it is no longer a ticket out of lockdown. Good luck !

My GP used the vaccination hub at Brighton Racecourse, which was very efficient when I went.

I had my flu jab at the surgery on 9th October.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I find your approach to this - someone who seems to be a decent, sensible chap - really strange.

There is a wealth of sound scientific research that makes it clear that wearing a mask can provide a benefit in the reduction of viral spread. That's why I wear one. I don't enjoy wearing one, but the discomfort is at a low enough level that I'm happy to do it.

You choose not to. I'm not saying you are a bad person, but I don't understand.

A number of people can't wear masks for legitimate health reasons - I absolutely get that, but that doesn't seem to be you from what I can tell.

You talk about "no views have changed" but I genuinely don't know what your view is, whereas I've made mine pretty clear I think.

Is it simply that you don't believe masks help in any way at all?

Please help me understand why you won't wear a mask - I'm genuinely interested.

Thank you for a conciliatory reply….the last bit over a beer, hopefully one day in the future …but keep two metres

Ps I really have to crack on with work now

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I suppose the question will be, when will be the right time to start wearing masks again?

Right now, we are where we want to be... but we will want cases to remain low for the inevitable winter spike.

Over 800 people are dying a week. That is not low.

 

[drew]

Should be mandatory and for those that claim an exemption, it should be mandatory to wear a visor. The visor doesn't prevent spread anywhere near as much as a mask but all those prats claiming exemptions will find it easier to put a mask in their pocket rather than plastic visor! Also, failure to comply should be on the spot fine by the Police. Forget the educate and encourage policy of before, it didn't work.

 

[drew]

I suppose the question will be, when will be the right time to start wearing masks again?

Right now, we are where we want to be... but we will want cases to remain low for the inevitable winter spike.

Does this mean you now accept the pandemic isn't over?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Yes, needs to be mandatory because voluntary isn’t working. The alternative will be winter lockdown. To be fair most people ar our local supermarket wear one but football is nonsensical. We wear ours whenever we go shopping and also at all times at football in the concourse or in our seats apart from when having a drink.

Still wear mine when needed etc

But it really isn’t a case of mask wearing or winter lockdown.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Should be mandatory and for those that claim an exemption, it should be mandatory to wear a visor. The visor doesn't prevent spread anywhere near as much as a mask but all those prats claiming exemptions will find it easier to put a mask in their pocket rather than plastic visor! Also, failure to comply should be on the spot fine by the Police. Forget the educate and encourage policy of before, it didn't work.

And how do you police that?

How do you police night clubs etc? Are you shutting them?

 

[Guinness Boy]

For many going to a club, pub or restaurant would be out of the question or a matter of choice, masks or not, shopping or getting on the bus or train less so.

My wife and I went to the pub on Friday evening. The plan was to have a meal outside. Traditional country boozer which we had never visited before. There was no table service so we went into the bar to order, both wearing masks. We were faced with a full, smallish pub with zero mask wearing. Seeing our masks someone made a comment about it being a hold up. My wife had spent the day washing her hands, ensuring social distance and wearing mask and visor in her SEN school and I had been at home. We ordered a drink, went outside to get a table number but decided not to bother with the meal as we didn’t want to return to that bar. Whatever is decided going forwards it would be nice if my wife and I could have the opportunity to enjoy a night out rather than the current situation where this is seemingly reserved for those that think Covid is over.

My clumsy point was that the OP just asked if masks should be mandatory, without saying how or where. Pre-Covid there was plenty of bad, loophole filled legislation that hadn't properly been scrutinised by parliamentary committees because that seems to have gone out of fashion now. During Covid we've rushed in bill after bill and none have really quite worked or really been adhered to. Just having a law "that made masks mandatory" is unworkable and effectively lockdown light for the reasons I stated. Nevertheless, I am pro-mask, partly for the reasons stated in your replies.

I think the best we can hope for is that it becomes mandatory again on public transport and in shops to put us back to where we were pre "Freedom Day" and this will hopefully swing the cultural and behavioural balance back towards wearing them in other situations. Even then, though, you'll get people with "Conditions". I tend to agree with the posters who are saying they really should be worn at the moment irrespective of the law, but you only have to go to a home game by train and buy a pie on your way to your seat to see what a mammoth and unlikely target that is.

One thing's for certain. If we do end up locked down again then it will be EXACTLY the same people complaining about the lockdown as are currently refusing to get vaccinated or wear a mask.

 

[highflyer]

As others above, I still do on the few occasions I need to be indoors with others, such as shops etc, anyway.

It does feel like, once again, we're slow-car-crashing our way back into a bad place so any cheap/free, minor, unobtrusive measures we can take that may help to keep schools open, keep pubs and restaurants open and keep football being played in front of full crowds are worthwhile taking IMO.

This for me. Better to take some relatively minor, and precautionary action now and hopefully avoid need for anything more significant as winter gets going. It's not going to be too bad for most of us - as the vaccine still seems to be preventing serious illness even as it's effectivness wanes in regard to infection. and boosters should also help. But that's not true for everyone.

I fear however collective stupidity, and short memories, run strong in our population.

I feel badly for those that are still vulnerable (see other thread on Colin Powell) through no fault of their own, that will be increasingly forced to either self isolate or take big risks if/as cases continue to rise and it becomes almost impossible to avoid exposure outside your own home.
If masks help to slow the spread and keep cases lower, we'll still end up getting to the same place by spring, but with much lower risk and deaths for the vulnerable.

But hey, I guess avoiding a very minor inconveniece for the majority is more important than the lives of a minority eh.

 

[BNthree]

Haven't stopped, so yes I would be.

Same as this.

 

[aolstudios]

Of course

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

One thing's for certain. If we do end up locked down again then it will be EXACTLY the same people complaining about the lockdown as are currently refusing to get vaccinated or wear a mask.

Absolutely, let's shut schools for millions of kids again, but a load of multimillionaire footballers can still play Saturday with thousands of fans watching without getting vaccinated because they have a choice.

The contradictions are amazing really.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Still wear mine when needed etc

But it really isn’t a case of mask wearing or winter lockdown.

Not just mask wearing, no. This thread title did specifically ask about masks though. I think a return to things like mask wearing, table service only in pubs and social distancing may be all that can prevent a return to some kind of lockdown over Christmas. Our figures are ridiculous and getting worse at the moment. Football really is disappointing. People are so short term and clubs haven’t bothered with enforcement. It would be fairly easy for the Government to restrict capacities and point to non compliance amongst fans.

 

[dazzer6666]

In the context of death, there is no too low a number. But in reality, around 100 deaths per day from covid is low. It may never be so low again.

It's low relative to the peak we experienced, but it's not low in a global context - we're amongst the highest globally at the moment, and numbers are increasing week on week. 223 reported yesterday was the highest since March.

 

[Notters]

I'm still very dubious about how much they help given how much they make people touch their faces and how they get shoved in pockets and spread the germs everywhere. If the science bods are sure that they work though, I'm all in favour.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Not just mask wearing, no. This thread title did specifically ask about masks though. I think a return to things like mask wearing, table service only in pubs and social distancing may be all that can prevent a return to some kind of lockdown over Christmas. Our figures are ridiculous and getting worse at the moment. Football really is disappointing. People are so short term and clubs haven’t bothered with enforcement. It would be fairly easy for the Government to restrict capacities and point to non compliance amongst fans.

We are still way under the modelled best case.

I would have brought in a vaccine passport for everything btw, public transport included - with the only way around it being medical or a PCR test once a week at their cost.

 

[dazzer6666]

The world is further behind than we are. What we are experiencing now is normality. 100-200 deaths per day from covid for the rest of time will be low/normal, similar to flu.

Ok - so how high would you let the numbers get before taking additional action ? Trend (for both deaths and hospitalisations) is steadily upwards

 

[Icy Gull]

The world is further behind than we are. What we are experiencing now is normality. 100-200 deaths per day from covid for the rest of time will be low/normal, similar to flu.

Sounds like a load of shit, further behind on what? Being sensible? The rest of Europe has caught up with us on vaccinations as far as I can tell and continue to be wary of a surge. Are you a herd mentality person, i.e **** the old who have a good run and the rest of the people at risk who should take their chances or stay inside for ever? What we are experiencing is in no way normal to me