I don't see any need for the exemption lanyard.
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UK face coverings discussion
- Thread starter Mag_seven
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I completely agree that there shouldn’t need to be. But unfortunately things are a little less clear cut when we are talking about (badly drafted) company policies requiring employees to wear masks in areas where the face covering legislation doesn’t apply (non public offices for example) and pointing to the government guidance won’t necessarily help in this situation.
I would *hope* that wearing a lanyard might be seen as an acceptable compromise in these circumstances - to avoid employees being asked embarrassing and inappropriate questions about why they are not prepared to wear a covering - although ideally this should be unnecessary of course.
This is yet another example of how unpleasant the increasingly pervasive masking requirement is for many people - and for basically zero useful purpose as we have seen over the last few months.
Philip
On Moderation
Wearing face coverings is a very small price to pay to help prevent the spread. I understand there are some valid exemptions as a legitimate reason not to, but I have little sympathy for the 'I'm not prepared to' or 'I feel uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a covering', or 'I don't want to be controlled like this' groups. Perhaps instead we should have longer and tougher lockdowns?
RomeoCharlie71
Established Member
Do they actually help prevent the spread though?
On paper, yes. But in reality, it's debatable.
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How many times, where is the evidence? It's likely the way they are used in every day life they could cause more harm than good. Put it on to go into shop, take it off on way out, shove in pocket and repeat numerous times. This is how people behave irrespective of whether it's correct or not. I remove it as soon as I can as find it very restrictive.
VauxhallandI
Established Member
I have little sympathy for people who blindly follow and expect me to for their misguided benefit. I am not your comfort blanket; sorry.
The greatest irony of it was it didn’t happen at start of the year, but here we are... WHO let alone governments flip flopped on it but decided later in year to go for it
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I wear face coverings in work, I rather have at least a bit of freedom to walk around without the need of one, but I feel wearing one everywhere you go is basically sucking the life out of you (side effects I have noticed more personally is blocked nose or runny nose and now getting headaches more (so no I rather wear them in one environment) other than that I rather live a life than feel like I’m living in a jail with it on
What would tougher/longer lockdowns do? Possibly cause more ripples to that effect but if you are happy with lockdowns I’m happy for you but I ain’t, the other thing is the public are getting fined and your MPs get slapped wrists, but since when did a pandemic become a money making scheme? Surely if it’s a “health” emergency I would have thought it be the opposite? I guess not everything is all about milking a situation and the public goes with it (maybe let’s look at it from different points of view and realise what’s going on), I believed it more in March and have had it but now not so much
Irony in this whole thing was the so called spread due to protests the fear it brought and look what happened not a puff
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Philip
On Moderation
I don't want longer or tougher lockdowns. But if it is a choice between wearing a face covering in a public place, or not doing so and potentially helping to cause higher transmission and thus more lockdowns, then I would go with the face covering option.
That is not the choice we face as far as I know. Nobody has said if we don't wear facemasks then there will be longer or tougher lockdowns as far as I am aware.
Where does this come from??
Philip
On Moderation
It comes from that wearing a face covering reduces the potential transmission of viral load. How much is open to debate but I think it is pretty clear that it helps to stop the spread. So if people don't wear them it is likely there will be a much higher transmission/infection rate, higher case numbers and thus longer/harder lockdowns to get the numbers down.
There is a lot of evidence that 'the viral dosage' is a big factor in how ill people get with this. An unknowing infected person may cough on the train or in a shop with people nearby. If they are wearing the face covering, it may not completely stop them from transmitting viral particles to someone else, but it is very likely it will reduce the number of particles they transmit by a large amount and so the people in close proximity are less likely to get seriously ill, if they pick it up at all. This links with hospital admissions.
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Strangely enough none of the devolved parliaments let alone UK Government has ever provided that answer, it’s all been let’s rely on a vaccine but yet no one in the media asks this either, media are just as much to blame on this as the politicians
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So in theory then I have been tested negative pretty much a while now but I can still spread it even though I have had it once? Nah don’t buy it! (just personal opinion)
How does a mask stop the spread? People weren’t up in arms at the start of the year but by summer we had too? It’s inconsistent for me in terms of face coverings it came too late but looks to me it’s causing more issues than resolving them, remember our politicians had said following the science but yet I wonder if it’s all about their own power ego?
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bramling
Veteran Member
That’s gone well so far. We’ve had face coverings *and* a lockdown.
Philip
On Moderation
It could have been a much longer lockdown with stricter rules without face coverings. And perhaps if more people had complied with this and other social distancing guidelines, we wouldn't be in the current situation.
"potential","open to debate", "pretty clear", "likely", "may", "likely"
Is that 'following the science'?
Let’s take the face coverings issue out for a moment, what would you have done then as an alternative?
bramling
Veteran Member
Perhaps.
Or perhaps not. Other countries with more stringent mask requirements than us are faring no better.
Philip
On Moderation
I have had it but I'm still wearing a face covering in public because 1. I don't know my immunity level or how long it lasts for and 2. I want to 'do my bit' and help the fight both to reduce the infection rate and thus to get out of lockdown as soon as possible.
Had a giggle there.. open to debate hardly any of this is open to debate politicians just do what they like without consequences or actions this brings.
Let me be Frank as Sturgeon says...
Philip
On Moderation
Face coverings is only one aspect, but an important one for the reasons I stated above.
I had it too but I am trying to get on life, but this is mentally and physically draining me now where I am close to breaking point.
I understand doing your bit, I do too but I want to breathe in air wherever I go be on transport or other towns and cities than being told to keep it on, but like I say our politicians haven’t a clue but are happy doing this as long as they ain’t affected
A desire for self-flagellation/virtue signalling is all I can come up with now. I really think there are people who think the virus is sentient and the more miserable people are forced to be, the more likely it is the virus will decide we’ve suffered enough and it’ll fly off.
Philip
On Moderation
I'm not in a position to say. But I think the face covering rule came much later than it should have done.
Why? If it’s only an idea am willing to see it another way?
I personally said to myself the face covering should have been at least between January-March if it was as so much of a worry but no let’s implement them in the summer.
bramling
Veteran Member
Even though the scientists were saying they have little or effect, or even that they may do more harm than good? Not to mention the fact that at the time masks were only slightly more available to the person on the street than hand gel.
Philip
On Moderation
That's certainly 'following the science'....
The way I see it, face coverings are a small sacrifice to make to help reduce the likelihood of much more draconian measures like long lockdowns. The fact is that the R rate now is a lot lower than it was in March and so there's a good chance this lockdown won't last longer than a month, as the R rate doesn't have to come down that much. I believe face coverings have helped to keep the rate from going wildly out of control as it did in March.
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It's a new virus and it's a learning curve for all of us. Early in the year it wasn't as clear how the virus transmitted particles. I trust the scientists have done their research thoroughly to have changed their stance and saying that face coverings do help.
So what’s the exit strategy if we no longer get lockdowns?
England I believe is to come out 2nd December if we are led to believe (unsure in Scotland but I don’t want another lockdown) so how do we move on from face coverings and lockdown?
As back in January life was normal now to me it feels like hell
You mentioned trusting the scientists, they are as bad as politicians seems more as if they too have an agenda in all this, but yes let’s continue with lockdowns loss of jobs and livelihoods as well as people’s health without an exit strategy
Philip
On Moderation
We don't move on from face coverings, not until there is a vaccine. A small price to pay in my opinion. As for lockdowns, a lot of that has to do with people's behaviour once we come out of this one. Nothing wrong with going out and socialising if people are sensible; people can still enjoy life and not be shut up in their homes. But as for going out getting drunk in big groups and throwing caution to the wind regarding social distancing..I believe this sort of thing has been one of the biggest factors in this second wave.
Face coverings were not mandated earlier in the year when cases were reducing. Not long after they were mandated cases started to increase again. They were then mandated in more places and the spread increased faster. Clearly that proves that coverings help prevent spread ....... in some sort of parallel universe. A parallel universe where mask proponents can show no proof but continue to advocate them regardless
Here are two things which affect the spread of the virus relative to March:
1) Reduction in social contact from working from home, various rules, ‘shielding/hiding under the bed,’ various facilities closed and activities banned
2) In early March 0% of the population had been exposed to the virus. Today it is much more than 0%.
A third thing which has precisely no impact: wearing a face covering while walking down the street.
Masks are a comfort blanket for the naive. An item approaching religious significance for some.
Why has France recorded so many more cases than the UK? They mandate masks absolutely everywhere outside your front door.
So without a vaccine stuck in a vicious circle? What happened when we caught colds or flu did we grind to a halt? Come on now really?
Just read that part again “we don’t move on from face coverings” sorry but like hell we do, if you are happy to wear it go ahead I’ll choose my own preference (without prejudice).
Yet we are told not to socialise outside or mix with other households? Something wrong there don’t you think?
So in a list to blame for the virus spread is as follows, students pub goers care workers, seems like a list of making scapegoats here!
As for enjoying life, I have managed to get back to the gym but during lockdown I hadn’t much to do or go anywhere boredom set in.
I’m sure lockdown is trying to break the human spirit as that’s what it feels to me, I have lost faith in governments as well as politicians during this but they don’t seem to care
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