To mask or not to mask

[DracoM]

We will / should be wearing masks for the next two or even three winters, IMO.

[french frank]

We will / should be wearing masks for the next two or even three winters, IMO.

In my view, there's only so much we can do, individually, to mitigate this; but we should do what we can (again in my view, but I don't go out much anyway . Does get a bit boring, though )

[french frank]

Just back from the Coop. Lunchtime so not too many people there but I thought I'd do a bit of an audit. I'd say 85%-90% of staff were masked, though some who should have been (given the No Mask, No Entry sign) weren't. Of the customers some 75% were masked, and those who weren't were overwhelmingly the 20-somethings. In fact of the 9 or 10 I saw, only one was wearing a mask (and she might have been older anyway, as I couldn't see her face and she was some way away). Of the older generation, I spotted just one white-haired man unmasked. Most customers were the youngish middle-aged.

[Petrushka]

Just back from the Coop. Lunchtime so not too many people there but I thought I'd do a bit of an audit. I'd say 85%-90% of staff were masked, though some who should have been (given the No Mask, No Entry sign) weren't. Of the customers some 75% were masked, and those who weren't were overwhelmingly the 20-somethings. In fact of the 9 or 10 I saw, only one was wearing a mask (and she might have been older anyway, as I couldn't see her face and she was some way away). Of the older generation, I spotted just one white-haired man unmasked. Most customers were the youngish middle-aged.

Our local Waitrose is always overwhelmingly fully masked up amongst both staff and shoppers and I go in several days in the week at different times. The store is still fully geared for the pandemic with hand sanitiser and screens and I have to say it would come as something of a shock to see anyone without a mask.

[Serial_Apologist]

Our local Waitrose is always overwhelmingly fully masked up amongst both staff and shoppers and I go in several days in the week at different times. The store is still fully geared for the pandemic with hand sanitiser and screens and I have to say it would come as something of a shock to see anyone without a mask.

Same at the Sainsbury's branch at Lower Sydenham just now - the biggest branch in the country, btw, which was featured on a TV series about their staff training régime a few years ago. The only exceptions being the small children - but that has in any case always been so and is not as I understand it a requirement for them. Admittedly it wa not my conscious intention to assess the situation, but I am sure I would have noticed anyone maskless. In my experience, shops where customers often ignore the request notice tend to be smaller branches, e.g. Tesco Express, and they too tend to be younger people, most usually men actually, especially those entering to buy only one or two items who obviously want to be out as quickly as possible.

[marvin]

These reports seem to come from a different planet to mine unless things have changed drastically since Tuesday this week where I frequent Bromley M&S Food Hall. Very few masks worn by public and cash desk staff mask-less the few that were open.
Currently, I no longer have a mask/s.

[teamsaint]

My experience having been out and about quite a bit recently is that mask wearing is dropping off in what you might call neutral areas such as motorway services, and staying pretty commonplace in shops such as supermarkets.

I see staff not wearing masks very often in all kinds of outlets, and there were none worn by staff at a book launch I was at in a hotel last week.

[french frank]

The fewer signs or directions to people to wear masks, the fewer will feel it necessary to do so. One can only follow news of the evolving situation and base one's action on that: not on what 'other people are doing'. The figures show that the pandemic is NOT over and we are now moving towards winter. The rest seems to me to be common sense.

[Prommer]

#Maskwatch on here now

[Prommer]

BTW we seriously need to have more of a selection of emojis on here! Possibly including the mask one!

[Prommer]

BTW we seriously need to have more of a selection of emojis on here! Possibly including the mask one!

(I confess now to being under 50...)

[french frank]

BTW we seriously need to have more of a selection of emojis on here! Possibly including the mask one!

[marvin]

Better still, a one depicting Sheep!

[french frank]

Better still, a one depicting Sheep!

I wouldn't care to insult people who choose to wear a mask. Anyway, by the time the majority are maskless, they will be the sheep

[Petrushka]

I don't understand why people like Marvin are complaining. They've got what they want and can legally go maskless. Why should it matter to them that others continue to wear masks?