Face Masks In Shops

[smurfchops]

Went into a Kingston on Thames newsagent yesterday, man in front of me didn’t have a mask, lady behind me didn’t have a mask. Guy behind counter had one, as did I, but he didn’t say a word to them. There is a police station across the road, six police sitting in a van outside. Nothing done.

[woofgang]

Yes I guess it depends on the reason for the hearing loss. With most of the folk I dealt with it was age related and generally the first sounds to go with age are the higher pitched ones... but yes, we were taught to ask as well.

[tomus42]

It's not up to the shop staff to police the wearing of masks, but it is up to them to enforce the rules about who they choose to serve in their shop - no change there. People in shops not wearing a mask should just not be served, and there should be a huge sign to that effect at the entrance, so no eejits can moan about it at the till.

Of course that won't happen though, because the shops want the business.

[emmie]

in superdrug some customers weren't wearing a mask nor were the shop assistants.

[diddlydo]

Shop assistants don't have to wear masks which strikes me as barmy.

[dannyk13]

diddly //Shop assistants don't have to wear masks which strikes me as barmy.//
You are moaning about having to wear a face covering for the time it takes you to do some shopping and yet you expect a shop assistant to wear one for eight hours.Shame on you.

[fiction-factory]

diddlydo is right about coverings not being compulsory for staff. The reasons are given here. Employers are still under a duty of care to employees though and many do provide masks to shop workers, and/or visors and plastic screens and gloves.

From the gov.uk site

Shop and supermarket staff

Face coverings are not required for employees in shops, supermarkets or indoor shopping centres. This also applies to banks, building societies and post office staff.

This is because there will be times when screens or visors are in use, or when a staff member is not in close proximity to people they do not normally meet, and so it will not be necessary for staff to wear a face covering.

Employees should continue to follow guidance from their employer based on a workplace health and safety assessment.

[New Judge]

//People in shops not wearing a mask should just not be served, and there should be a huge sign to that effect at the entrance, so no eejits can moan about it at the till.//

So does that include those who are either exempt or have a “reasonable excuse”? Or are they just among those whom you describe as “eejits”?

//You are moaning about having to wear a face covering for the time it takes you to do some shopping and yet you expect a shop assistant to wear one for eight hours.Shame on you.//

So let’s have a think about that, Danny. It is not disputed that wearing a face mask does little or nothing to protect the wearer. The benefit is to those around them. So I, as a potential plague carrier, but someone who goes out, gets his shopping and returns home asap (shopping being a most unpleasant experience at the best of times and more so at the moment) must wear a face mask to protect the few shopworkers I might encounter. They, on the other hand, who spend eight hours a day mixing with all and sundry in their shop and who are far more likely to contract an infection than me, do not have to wear one for my benefit. So where does the “shame” you mention propely lie?

//From the gov.uk site

Shop and supermarket staff

Face coverings are not required for employees in shops, supermarkets or indoor shopping centres. This also applies to banks, building societies and post office staff.

This is because there will be times when screens or visors are in use, or when a staff member is not in close proximity to people they do not normally meet, and so it will not be necessary for staff to wear a face covering.//

And thereby is perfectly demonstrated the folly of such a rule. The only people I encounter in supermarkets (apart from the person running the till who now and probably forever more, sits protected behind a screen) are those filling the shelves who often barge in front of me as I am picking my goods. It is perfectly true: there are times “…when a staff member is not in close proximity to people they do not normally meet,”. But there are quite a few times when they are. But that seems to have been overlooked or dismissed.

More abject nonsense.

[diddlydo]

Absolutely NJ - in Waitrose on Saturday the shelf-fillers were up close and yet none of them was wearing a mask. Crazy and illogical.

[emmie]

yes it is crazy, and getting more so.

[youngmafbog]

As an update, may daughter did return to the shop and got the manager out. He was very sympathetic and offered her discount on the items, he also said he would talk to his staff as she said she would rather that than money off.

As to the question how does she know he is shouting - the aids she wears to produce a sound and vibration so if someone shouts he will feel more and if the noise is very low she will 'hear' something. She does not 'hear' like you or I and as she was deaf from birth she has no idea what sounds actually sound like really, just like she has never heard the birds etc.

It takes a long time for her to learn to say another word properly and some words she will never get. That is why she lip reads - very well.

[fiction-factory]

I think we have 2 options- (a) just do what most people are doing which is go along with it and get on with life as best we can, or (b) post on AB Social Media moaning about or finding flaws (of which there are of course some) To me (b) seems pointless as it won't change anything but if it's a form of therapy for some, good luck to them.

[iluvmargie]

Been to Asda shopping today, so much more different from Sainsbury's last week, lots of folk of all ages NOT wearing masks, so I took mine off and was able to breathe properly again! Will be sticking to Asda in future.

[fiction-factory]

People in other countries must be laughing at us for not cooperating with this

[Mamyalynne]

So glad your Daughter got a sensible and sympathetic manager Ymb,and hope it spurs them on to put things in place to help.

[youngmafbog]

~You dont actually know that though do you ff?

[iluvmargie]

They can laugh all they like, it doesn't affect me. Wearing a mask does, I can't breathe.

[bednobs]

Thanks for your answer YMB - I was puzzled as to how, and you've given a great answer. After I posted yesterday, I realised I may have sounded aggressive or disbelieving, but I truly just wanted to know

[bednobs]

ILM I fond it very interesting when people weren't obeying the lockdown guidance of not going to beauty spots you said "Surely much tougher fines are needed for these morons."
now it turns out YOU are the moron.
Or is it only other people not complying that are the idiot, but not you?

[jourdain2]

I went shopping in local Tesco this morning (coastal resort, gets lots of tourists - not one Covid case amongst the staff up to pres.) wearing a lanyard they gave me on Friday. On Fri. I was politely asked if I had a mask available (by a nice lady I chat to often when she's on the till - I chat to most of them)I explained that I was exempt because of asthma and was reaching for a copy of my prescription when I was handed the lanyard with the explanation that that meant 'everyone on the staff would know I was vulnerable and leave me alone'. Good idea. 90% of customers were wearing masks.

As I said, I went shopping this morning. I would say that about 25% of people were not wearing masks, but, like me, they were distancing, so that's OK (it was before). Of that 25% only a tiny proportion were wearing lanyards - perhaps Summer visitors, not locals?. All were being left alone.

Hard to draw a conclusion, really. I still felt perfectly safe with the distancing and others were safe from me - so does it really matter? Wear a mask and move around more freely - or don't wear a mask and keep your distance? All got to be a matter of opinion. A very bad regulation i.m.o..

[fiction-factory]

>You dont actually know that though do you ff?

I know quite a few people who have a second home abroad or work in Europe and Far East and they are amazed at our reluctance to wear masks and social distance. During lockdown it was almost a curfew- you had to have a note listing a justifiable reason for being out if stopped by the police, and police were stopping people. In the main people just get on with things for the common good or to be seen to be supporting others. Maybe we just have a lot of keyboard warriors though as out in the real world my experience is that people generally are co-operating and don't give off all the negative vibes we are getting on here