No problem taking my custom elsewhere as I don't have any particular favourites. More of the same from unions and shop-owner reps https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0716/1153645-phase-4-coronavirus-covid19/
Face coverings to be mandatory in shops
- Thread starter odyssey06
- Start date
It's not about enforcement or "policing" as the RTE report quotes some reps as saying, good example and a caring attitude can change behaviour. If not then let's try a few sticks!
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My son lived in Beijing for 3 years so I know all about the poor air quality there. He now lives in Hong Kong but has visited many Chinese cities. Yes, the air quality was poor but that is not the only reason why people wore masks. One of the reasons they wore masks was out of consideration to others. As you said "You'd even notice many Asian people in Ireland wearing face masks back then too". As Ireland had no "smog" why do you think that these people were wearing masks?
I have been wearing a mask in supermarkets since early March. These were available online, there were also builder's type masks available in Woodies, Brooks and other similar shops.
Leper, I see that you gave a thumbs up to this post. If you support this statement then I am surprised that you were not one of the first people to wear a mask back in early March. Your comment "I won't be wearing a face mask or plastic gloves mainly because (i) they are almost ineffective" seems to suggest that you are going to stick with the "smog" theory on the one hand but accept that they were also worn because of the SARS outbreak.
Well we are being asked to wear them now so I guess that the thinking is that masks help prevent the spread of this disease. If it helps prevent the spread now then it would have helped back in March/April/May. I definitely think the situation would have been "better" if we had all worn masks from the outset.
SlurrySlump
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I called in to a small Centra store yesterday. There was a steady stream of customers coming in to pick up small purchases. In the door, grab a couple of items and then out again. I wore my mask but 90% of others didn't. What can an owner of a small shop do in these circumstances?
I have contacted Dunnes a couple of times about a similar experience that mathepac had. I just got a copy and paste reply. I will feel a lot better when the rules are enforced and everyone including staff wear masks. Name and shame the stores on their Facebook page and it will soon have them following the rules.
You are right. But in Ireland at the time there was a lot of confusion and misinformation coming out about masks. Some of it was because our authorities believed the Chinese authorities who lied and tried to pretend that human to human transmission was rare, and that surface transmission was the primary means of infection. Some of it was because our authorities did not want people panic buying masks as they did not have enough supplies for hospitals etc.
They spread this scare scenario of oh you will get infected if you don't wear and take off the mask 100% right and otherwise you would be ok.
That can happen, but compared to the risk of breathing in droplets in the air given this is a respiratory virus?
There are complaints from nurses unions that it took the HSE far too long to adopt a policy of general mask usage in healthcare settings and this was one of the reasons why our healthcare worker infection rate is so high.
So Ireland was behind the curve on masks and you still see some of the 'experts' who are stuck on that wrong advice from March and won't let it go.
See I just don't get that. If these are the highly skilled healthcare professionals that they tell us that we are so lucky to have then why do they need to be told they have to wear masks? Would they not just wear them anyway?
Apparently it was HSE policy not to wear them except in specific settings and disciplinary procedures were even threatened against some staff for doing do when on general duties.
My opinions on our 'experts' who all too readily believed what was coming from China is noted above.
I heard that claim but haven't seen any evidence to back it up. It's not as if nurses and healthcare employees medical professionals don't all have militant Unions. Are the claiming they were afraid to speak up?
Sophrosyne
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This article from the Journal.ie dated April 2 shows the thinking at that time.
“At the HSE’s press briefing on Tuesday of this week, Dr Cillian De Gascun, chair of the HSE’s Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group, acknowledged the anxiety among healthcare workers and said that it’s something they will keep under review. He cited a lack of evidence as to the reason that they don’t recommend the use of masks with asymptomatic patients. Dr Colm Henry, the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer added, “the use of masks in asymptomatic settings adds little benefit and may increase risk because of the increased movement of hands towards the face”.
And well done to the journalist, Deirdre Mullins and also Professor Crown.
“At the HSE’s press briefing on Tuesday of this week, Dr Cillian De Gascun, chair of the HSE’s Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group, acknowledged the anxiety among healthcare workers and said that it’s something they will keep under review. He cited a lack of evidence as to the reason that they don’t recommend the use of masks with asymptomatic patients. Dr Colm Henry, the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer added, “the use of masks in asymptomatic settings adds little benefit and may increase risk because of the increased movement of hands towards the face”.
And well done to the journalist, Deirdre Mullins and also Professor Crown.
I don't have evidence as such, but The Journal covered what was presented to the Oireachtas Committee :
She described meetings with the HSE where the INMO had to “lobby and cajole” the decision-makers into making it mandatory for face masks to be worn by all healthcare workers on duty. One nurse was sent home for wearing a face mask during their shift, Ní Sheaghdha said, stating that the worker was told that it was not HSE policy. The matter became an industrial issue which has since been resolved, the committee was told
'An absolute scandal': Ireland has the highest Covid infection rate for healthcare workers in the world, committee told
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this evening suggested that the figures provided by the INMO were wrong.
www.thejournal.ie
In fairness, Dublin and other urban areas regularly exceed WHO safe limits on airborne pollutants. ~1,200 premature deaths pa are attributed to air pollution here .
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I wear a mask (only started recently), and I hope others do to, where required to do so. I see a lot of people evangelising masks not so much for the public health benefits but to hear themselves telling other people what to do and then judging them publically when they don't.
Wear a mask, then mind your own business.
I see testimonials online from children and adults with asthma, with the line "If I can wear a mask you can too"
Sometimes they are minding their own business when they evangelise masks, because what others breathe out is their business too.
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I have family-members who are in the vulnerable category. Their safety and well-being is my business.
Ceist Beag
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Most customers in Dunnes wore masks this morning, still a few though not wearing any. A large number of staff members were still not wearing any. One was even ranting to a customer about how "this propaganda sh*te is taking over"! 
In our local Supervalu staff members are politely asking customers to wear a mask the next time if they haven't one on. I do think Dunnes need to get their staff in line with the message from government. I can appreciate the masks around the mouth can be difficult to wear for hours on end but plenty of their colleagues were wearing the screen type masks which I don't think anyone could really object to wearing.
In our local Supervalu staff members are politely asking customers to wear a mask the next time if they haven't one on. I do think Dunnes need to get their staff in line with the message from government. I can appreciate the masks around the mouth can be difficult to wear for hours on end but plenty of their colleagues were wearing the screen type masks which I don't think anyone could really object to wearing.
Mr Price Rathdowney Co Laois yesterday, shop was quiet enough, all the staff wearing masks, hand-cleanser available inside the main entrance, shopping baskets cleaned behind the check-out area before being stacked and returned for customer use. The check-out area is well shielded with clear plastic "walls" and the floors have clear safety markings. A well run retail outlet, apart from three female customers, wandering the aisles randomly, three-abreast, none of them wearing masks, none of them carrying shopping baskets.
When I encountered them for the third time approaching me head-on, I asked the oldest member of the group if she had a mask she could wear. She immediately launched into a loud tirade about my abusing her. Three staff members were on the spot immediately when she repeated the accusation of abuse. I pointed out to her that all I'd done was ask her if she had a mask she could wear, in line with health guidelines for retail outlets. She agreed I'd asked her about the mask, adding now that as she had breathing difficulties she was exempt from wearing one. I asked if her companions also suffered breathing difficulties and were also exempt and pointed out that the sensible thing to do, as a member of a vulnerable community, was to stay home.
The woman who seemed to be the senior staff-member thanked me for my contribution and said she'd handle the matter from there. I thanked her and moved on, reversing my route out of the aisle now blocked by six people.
For years I understood that the right to service in a shop was reserved to the proprietor/staff, in other words they decide what customers to serve. In the absence from any legislation from government, isn't it a simple matter for retail outlets to ask shoppers not wearing masks to leave until suitable attired? Conversely, can shoppers complain about the shop's failure to protect them adequately?
When I encountered them for the third time approaching me head-on, I asked the oldest member of the group if she had a mask she could wear. She immediately launched into a loud tirade about my abusing her. Three staff members were on the spot immediately when she repeated the accusation of abuse. I pointed out to her that all I'd done was ask her if she had a mask she could wear, in line with health guidelines for retail outlets. She agreed I'd asked her about the mask, adding now that as she had breathing difficulties she was exempt from wearing one. I asked if her companions also suffered breathing difficulties and were also exempt and pointed out that the sensible thing to do, as a member of a vulnerable community, was to stay home.
The woman who seemed to be the senior staff-member thanked me for my contribution and said she'd handle the matter from there. I thanked her and moved on, reversing my route out of the aisle now blocked by six people.
For years I understood that the right to service in a shop was reserved to the proprietor/staff, in other words they decide what customers to serve. In the absence from any legislation from government, isn't it a simple matter for retail outlets to ask shoppers not wearing masks to leave until suitable attired? Conversely, can shoppers complain about the shop's failure to protect them adequately?
Kimmagegirl
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Lidl Stillorgan today about 80% of customers wearing masks. Most staff wearing masks but only over their mouths, not nose.
Sign on door asking people to wear masks. It appears that this only applies to some people.
Is it mandatory to wear masks in supermarkets?
Sign on door asking people to wear masks. It appears that this only applies to some people.
Is it mandatory to wear masks in supermarkets?