Face Masks

[oldfashionedplayer]

yep as mbp says, it's extremely difficult to wear one doing other stuff, especially on nights, like god damn you're sweating and struggling....

[BUY TESLA STOCK]

Bingo I agree

Dotnochance 

manbearpig couldn’t of put it better the masks and visors are not suited to filling and emptying a warehouse.

There were no issues for not wearing masks for months during the height of the pandemic and now with things allegedly improving its constant reminders.

[Mutti]

I'm on checkouts, behind a screen obviously, and have worked throughout the pandemic without wearing a mask.
However, I started wearing the ones supplied by Tesco on Friday and will continue to do so as long as customers are required to.
I don't like it much, it's hot, annoying and makes my specs steam up, but it honestly doesn't affect my breathing.
When it gets on my nerves, I manage to stop myself from being such a wuss by thinking about my daughter wearing one for an entire 12 hour shift.

There's a bit of a difference having to wear a mask while replenishing shelves and wearing one while just sitting at a checkout. If you're replenishing shelves you're having to pull heavy cages, lift and move stock, it's a very physical job which is only made harder due to wearing the masks. I'm literally sweating within 10 minutes and the moisture builds up instantly inside the mask.

I worked nights for 15 years so I know what's involved.
Now been 'retired' on to checkouts because of arthritis.
I do sympathise, but there's a reason we're being asked to do this.
I hope you're not buying your own masks but using the ones Tesco supply and making sure you have a new one after every break.
Wearing one on checkouts has issues too, but I shall continue to do so in solidarity with the customers and, as mentioned earlier, those who have no choice but to wear a lot of uncomfortable PPE for long, hard shifts in the NHS.

[londoner83]

exactly my thoughts....

Many industries/professions wear PPE all the time. Yes its unusual and feels strange but I suspect overtime we will all get used to it.

[notsofunny]

I would think that non of us wants to be out on a Thursday clapping for all those in the NHS that Had to wear full PPI , unable to eat or drink for hours on end during which time they were sweating away, to scared to even touch the face masks , Not being able to have a extra mouth full of water before they changed into the PPI in case they had to go for a pee ,,

Yes not every one is ok with having to wear a mask , but then some months ago no one ever stopped to think that doing so would or could just save life's ..........

[Hopeful soul]

Why do people keep comparing us supermarket workers to nhs staff with regards to face coverings? It's very strange and unsettling to have people putting those of us who don't want to or feel the need to wear face masks on some weird guilt trip by constantly comparing us to NHS staff in ppe, "we're shop workers"  it's not even in the same league of risk as working in a hospital,  and as for standing in solidarity with customers, no chance! The same customers who were shoving me out of the way just to get their hysterical hands on mass amounts of bog roll, the same ones who have done nothing but complain and curse for the last 4 months about having to queue to get into store, product restrictions, swearing at staff when being asked to follow the one way system, practically stampeding the booze aisle on a daily basis and now a lot of customers are blaming us for the face masks, I got a mouthful of abuse the other day from a man after I accidentally walked out onto the shop floor without my face covered, I have no desire to stand in solidarity with these selfish people, they didn't care a few months ago that my face wasn't covered when they were fighting over the last bags of pasta on the shelf so why the hell should it bother them or anyone else if my face ain't covered now

[gumbonumber5]

Well said

[notsofunny]

I am not comparing you to The hard working Nurses and other's in hospital nor am i asking you to care about those around you that behaved them self's during the madness that went around in the Stores ,
Why should you feel unsettled about it all , i mean that would mean that you do care in some way for those that did get the Virus some 45 thousand of who died , Some being those Nurses doctors .porters and other health workers that did not have the time to rush around grabbing loo rolls or bags of pasta ,after all it would seem that you dont care that these very same workers are the ones you want to put at  risk if you and anyone else gets the Virus and end up needing help from , Just becaurse you have feel hard done by those that upset you ,

[BUY TESLA STOCK]

I am all for masks/visors but there are occasions when they are unsuitable. Packing shelf’s the mask was soaking after 20 minutes and not fit for purpose. Trying the visor doing same it kept steaming up and falling down. You should only be required to wear one in back corridors/areas where distancing cannot be maintained. Most wear them when working an aisle now even when no ones about but come clock out they are shoulder to shoulder without them diving over the top of each other to access lockers.

[Nomad]

I find the whole concept that in a confined space, shops and other places, that there seems to be practices based on the premise, "I can give it to them, but they can't give it to me.", i.e. customers v staff.

I am no fan of the masks.

[Hopeful soul]

I am not comparing you to The hard working Nurses and other's in hospital nor am i asking you to care about those around you that behaved them self's during the madness that went around in the Stores ,
Why should you feel unsettled about it all , i mean that would mean that you do care in some way for those that did get the Virus some 45 thousand of who died , Some being those Nurses doctors .porters and other health workers that did not have the time to rush around grabbing loo rolls or bags of pasta ,after all it would seem that you dont care that these very same workers are the ones you want to put at  risk if you and anyone else gets the Virus and end up needing help from , Just becaurse you have feel hard done by those that upset you ,

this is exactly the kind of emotional black mailing and guilt tripping that has come to rule this country recently,  viruses kill millions of people around the world every year, it's no one's fault, it just happens, it's always tragic and sad when someone dies in the line of their duty, but people shouldn't be made to feel like mass murderers just cause there face ain't covered, so save the self righteous preaching for someone else,

[lucgeo]

This may be somewhat a controversial post...but I've got broad shoulders so here goes....

Yes it's agreed viruses kill millions of people and animals around the world, and the initial outbreak is indeed nobody's fault. It continues to spread in the initial stages, due to lack of awareness and ignorance on how the contagion can be controlled.

Now we know more, it is proven that face masks can help prevent the virus spreading from close contact...yet still some are determined to act in such a kamikaze way, and refuse to accept any responsibility or blame for their actions? Their refusal isn't based on any strong beliefs or deep religious grounds...just that they find it somewhat of an inconvenience or suffer a slight discomfort.

So to all those who think they are exercising their human rights to go unmasked...let me ask you this...would you knowingly refuse to use any precautions and have unprotected sexual intercourse with someone infected with AIDS?

People with AIDS have been prosecuted and received jail sentences for knowingly infecting others with it. Maybe not mass murderers, but certainly not far off 

[Welshie]

I totally get that people don't want to wear masks all day but as the extremely vulnerable colleagues return to work next week , has anyone any other ideas how they are going to be kept safe ? Tescos  are legally obliged to provide a covid safe environment for everyone , the problems (and I'm sure there are some) will be highlighted next week as this group of colleagues start to return .

[lucgeo]

Adding to my post....Would you be happy to sit unmasked,in close proximity or get personal with someone you knowingly had COVID 19??

[Hopeful soul]

Now we're bringing aids into the face mask debate lol this is becoming farcical, covid might actually reduce the spread of aids, with social distancing, face masks, reduced ability to socialise, mass redundancies and the overwhelming stench of hand sanitiser it's a wonder that anyone would still feel like having a bonk .        On a more sensible note, aids has killed over 30 million people around the world and yet no one seems to be panic buying the condoms 

[Paulie]

The human race has survived well up to now without face masks. Two Chinese kids died this week doing PE with face masks on. Watch an ex GP Vernon Coleman on youtube go in depth on the subject.

[barafear]

This may be somewhat a controversial post...but I've got broad shoulders so here goes....

Yes it's agreed viruses kill millions of people and animals around the world, and the initial outbreak is indeed nobody's fault. It continues to spread in the initial stages, due to lack of awareness and ignorance on how the contagion can be controlled.

Now we know more, it is proven that face masks can help prevent the virus spreading from close contact...yet still some are determined to act in such a kamikaze way, and refuse to accept any responsibility or blame for their actions? Their refusal isn't based on any strong beliefs or deep religious grounds...just that they find it somewhat of an inconvenience or suffer a slight discomfort.

So to all those who think they are exercising their human rights to go unmasked...let me ask you this...would you knowingly refuse to use any precautions and have unprotected sexual intercourse with someone infected with AIDS?

People with AIDS have been prosecuted and received jail sentences for knowingly infecting others with it. Maybe not mass murderers, but certainly not far off 

I was reluctant to join this discussion - because regardless of people's views, there's always the counter argument that "they are wrong" - it's quite an emotive subject - and people quoting that 45,000 people (it's probably more) have died puts things into perspective. And I understand that science and the understanding of the virus moves on with time - so what's now deemed to be "right" wasn't necessarily right three months ago (i.e. how effective are face masks?)

Just to answer your analogy with intercourse with someone with AIDS - this is the crux of the facemask debate - it's about the length of time you wear one for -

If I go into a shop as a shopper, I am happy to abide with the guidelines - because I know I can leave that shop at any time - I also know if I am short of breath or having a hot or dizzy spell I'll be able to take it off momentarily and no-one is likely to challenge me - ok might get a few weird stares from other shoppers.....

But working a full shift and being told by Tesco management that you MUST wear a mask at all times is just unreasonable (and goes against the Govt guidelines which state that staff are exempt.

Clearly, the obvious question is "why now?" when the infection rate is thought to be very low -

And if the answer is "vulnerable people are coming back to society" therefore we must bring in extra measures to protect them, then that sounds like anyone who has been out and about since lockdown (i.e. to do their shopping or because they work in a shop) don't really matter as much as the vulnerable - let them get the virus.

It's such an emotive topic and unless you've done lots of research not many of us really know the full details of the science behind decisions.

All most of us can apply is what we believe to be simple logic - and the idea that face masks mandatory use is good now but not 14 weeks ago is illogical.

Similarly - close contact - do we really have proof that this causes "instant infection" - there was an update on the Bournemouth statistics recently after the much publicised packed beach scenario a few weeks ago.  They compared the infection rate in the weeks before and after that day - and there was barely a ripple in the difference.

It's not for me to tell others how to live their lives but the current situation all seems a bit alarmist (I know, shoot me down in flames, 45k people have died) - I'm not neglecting those facts - but how much should we all walk around believing everyone is infected and that by walking within 1m of someone or someone leaning over you to grab that reduced item will infect you instantly - the risk is so minimal - I don't know how to compare it - I'm not trying to trivialise things - but it's almost like the risk of getting struck by lightning if you walk around your local park for 20 mins, or the risk of dying if you fly in a plane - of course, there have been air crashes, people have died.
There's also been several million flights where no-one has died.

Similarly, there have been several million shopping trips in the last 14 weeks where no-one has been infected - no one has suffered - no one has died.

This raises the subject of what Tesco are telling us - I know there's a confidentiality issue around sickness - but don't we have a right to know how many of our colleagues have been off sick due to confirmed positive tests/strongly suggestible symptoms - if the chance of infection is so great, how much risk have we all been from being with these colleagues for hours on end and for several days?

As I started my post with.....such an emotive subject -

[Hopeful soul]

Beautifully written barafear, I completely agree and am relieved that sanity has been restored (for now lol) to the face mask debate,  wish I could put my point across in such an intelligent way,   

[me-only-me]

Nicely put barafear , 

[BUY TESLA STOCK]

I am under investigation for not wearing my mask. 

[Hopeful soul]

Surely tesco managers can't investigate you for not wearing a mask, if the customers can't and aren't being forced to wear them then it's a double standard to investigate any staff members that aren't wearing them,  although I was threatened with being sent home and suspended if I continued to refuse to wear one, so it was either cover my face or potentially lose my job, what a lovely world we now live in 

[gomezz]

Now we know more, it is proven that face masks can help prevent the virus spreading from close contact

It is not proven.  The evidence that it does is equivocal at best.

[penguin]

I am under investigation for not wearing my mask. 

Are you exempt from wearing one as per the offical advice, if so then this investigation should be over once management are informed, did you simply forget to put on a mask at some point, given this is a new rule you would hope a simple reminder is all management need to give out and no way would it need to be a formal meeting etc, if your simply refusing to wear one you could be on iffy ground, as it could be considered a reasonable instruction given its in compliance with government advice and current company policy.

[Paulie]

Go on the sick with stress and anxiety caused by wearing mask.

[jester21]

Tesco can not force you to wear maks and it is not law to wear masks by work collegues,


Its tesco wanting you to wear them but they cant force you,