Asda and face masks.

[Workingman]

The chain is going to try to enforce the law on wearing masks indoors in public places in all its stores.

Good! This should have been the case from day one in all shops over a certain size regardless of the efficacy of masks. The rule should be very simple and be enforced: no mask = no entry or no service.

There should be very few exemptions, certainly no self-certifications, and everyone not masked up must be allowed to be challenged and provide official proof. That will require another change in the law or be temporarily allowed under the special powers now in place, but so be it.

I know there are some genuine cases, but I don't think they are in the numbers claimed today. Also, if your breathing is so compromised by wearing a mask, you should probably be avoiding places where the virus can be active on trolleys, baskets, tills and their conveyors, and even on products picked up and put back by other shoppers.

Then think of the other mask bonuses. Nobody can tell if you are ugly when you are wearing a mask; and you can leave your teeth in a glass on the dressing table when you go out - double bonus!

[miasmum]

Absolutely but where is this official proof going to come from?

[JanB]

We've had to wear asks in public places for a long time now and it's second nature.

I'm asthmatic, but don't find it too much of a hassle or problem to wear it for about half an hour in the supermarket. Grumpy has copd and he wears his, no problem., I don't understand why, over there, you have exemptions.

And bear in mind, we've had 40C plus heat recently.

[JoM]

Good, let’s hope other retailers follow.
‘Wearing’ them isn’t enough though, people need to use them correctly.
We went to Ikea on Saturday night, knowing that it’s a quieter time so less people, and the amount of BAME men who think they’re chin warmers was unbelievable.

[Workingman]

Absolutely but where is this official proof going to come from?

In the short term a GP letter signed and stamped might do. In the longer term it should be possible to add something to the Sunflower disability lanyard scheme - maybe different colour badges for different disabilities.

There has to be some way, people cannot just be allowed to say that they are exempt and be believed.

Jan, my DIL has two inhalers for her Asthma and she has no problem wearing a mask for short periods such as shopping.

Jo. 100% agree.

[cromwell]

I've seen a few cocky looking young people walking around stores not wearing masks, deliberately I reckon, trying to cause trouble. If they are going to challenge people like that the the Asda security man is going to start earning his money.
On a slightly different note are all these government directives actually law?
I ask because at present as far as I know the police do not have power to enter someone's house (unless they fake it by saying they can smell gas, etc) to check who is in that house.
So if you have a gathering of say seven people in a house, what crime is being committed, what are the police going to arrest them for and do the police have the legal right to enter such a house just to count the number of people at a dinner party, for instance?
It's all very well the government issuing these proclamations and telling the coppers "Make it so!" but if it all collapses under a heap of legal challenges there will be some red faces about.

[Workingman]

Cromwell, I think that the Coronavirus Act 2020 and its special measures made the 'rules' into law. They have to be reviewed every four weeks, but to break them means you are committing a criminal offence.

Their roll-over nature is why the likes of Liberty and Amnesty are so set against them.

As for gaining entry. Don't the police need a warrant - in most cases? Breaking the rule of six puts people in the bracket of being in the act of committing a criminal offence and so, in theory, entry would be allowed. A bit of a grey area, eh?

[TheOstrich]

ASDA fail to realise that some people are simply unable to wear face coverings. Like the clearly autistic teenage boy I saw in Waitrose with his parents on Monday evening.

I'm no legal eagle, but if they are going to be discriminatory about entry, ASDA are going to be in breach of the Equalities Act 2010, surely.

All this move by ASDA does is give credence to the rent-a-thugs on doors and mask vigilantes.
They'd be far better off sorting out their peculiar queuing system for the tills if what I've read locally is anything to go by.

[cromwell]

OK WM, thanks for that.
It's just that my son in law is a policeman (one of those out there actually doing the job) and they have enough on their plates without having to deal with stroppy idiots not wearing a mask.

[Workingman]

Ossie, I once owned a shop so have an inkling....

A shopkeeper can refuse entry or to serve any person without reason. You are 'invited' in, or not, at their discretion.

I hinted at the discriminatory thing in my OP. Many disabilities are visibly obvious so there is no need to stop and check. However, other disabilities such as mental health, asthma, COPD and so on, are not, and in those cases checks are needed - as confidentially and as sympathetically as possible, IMHO. Just saying "I am exempt" does not cut it.

I don't know about you but when I go shopping I want to feel (Covid) safe. I do not want to be faced with anti masker thugs and morons pushing past or standing right next to me at the tills, and if that means shops putting rent-a-thugs on the door to keep them out I am all for it.

Cromwell, I quite agree, hopefully the 'threat' of a big fine will be enough to put some of the covidiots off.