41% of people wearing face masks.

Drakon

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It’s being reported in the media that 41% of people wearing face masks in public.
And the authorities want that figure higher!

I was in a supermarket yesterday. I’d estimate that 10% (maximum) of shoppers wore them. No staff wore them.

I was in a rural Irish town last week. Was there for a short time, maybe 30 minutes.
I saw one person wear a mask, an employee in a SVP shop.

Where did this figure come from? Is it a Dublin centric survey?

“The world is in a state of chassis”.
 
I was in the local Supervalue yesterday. There's quite an old population in the area so I made sure I was wearing a mask so that the vulnerable shoppers didn't feel unsafe. There was only one other customer wearing one and no staff members were wearing one.
41%? I don't think so.
 
I don't understand why staff in supermarkets are not wearing them. Staff behind the screens at the tills may feel they are already behind a mask of sorts but staff on the floor or stacking shelves should surely be wearing them? I'm surprised the employers are not asked to strongly encourage this. I would agree that 41% seems a lot higher than the evidence I have witnessed. I do think if staff were wearing them then customers would feel much more inclined to wear them.
 
I assume the reason they’re not being made mandatory is that there would be an obligation on the state to provide them, either free of charge or at a significant discount. Maybe this is in the pipeline.
 
I assume the reason they’re not being made mandatory is that there would be an obligation on the state to provide them, either free of charge or at a significant discount. Maybe this is in the pipeline.
Why would the State have to provide them? You have to have a light on your bicycle and the State doesn't provide that.
 
They didn't have enough masks when they needed them at the onset of the crisis, instead we were being told if you took the mask off wrong you'd get infected... chances of this happening with a respiratory virus versus the level of prevention it offered was negligible.
I think the window of opportunity for widespread voluntary public acceptance was missed.
Even if you make them mandatory for getting onto a bus, you're not going to be able to mandate they are worn properly or all the time.

I am very surprised they haven't used workplace legislation such that shop workers would have to wear them.
 
Why would the State have to provide them? You have to have a light on your bicycle and the State doesn't provide that.

There's enough lights to go around and not everyone is looking for a light at the same time, not sure if there's enough actual masks as the state hoovered up supplies and how useful are random face coverings...
 
Going by the emails I'm getting there are plenty. Any face covering will do. A scarf or bandana etc.
 
The message about masks has been an absolute failure.

Indeed, I do worry about some of the messaging at this stage. Yesterday we had the Minister of Health and the CMO say that the days of going into work with a cough or a cold are over? Really??? That just smacks of people living in an ivory tower. There are plenty of low paid employees who don't get paid sick leave. Is social welfare going to be paid for a one day sniffle? Do people have to get a medical note every time they have a cough or cold? Can GP's cope? Are people expected to pay €60 each time to get a sick note so it doesn't get recorded as uncertified sick leave. There are companies that launch investigations and put permanent marks on peoples employment record for 3 uncertified sick days in any 12 month period. Are these people going to be protected if they get a case of the sniffles and take the day off?

The longer this goes on, the more it seems that there is a disconnect between people making decisions about regulations and restrictions and reality on the ground for people. It was fine when they were closing things down but they are really struggling to manage the public health aspect with economic reality of opening up the Country.
 
Why would the State have to provide them?

I’m old enough to remember the water charges débâcle. Hold on... that was only a half dozen years ago.
In post-Great Recession Ireland and with the rise of populism, many people (specifically those that shout loudest) want the State aka the taxpayer to pay for (almost) everything. If the masks were made mandatory, I’m sure there would be a populist push-back.
I’m not saying this is right, but I think this is a factor behind the scenes.

It has already been mooted a la Joe Jacob iodine tablets post-9/11.

You have to have a light on your bicycle and the State doesn't provide that.

Yes, but that’s been the law for years and everybody accepts it. Even the noisy populists.
 
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I’m old enough to remember the water charges débâcle. Hold on... that was only a half dozen years ago.
In post-Great Recession Ireland and with the rise of populism, many people (specifically those that shout loudest) want the State aka the taxpayer to pay for (almost) everything. If the masks were made mandatory, I’m sure there would be a populist push-back.
I’m not saying this is right, but I think this is a factor behind the scenes.
Sure, but luckily the majority of the electorate didn't vote for overtly populist parties. Giving in to the "won't pay for nothing so we're not paying for this" crowd over Water Charges was a disgrace. especially in the context of the environmental impact and the necessity to broaden the tax base. Our government shouldn't debase itself like that again.
 
The message about masks has been an absolute failure.

Indeed, I do worry about some of the messaging at this stage. Yesterday we had the Minister of Health and the CMO say that the days of going into work with a cough or a cold are over? Really??? That just smacks of people living in an ivory tower. There are plenty of low paid employees who don't get paid sick leave. Is social welfare going to be paid for a one day sniffle? Do people have to get a medical note every time they have a cough or cold? Can GP's cope? Are people expected to pay €60 each time to get a sick note so it doesn't get recorded as uncertified sick leave. There are companies that launch investigations and put permanent marks on peoples employment record for 3 uncertified sick days in any 12 month period. Are these people going to be protected if they get a case of the sniffles and take the day off?

The longer this goes on, the more it seems that there is a disconnect between people making decisions about regulations and restrictions and reality on the ground for people. It was fine when they were closing things down but they are really struggling to manage the public health aspect with economic reality of opening up the Country.
People don't know how protection works in this country. I'm Irish and am frankly appalled by Irish cyclists who can't apply the law to their `"exercise sessions" by signalling correctly or using after dark lighting, or cover their nose and mouth when they cough....or for that matter wash their own hands properly. Went into a shop a few weeks ago in Dublin and out of 50 people 1 was wearing a mask ..... no social distancing from me I might add. So when this all hits again ...doubtless there will be navel gazing and lots of "unprecedented return" and 'we got it all wrong". Little help for the tax payers whose jobs are all on the line to boot!
 
I live in Dublin and from what I see the figure isn't even 5%. I'm originally form the countryside and the figures there are effectively zero, according to he feedback I'm getting.
Even within the 5%, 90% of mask wearers are wearing them incorrectly or not following the correct protocol regarding removing the mask.
My own opinion on masks is largely irrelevant, but I would say that either everyone wears them or no one wears them.
 
The message about masks has been an absolute failure.

Indeed, I do worry about some of the messaging at this stage. Yesterday we had the Minister of Health and the CMO say that the days of going into work with a cough or a cold are over? Really??? That just smacks of people living in an ivory tower. There are plenty of low paid employees who don't get paid sick leave. Is social welfare going to be paid for a one day sniffle? Do people have to get a medical note every time they have a cough or cold? Can GP's cope? Are people expected to pay €60 each time to get a sick note so it doesn't get recorded as uncertified sick leave. There are companies that launch investigations and put permanent marks on peoples employment record for 3 uncertified sick days in any 12 month period. Are these people going to be protected if they get a case of the sniffles and take the day off?

The longer this goes on, the more it seems that there is a disconnect between people making decisions about regulations and restrictions and reality on the ground for people. It was fine when they were closing things down but they are really struggling to manage the public health aspect with economic reality of opening up the Country.

I read that statement from the CMO and my first thought was that he's going to lose all credibility very fast width that kind of nonsense.
 
I was in Aldi yesterday and I was the only person wearing a mask.

Wonder who carried out the 2 surveys and how much was their fee?

29% first survey, 41% second, I would question their methodology
 
It was fine when they were closing things down but they are really struggling to manage the public health aspect with economic reality of opening up the Country.
While they didn't get the shutdown quite right (not stopping flights from worst affected countries, for example), the unwind is all at sea. The Minister can't tread water for ever.
 
I've been to a couple of big supermarkets recently. I wasn't wearing a mask. Many people were though, including a few employees, and I felt watched and guilty. Time to get some masks!
 
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