Issues with face masks

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Let me guess......USA? It'd explain the brash, insensitive tone of the sign.

That ought to help. Unfortunately in my case a lanyard would be uncomfortable too. When I was working, my employer (a university) expected everybody to wear an ID card, though by a stroke of luck all the students rebelled against that and simply wouldn't do it, so there was nothing much they could do if a member of staff didn't obey the rule either. I carried my ID card in my pocket, ready to show it if challenged. Never did like the idea of everybody being able to see my name anyway. I was challenged occasionally, though only by official people, never ordinary employees. They were always very polite about it, therefore I was always very polite back. I sometimes wondered about getting my ID printed on a bit of soft cloth and sewing it onto a shirt if the rule ever got tightened.

I expect shopkeepers and officials would usually be fairly civilised about such things, though certain police officers are a notable exception. It's the public who are most likely to be a problem I think. I've seen some disturbing videos of members of the public getting aggressive with others and displaying the most spectacular bigotry about various matters (they seem especially sensitive to foreign nationals when they appear to be committing minor offences). I suppose the bad publicity of a viral video usually makes them think twice about doing it again.

I actually kind of like the masks because I have a lot of social anxiety, so when I'm wearing one in my building (I work at a health center), I like that I can hide behind it a little bit.

We wear paper masks, and have been doing so since late May (worked at home before that), and in that time I have grown to like the masks.

Get a hot face. They feel restrictive but i'd rather wear them whilst out briefly then be on a ventilator struggling to breathe

In the cold weather, I was having horrendous problems with a runny nose on my way to work. (The buses are freezing as they have to keep the windows open.) So now I stick a folded-up tissue inside my own masks, which I gingerly dispose of when I change into the Official Disposable Work Mask. Makes it warmer, too.

I am now insensitive to friction behind my ears. Never thought I'd say that. So I no longer have to fiddle with DIY "ear-savers." I also have less trouble than I used to with the disposable masks riding up into my eyes. Either they've changed the design of the masks , or I now have calluses on my lower eyelids too. So it's only taken, what, 35 hours a week over 7 months for me to adapt perfectly to the damned things!

I can't get comfortable wearing a mask for more than is absolutely necessary. I'm unfortunately a mouth breather, and any attempt to nose-breath while I'm awake and moving is almost 100% conscious effort. And nose-breathing doesn't get nearly enough air into my body. Compounding this is the fact that I wear glasses with at least a -6 correction - no matter how I fit any mask the air flies right into my face and fogs the glasses, and I absolutely must have those glasses to see more than the bare minimum in most situations.

Unfortunately, my workplace is very specific about wearing a mask. Fortunately, that's only if I need to leave my workstation to do something. In which case I will do it quickly and get back.

Doctor's offices and hospitals? Yeah, I can wear a mask there. I downplay my issues in that situation because there's the possibility of care RIGHT THERE if I have panic/breathing issues.

Anywhere else, I can barely even put a neck gaiter or a simple bandana over my mouth for more than time than I absolutely need to get done what I need done. I have this trouble even if I'm dealing with non-viral particulates (if I'm doing sanding work, for instance).

As I really dread asking doctors for more than the bare minimum help and basically ALREADY tend to hustle through stores/etc. to get by, I have given no thought to seeking an exemption. Not sure I could get one in the U.S., anyhow (I'm in one of the most restrictive states).

My issue with masks is they feel so hot, yes even in winter. I'm pretty warm and never wear things like hats or scarves. I leave my jacket open and the collar pulled down. I rinse my hair with cold water and eat freezies year around. When I go out I put my hair up so there's nothing around my neck. Now with a mask I can survive maybe 30 minutes of shopping. After a while I get hotter and hotter and feel suffocated. I think if I have to wear them for a long time I'll need to change masks regularly and take a lot of breaks.

After lots of experimentation I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing I can wear over my mouth and nose which is tolerable for more than about thirty seconds. I can however wear a plastic visor for long enough to do my shopping. They do cause some issues with reflections and distortions, do really weird things to my optical flow field, and create an unpleasant micro climate in front of my face, but I can tolerate them for a reasonable amount of time as long as I am not trying to do anything demanding.

As far as the UK is concerned they do not technically constitute a "face covering" as they are open to the sides and bottom, but along with my sunflower lanyard and card they seem to keep most people in shops happy and I no longer get the withering looks I used to get when I wore nothing at all over my mouth and nose.

Well here in the U.S we have no shortage of jerks who simply don't wear masks in stores because they don't feel like it, or are making a point that they are right wing and don't believe in the mask mandate.

Its bad enough I now feel enraged whenever I see someone inside the store I am in with no mask, and sometimes I even tell them 'put a mask on' or call them an a**hole. If we start putting signs that say 'unless you have a medical exemption' every a**hole and their grandma will get a fake card to affix to a lanyard claiming 'medical exemption' when they don't really have one.

But like you really cannot have any face covering for the amount of time you are in a shop? Did a licensed doctor specifically tell you it will damage your health to wear a mask or even so much as bring a scarf or something to put up? Uhh it is a difficult issue because even if I saw a lanyard like you described not sure I'd actually believe the person due to all the jerks who refuse just because.

Well yeah being open on the side and bottoms means you're still breathing on everyone else, all I figure its really good for is maybe if you sneeze the particles will get on the shield instead of nearby people. Perhaps you might consider seeing about curb-side pick up, where an employee can get you the items and bring them out to you, it's safer for everyone to do it that way if you really can't wear a mask.

yeah its all just jerks who don't understand, no chance that they are afraid of catching covid from maskless people, they are for sure just being insensitive jerks if they get uncomfortable with someone not wearing a mask.

No, and I don't think it will damage my physical health and no one has suggested it might.

However I have spent a lot of time and effort, both before face coverings were mandatory and since, trying a wide variety of different face coverings. What I found is that wearing anything over my mouth and nose causes me a very considerable degree of distress.

In the UK, that alone is sufficient to make me exempt from wearing a face covering. If I could I really would. Because I cannot I have looked at other options and I find a visor is tolerable for the time it takes me to do my shopping. I do not need to wear a visor as far as UK law is concerned but I chose to do so as I prefer to do something rather than nothing.

At least I understand the concept of social distancing unlike the majority of people in shops in the UK who seem to think that wearing a face covering makes them invincible. I could use click and collect or delivery services, and I have tried doing so, but they aren't particularly reliable.

So, I'll stick with my lanyard and visor and social distancing, even though it is inconvenient for me at times. And I'll let everyone else barge in front of me because their face coverings apparently make them invincible. Or so they think. I don't mind spending a bit of extra time doing my shopping if it keeps me, and others, safe. It would be nice if the mask wearers did the same.

LG PuriCare™ Wearable Air Purifier

This LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier may be the solution for some.
They look more comfortable but also more effective at filtering out germs etc. than simple cloth ones.

And although the item may appear to cost a lot of money, if you add up how much it costs to buy a few of the other disposable or multi use ones, one of the LG Puricare masks don't cost a great deal more and look miles more effective.

I do see that kind off making sense I guess, and idk maybe in the U.K people are less likely to abuse that kind of thing. But yeah over here there are just so many jerks who won't wear a mask and don't keep a distance it would be difficult to not react badly even if a person did have a sign of having a medical exemption though I would try if it came to that.

I mean I kinda feel like just discomfort is not enough to not wear a mask, but I am not you so I don't know how bad it actually is for you. I mean maybe though if it wouldn't be bothersome you could get like a scarf made of some light material like silk or something and like put that up it wouldn't feel as much like a mask and idk could be people would react better to that than a visor, but not sure.

But yeah I don't think things in the U.K are exactly like they are here, like not sure how many people in the U.K are just refusing because 'muh freedom' like they do over here in the U.S. And I can understand the curbside pick up could be a hassle.