The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[MadMike]

In some ways this actually irritates me more than no mask.

You and me both. If I see someone without a mask, then just maybe they have a valid reason. But why go through the trouble of wearing one and then just defeat the purpose of it? It especially annoys me when I see employees doing it. You'd think they'd know better, or at least that their manager would tell them to wear it correctly. One time I stopped off at Sheetz for a snack, and I saw a cop wearing his mask like that.

I've even see a few people that basically just use the thing as a chin strap. How's that supposed to help?

[EricKei]

There's been a kerfluffle up my way recently about some fancy boutique dress store (as in $1,000+ garments) that has been repeatedly ignoring the mask regs for both customers and for workers. The cops have been by more than once with warnings, which were ignored. It got to the point where the Chief of Police actually stopped by along with a cop to issue the citations.

Among the "brilliant" arguments in defense of the store has been, in essence, that counties/cities "cannot make laws, only regulations," which are somehow (by their logic) therefore completely unenforceable. Our state has dropped its general mask mandate -- tho it recently re-implemented it for a number of counties -- but our city and county still have their mandates in place, as we've been a consistent hotspot for the state. I can't imagine why

I've even see a few people that basically just use the thing as a chin strap. How's that supposed to help?

I just figured they're doing it so they can say (whine), "Hey! I'm wEaRiNg My MaSk!"

[Ghel]

I had a customer sit down at my desk and start taking his mask off. At least he didn't gripe when I said, "please keep your mask on." But really, what makes people do things like that?

[Trixie]

I have a coworker like that. She claims she has medical reasons to not wear a mask but couldn't get a doctor's excuse to get out of it. But she also makes it political so that throws out any medical reason she may or may not have. Yesterday she claimed her "allergies" were bothering her and kept pulling her mask down.

Of course we have customers come in not wearing masks. Then they apologize for not having it. I just kinda go "Hmm mm" because I don't want to acknowledge that I think it's okay. If a customer says something to me about customers not wearing masks I just tell them we're not turning people away. My company requests it but doesn't expect us to enforce it. My state does have a mandate for masks for the time being but not sure if or how it's being enforced.

Personally I believe the science that masks make a difference, I wash my hands and use sanitizer as much as I can. Sometimes at work I do pull my mask down but I try to make sure nobody else is around. So far, so good.

After the longwinded explanation...yesterday "allergy" coworker has a customer apologize for forgetting her mask and coworker says quite loudly "WE DON'T MASK SHAME HERE!" I've also heard her tell customers that don't worry about masks if they come in while she's working.

As if customers aren't bad enough to deal with coworkers can be just as bad.

[Ghel]

I keep getting these industry newsletter-style emails with headlines like "Loan Workouts in a Post-COVID19 World." I want to reply "but we're still MID COVID, not POST COVID!"

[Kristev]

Grand. Wishing a disease away doesn't work. The more people insist on living in fantasy, the harder the crash is ultimately going to be.

[Nunavut Pants]

Every time I see someone (or especially a group of someones!) out without a mask, I want to tell them "You're the f***ing reason this thing hasn't gone away already!"

[NorthernZel]

And now it's our turn...

As of next week, there will be a mask mandate re: shopping in stores, visiting libraries etc. (basically "entering all premises that have public access"). Though elementary schools are exempted (which pisses Lil' Zel off big time, he actually liked online home-schooling )

And in full Yooropeen fashion, we're gonna go metric with a "rule of 10" when it comes to social bubbles.

[notalwaysright]

coworker says quite loudly "WE DON'T MASK SHAME HERE!"

I have so much of a problem with this statement. This is not fat shaming. This is not shaming for race, religion, gender identity. Asking a person to follow state or county laws or mandates is NOT SHAMING. If someone walked in naked from the waist down and you said "you need to put on clothes to shop here" is that shaming?

[Kit-Ginevra]

Last week,it had to be explained to someone why even though a balaclava may indeed be a face covering, it's not really the most suitable one to wear when you're visiting the bank....

[csquared]

Last week,it had to be explained to someone why even though a balaclava may indeed be a face covering, it's not really the most suitable one to wear when you're visiting the bank....

Wearing a balaclava in a bank is not good. The material used in a balaclava is not a tight enough weave to catch the respiratory droplets. And, like a neck gaiter, may diffuse the droplets, making the situation worse than not wearing a mask at all.

Among other reasons...

[KuariKaydrith]

Today my boss set me a task of calling around to the other hotels in the city to find out if they are doing any sort of screening when their guests check in. It's certainly not easy to find direct numbers for many of the local hotels, and when talking to the call center it's the same answer "it depends on what local policies are in place"...and my province doesn't have a strict mandate hotels are supposed to be following, basically leaving it up to each hotel to do whatever they want. Ugh.

[notalwaysright]

Last week,it had to be explained to someone why even though a balaclava may indeed be a face covering, it's not really the most suitable one to wear when you're visiting the bank....

It would be fine here. If you're lucky enough to have a bank with open lobbies, you are required to wear a mask. I know, a year ago this would be stupid, but today it's standard.

The other day I had to go in a store to do a return and this place has it's line roped off, so you have to enter a little maze like at the airport. Instead of doing that, the couple who came up while my return was being processed walked around the side (so not saving any walking or time) and stood directly beside me at the counter. Just... Why. Even without a pandemic, this is rude. I'm sort of did a snort/laugh and turned sideways to stare at them. The wife walked away and the husband moved the box back a bit. I guess I radiate "back off" even with most of my face hidden.

[Dreamstalker]

I'm now having to deal with SCs who roll up to the register with their nose hanging out (or the entire mask is down on their chin). About half of those pull their mask back UP when asked, the rest take it off completely with a "nyah-nyahSEE" stare. One who was craning their head around the barrier to get in my face got huffy when I stepped back and stated that I was not continuing until they put their mask on properly and moved back; when SC finally relented when the line started complaining, my CDH apologized to him for the "trouble" and gave him some sort of coupon This is a public health crisis, not an out-of-stock product or misbehaving pinpad.

I have yet to get an answer from our management on whether we can refuse to serve people who don't pull it up. Tthere's a big sign outside "Per government order a mask is required to shop in this store"...a lot of people wear it correctly to go in, then take it off when shopping and they seem to know we don't have the ability or manpower to make them comply.

[csquared]

Went to an Air Show yesterday, They did it "Drive in". You paid per vehicle. Each ticket got a parking space and a tailgate space.

The rules were clearly stated:
1. If you leave you space, you must wear a mask.
2. Do not enter other peoples spaces.

I would estimate less than 10% of the people who walked past had masks on. Want to guess how many people cut THROUGH my space?