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Customers in Ranelagh being harassed for not wearing a mask "properly" (  ! ;)   )

 

Many shops in Dublin, Ireland appear to be harassing customers for not wearing masks when some customers cannot wear one. Under Irish regulations S.I. No 296 of 2020 requirement to wear a face mask does not apply for example in cases of breathing difficulties, if under 13, if it prevents communication etc (see full quoted law below). For example complaints have been made against Mortons in Ranelagh Dublin. A customer who was wearing a mask but not over the nose was asked by a manager in Mortons recently to put the mask over the nose. When the customer replied that he had breathing difficulties he was asked to leave the shop. The customer asked the manager for his name and the manager refused to give it. The customer showed the document below to the manager outlining the current Irish law regarding masks but the manager did not want to listen and indicated he was gong to call the gardi. The customer replied that he was happy for the gardi to arrive and then the manager would be forced to give his name in a statement. The manager then decided not to call the gardi and talked further to the customer, The customer explained that he had breathing difficulties wearing the mask over the nose and mouth of which the manager claimed he had not heard the customer state this originally. The manager appeared to understand the situation and it was assumed he would have no further incidents in the supermarket.

A short time later (ie May 2nd 2021), the customer returned to the Mortons supermarket in Ranelagh and again was asked by staff to pull the mask over the nose (the mask was only over the mouth). Then the original manager arrived and asked the customer to wear the mask over his nose. Again the customer replied he had breathing difficulties with it over his nose. The manager stated in a confrontational manner to the customer that the mask was already over his mouth, why is it not over his nose? The customer replied he was not required by law to give any explanation and left the shop. The customer was at least trying to comply by wearing the mask over his mouth. The customer complains that wearing the mask for too long and wearing it over the nose creates a form of panic effect as if all breathing airways have been blocked. In addition to re-breathing in microbes from ones own breath the customer believes wearing masks are unhealthy. It has also been claimed by many Internet sources that a single cloth over the mouth cannot stop virus spread anyway [ see * at end of document].

We can see from this last example that this is harassment by the manager since the customer was sure that the originally manager recognised him from the original incident. The customer intends to take legal action against Mortons if there is any further harassment. This would be comparable to refusing entry to a shop just because a person is in a wheelchair.

Below is a quote from the current Irish law regarding mask wearing:

 

Under regulations S.I. No 296 of 2020 updated Feb 13th 2021 (gov.ie), requirement to wear a face mask does not apply to/in cases of:

 

(a) a person under the age of 13 years”

“(b) a responsible person or a worker where -(i) there is a screen that separates the responsible person or worker from other persons, or (ii) the responsible person or worker takes all reasonable steps to maintain a distance of at least two metres between himself or herself and other persons...”

 

If a person has a “Reasonable excuse” which includes:

 

“... the person cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering -

 

(i) because of any physical or mental illness, impairment or

disability, or

(ii) without severe distress,

“...the person needs to communicate with a person who has difficulties

communicating...”

“...the person removes the face covering to provide emergency

assistance or to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person,(d)

the person removes the face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the

risk of harm or injury,...”

“..the person removes the face covering in order to, and only for the

time required to, take medication,(f) the person removes the face

covering at the request of a responsible person, or of a worker, in order to enable him or her to ascertain the person’s age...”

“...the person removes the face covering at the request of a

responsible person, or of a worker, in order to assist the responsible

person or worker to provide him or her with healthcare or healthcare

advice...”

 

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/aac74c-guidance-on-safe-use-of-face-coverings/

Face coverings are not recommended for anyone who:

has trouble breathing

is unconscious or incapacitated

is unable to remove it without help

has special needs and who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing them

needs to communicate with someone who has learning difficulties, is hard of hearing or deaf

In these cases, if the person can wear a visor, it will give them some protection.

 

[ * ] According tDr Roger Hodkinson CEO & Medical Director – MA, MB, FRCPC, FCAP: ““Masks are utterly useless”, “There is no evidence base for their effectiveness whatsoever. “.

“...Social Distancing is also Useless”, “COVID is spread by aerosols, which travel 30 meters-or-so before landing."“ (westernmedical.ca)