I really don't think mask mandates will ever come back in the UK or Ireland. Here in Ireland, the head of the nurses' union kept calling, all through Winter, for masks to be mandated again, and the government refused. The mandate is gone from healthcare settings here now, as well, since mid April.Upset to see the possibilities of masking returning due to the new variant, as I struggled with that more than any other aspect of Covid restrictions last time. I was not too bad in the cooler months but as soon as it was even a bit warm I just could not cope with masks as I have pre-existing breathing difficulties (minor mostly but there's the potential for nasty turns and I've been in hospital for it a few times over the years) and allergies, and masking makes those things much more of a worry.
I'll have to get exempt like last time, and put up with the absolutely evil looks people gave me.
I hated masks, I just couldn't breathe in them, I got in trouble at work for not wearing one, scolded by someone who constantly wore hers slung under her nose I think that's what I hated the most, the stupidity of it! Like a stupid visor, or a cloth pulled out of a pocket, was going to be hygienic!
My friend worked in TK Maxx, and they were told by management not to tackle any customers not wearing masks, as it wasn't worth the hassle.
That was one of the awful things about mask mandates, that minimum wage staff were expected to police it, at first.