Masks seem to be back..

[RisingSunn]

Has anyone else noticed this? I've seen a marked increase in people wearing them - in the bank and on transport for example.

Have I missed something?

Can you imagine the number of tests that have beeen thrown out/wasted. We had to throw some old dried ones out.

it’s very possible you have had it but were asymptomatic.

We've ALL had Covid here - all month! Absolutely awful!

And …nothing. You seem to be itching for an argument with someone and you are very defensive. Fact is, your behavior seems OTT to most, hence the surprise from people.

It does seem odd that some people still wear masks as it doesn’t really stop you from catching anything. I would avoid getting too close to someone wearing a mask as I would assume they want to keep away from risk/infection.

I’ve seen a few more masks. I wear one if I have a cold. I’m lucky to be able to wfh so minimise other people’s exposure.

I’ve had what I assume is Covid twice in the last 2 months. Very severe symptoms so I assume there’s a new variant and I’ve seen a few people wearing masks and also at my gp surgery the gps have been wearing them

Meh, I haven't thought to wear a mask in years, but I'm not sure why some people take (other people's) mask wearing as such a personal affront. Most masks protect others so are a thoughtful precaution if you're under the weather but have to get out, and the less basic ones do protect the wearer so a good idea if for any reason you're trying to avoid getting ill (and I think "I don't want to be ill" is a perfectly valid reason in itself).

Just let people crack on - I don't think it means we're going back to mandated masks or that people are being mindless - quite the opposite, we all experienced COVID for long enough that people can now figure out on an individual level where their comfort level is for this type of thing.

I have seen a few more of my favourite here recently - the grubby blue paper medical mask worn under the chin like a hammock.

Woman at the bus stop yesterday had one slung under her chin while vapeing 🫠

I agree. Can’t understand why some people get so hung up on masks. If you want to wear one, then crack on. If you don’t, then don’t. It’s weird that other people take it as some kind of insult or assume a mask wearer is stupid etc. I’ve noticed more people wearing them recently, but don’t give it a second thought other than keeping a sensible distance in case they’re immunocompromised.

I see them on the tube quite a lot, sometimes on buses. I just assume they have a cold.

When I lived in Asia mask were recommended due to air pollution, which could be awful on some days. Nothing to do with being courtesy!

Bear in mind that your immunity to respiratory illness will be on the floor, regular infection means colds are trivial, but the lower your immunity to them gets the more impact they can have when finally you do get one.

Some Asian countries wear them to protect against pollution so you see tourists or people from those countries here wearing them.

Here in Australia I have noticed an increase in mask wearing at the shops this winter, as we are having a surge in both Influenza A and Covid. This year’s influenza A seems to be nasty. It’s not unusual at all for people to wear masks here, especially in urban areas. People still test for Covid, depending on their work setting. You can buy combined rapid tests that include Influenza and RSV as well, not just Covid.
My son did placement work in an aged care facility recently and all the staff test every day before their shifts.

Masks have been standard on public transport in Japan for decades.

IMO if more people wore masks during flu season the flu levels would be lower as well - people are still thinking COVID but it’s not just about COVID.

I am newly immune suppressed (transplant patient) and when i make it out of hospital I will certainly wear masks on public transport once I’m able to go out - as recommended by the transplant team.

And hand sanitiser should be a must as well.

Plus it is shocking that during COVID people had to be encouraged to wash their hands as if that shouldn’t have been something people were doing anyway.

Mocking people who wear masks is just pathetic. What’s it to you if they do or don’t?

How does that work? When I have a cold I am constantly blowing my nose, and would therefore need to regularly remove my mask. This would completely invslidate the objective of wearing one.

In fact, constantly touching the mask would make it worse.

I have seen a few people wearing them recently. Most of them have been by Asian students.

Every fucker seems to be coughing and sneezing at the moment, so I'm not surprised. For goodness sake, if you're coughing and sneezing, stay the fuck at home!

I wear one on public transport if I have a heavy cold. I think it’s a polite thing to do in an enclosed space if you are unwell.

I had to double check the date when I saw the stay the fuck at home comment.

I don’t know many people who have the luxury of staying home when they’re ill. They have work to attend, shopping to do, children to take to nursery and school and elderly family members to care for. Are you going to pay their bills and take on their responsibilities?

Plus not everyone who coughs is ill. I have a form of asthma that is triggered by damp and cold air(Among other things)

Since COVID, I have worn a mask whilst flying. Maybe it doesn’t make a difference but it makes me feel better 🤷‍♀️ air is totally recycled so seems like the responsible thing to do. I do get some odd looks though.

Are they going to pay my bills and take on my responsibilities, when I, with my various chronic health conditions, am bedridden by the virus that they're out and about spreading, while chirruping merrily to all and sundry that they've got such a nasty cold this week?

there was a woman on the train recently wearing one, but oddly enough, when standing she wasnt wearing it
a checkout operator in my local tesco always wears one

Our GP (Europe, not UK) recommended that instead of getting the latest Covid vaccination/booster, we should get the pneumonia jab (a one-off) and annual anti-flu jabs. She also recommended wearing masks whilst in crowded, enclosed, spaces, such as a pp mentioned above - particularly in airports and on flights, she said. I am often the only one wearing a mask on flights which seems to not be very useful in the circumstances, but it still makes me feel better!

I think it depends on where, for example, in Japan it was usually more customary for illness, in China it was often more about pollution. I guess the point I was making is that it was fairly commonplace before, during and after Covid, rather than something that should be commented on in shock or horror.