Anyone still wearing a face mask in all enclosed spaces?

[Newabodemode]

I'm just curious as I attend a regular meeting with work bringing together a range of people from other companies. There's one colleague who I've got to know a bit over the past couple of years. He wears a valved face mask whenever he is indoors or any enclosed space, other than in his own home. It's the heavier duty type with a valve, not the blue and white surgical kind, and he only drinks through a straw using the valve, and doesn't eat until he's outside or back at home. I've not met anyone else who still masks other than if they've a heavy cold but have to be around other people on public transport etc or are visiting older relatives.

His partner has CFS/ME/long COVID and he says he masks to protect her. I know they have a young toddler who the wife stays home to care for.

Even when my father in law was going through heavy chemotherapy recently he wasn't told to mask while he was immunocompromised nor for others around him to. My own father lived with a complex and rare immune system disorder for years and took immunosuppressants for years and no mask advice was given (albeit this was pre-pandemic).

I am genuinely trying to understand both the level of risk involved in this situation and how a baby and now toddler fits into this risk management.

Everyone is very accommodating and polite but a couple of people have commented privately that the mask makes communication hard and it can be difficult to hear what this person's saying at times. We work around it obviously but my mind just goes to 'will he have to do this forever?'.
Does everyone living with someone who has long COVID, ME or CFS mask like this? Is it medically advised? Or are some people more at risk than others?

Same here. I work for a public service with some regular visitors. The mask wearers tend to wear the same manky fabric ones pulled down under their noses or on their chins (so completely pointless) and I’ve never understood the point of gloves. The bacteria, viruses etc will be on the outside of the gloves, the part that touches your face 🤷‍♀️

You think people with chronic illnesses can’t get pregnant? You really are hilarious.

I’m not surprised you’re flattered. Some people have to take those compliments wherever they can find them.

Do you know when she got Long Covid? Does Long Covid prevent pregnancy? Do you know how bad her Long Covid is?

Maybe she has help with the toddler.

Again the judgement and assumptions on this thread are appalling. I’m sure her DH just wears a medical grade mask for shits and giggles.

It’s perfectly reasonable for someone’s life who has been greatly impacted by a covid infection to what to take some sensible measures (that have zero impact on anyone else) to prevent a reinfection.

Maybe educate yourself because Covid isn’t going anywhere. And if each infection has a 10% risk of Long Covid and it is constantly circulating. Well you do the maths..

Agree @LetsMakeThisMomentLast
The ignorance on this thread is shocking!

I have ME and when I caught covid it left me housebound for four months and unable to walk for another two.
So I think it's sensible they are trying to avoid covid.
Horrified at people labelling long covid as anxiety, and the people who are obsessed with what other people are doing for their own health. You either get judged for masking and trying not to catch illnesses, or you get judged for having long covid (from catching covid) and being disabled/unable to work from it. You can't win with some people 🙄
People masking isn't hurting anyone else, a bit of compassion and empathy goes a long way.

I know one lady who works in the supermarket who masks, and I see a regular on my train into work who does likewise. The general public is disgusting and you don’t know what conditions these people have or go home to.

I was talking about members of the public in everyday, non-hospital situations.

I thought that was obvious.

Long covid has ruined my life, like others I was previously very fit, a runner, and became housebound for three years.

I wear a mask on flights but otherwise not, but I can totally understand why people might, in situations (like work) where frankly, they might not care how they look but just want to avoid the risk.

My adult children still test before they visit me - they are traumatised from seeing how ill I was. I don't ask them to, but I appreciate it.

Your colleague might well do toddler groups unmasked, and just decide that's where they want to 'spend' their risk - rather than at work.

We don’t, but we do use Vicks Defense nasal Spray when we’re going to be in enclosed spaces (no open windows, no air purifier). I was surprised to learn that there is decent evidence to show that it protects against viruses. It changes the acidity in the nose and throat, making it inhospitable to viruses. I had one virus after another at the back end of last year. I developed bronchitis twice and it played havoc with my asthma. I needed repeated courses of steroids (not something I want to take too often). I can’t say for sure that it’s due to the spray, but neither DH or me have contracted anything since using it.

I also swear by First Defence. I use it often in the winter on public transport and in busy places. It is very effective.

I have Long Covid. My splenic artery dissected due to Covid and I live with numerous aneurysms and pseudo aneurysms caused by covid. I’ve had chemo multiple times and am on long term chemo tablets, high dose steroids and have had numerous icu stays. but yes, you are correct, 100% anxiety.

I feel very sad for the toddler

Sorry to all those suffering 💐 .

I do think we are only now beginning to understand the damage a Covid infection can do. We thought we would build immunity and that it would become like a cold and this simply isn’t true.

Being fit and healthy is no protection unfortunately. I know many high level athletes that have been affected.

At some point people will begin to understand. In the meantime if people want to take infection control seriously due to their individual circumstances- let them without judgement. It doesn’t impact you.

You don’t have any information on the toddler’s life so stop making assumptions.

You’re basically saying you feel sorry for the toddler because the Dad wears a mask in meetings to protect his wife. Ridiculous- that has no impact on the toddler.

It wouldn't make a tremendous amount of sense for dad to mask in meetings if the toddler is off to toddler group every day though. Unless it's just performative masking.

It’s reducing one avenue of risk.

We don’t know how old the toddler is or whether they go to toddler group.

Whist toddlers pick lots of bugs I think research shows adults are more super spreaders of Covid.

For example I use First Defence, I am scrupulous with hand washing but I accept my kids will bring bugs in to the house. Doesn’t mean it’s pointless for me to use First Defence or wash my hands. It’s about risk reduction whilst living your life.

Lots of adults drag themselves in to work ill and this will spread in a small, airless meeting room. Therefore the couple will have identified this as a high risk area. With zero impact on anyone for the DH to wear a mask.

There is a man who wears a surgical mask in the gym I go to. It is one in a huge, open plan warehouse type building so nobody is in close proximity with anyone else unless they choose to be.

We all know what I'm saying

He doesn’t want to make his wife ill.
If hygiene standards in the UK were higher he probably wouldn’t feel the need to. But they aren’t. So he does.

Wearing a face mask can help protect both you and other people, but the degree of protection depends on the type of mask and how it’s used.
How masks protect others
Masks reduce the amount of respiratory droplets and aerosols released when you:
talk
cough
sneeze
breathe
This is especially important if someone is sick but doesn’t know it yet. Surgical masks and well-fitted cloth masks mainly help in this way.
How masks protect you
Higher-quality masks can also filter the air you breathe in:
N95 respirator
FFP2 mask
KN95 mask
These offer much better personal protection than loose cloth masks, especially indoors or in crowded places.
What matters most
Masks work best when they:
fit snugly over the nose and mouth
don’t have gaps around the sides
are worn consistently in higher-risk settings
Situations where masks help most
crowded indoor spaces
public transport
healthcare settings
when someone nearby is ill
during outbreaks of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu, or RSV
Limits
Masks are not perfect on their own. Ventilation, staying home when sick, hand hygiene, and vaccination also reduce spread.
So in short:
Basic masks mostly protect others
Well-fitted respirator masks protect both you and others

my doc office

Standard blue masks that everyone wears literally have protection of about 20 minutes. I'm a dental nurse and we have to change them that often when doing treatment.

If he feels better for doing it, why not. It sounds like he’s doing his best to protect his wife

ChatGPT?