to suggest NOT wearing masks, but instead wearing . . .

[Durgasarrow]

the charmingly named Neck Gaitors? They have been my all-purpose solution to the Great Mask Dilemma of 2020. They're washable, lightweight, stylish, useful, versatile, you can wear them as a scarf and pull them up as needed, or as a hairband or even a bracelet if it's too constricting to keep it around your neck. They're cheap to order from Amazon by the half dozen--they have seriously helped me keep my sanity.

@Plimpy

If I want to learn about public health policy ( or anything) I look at a wide range of evidence & draw conclusions from this, rather than have a specific view & only look at evidence to support this narrow view.

If public use of non medical masks has not helped to bring international infections down, then what has? What do you suggest as an alternative public health plan?

@Plimpy

You don't get to decide if that qualifies as your definition. For me, or for anyone else. I'm on that other thread And I'd love for everyone to tell the government to shove it.

It was actually that thread that cemented my decision. So there's at least one on there who'd agree with me
The OP won't, because she wishes she were able to wear a mask. She's not who I'm doing this for, although I believe that she will benefit by default.

There's a whole band of us on Twitter, too. I am not alone.

There are a whole bunch of people on twitter telling FGM campaigners who have experienced FHM that they're sexist, transphobic and lord knows what else for campaigning for little girls not to be mutilated.

People on twitter agree with me is not an argument!

People on twitter agree with me is not an argument!

It is if what you're arguing against is that no one agrees with you.

@Plimpy

Poor you, now get a extra large grip and mask up bucko

Would you say that to a member of one religion who was forced to wear the symbol of another?

In what world is that remotely the same as being asked to wear a fucking simple face covering during a public health emergency.

No one agrees with you

Yes they do - they're are loads of people online with the same views!

Pretty accurate refutation, I'd say - I can give you some hastags to check out if you want proof.

Now, if you're saying that people agreeing with me doesn't make me right - yes, that is true.

Experienced FGM, not FHM. Surviving the magazine FHM isn't that notable.

In what world is that remotely the same as being asked to wear a fucking simple face covering during a public health emergency.

In my world.
The intense fear of COVID to me is something that is largely of political doing, and pushed to the point of it being almost religious in nature. I'm being forced to follow that political religion.
I believe that the mask is a political symbol far more than an actual health measure. Look at my early posts in this thread.

To me, being forced to wear a mask is akin to being forced to wear a political or religious symbol, for a movement I don't support and which I think is causing others enormous harm.

I will not do it. I want others who feel the same to also refuse the mask.

I suppose a niqab ( or letterbox look) would offend the maximum number of shoppers.

I don’t want to get Covid or pass it on. I have kitted the family out with masks, they seem to be coping with them. I can wear one for short periods but anything longer triggers a panic attack. I never thought I’d suffer from these but apparently I do. I’m going to switch to a long visor and a scarf, it’s as much as I can do.

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/mask-anxiety-face-coverings-and-mental-health/

Sounds like an advert to me.

@Cryalot2

I have made a variety of masks for dh and adult son from old shirt sleeves . They like design and they are boilable .

Why do they need to be boilable?

You don't need boiling water when you wash your hands, the virus will be broken down by normal machine washing.

Pity the little five year olds during WW2, wearing gas masks for an air raid drill 😢

WW2, a complete irrelevance.

If I want to learn about public health policy ( or anything) I look at a wide range of evidence & draw conclusions from this, rather than have a specific view & only look at evidence to support this narrow view.

I have looked at other evidence! I just think that the evidence from studies I posted are stronger. That's why I formed my view!
I wasn't asked to post a load of evidence both for and against. I was asked to post the evidence for why I believed that masks don't work. So I did.
Why you've therefore assumed that they're the only things I've read... I'm baffled.
Presumably if you also looked at both sides, but you found the evidence suggesting that masks work to be stronger.

If public use of non medical masks has not helped to bring international infections down, then what has? What do you suggest as an alternative public health plan?

I've always thought Sweden's approach was the correct one - bar their lax attitude around care homes which cost them dearly.

@randomer

You should feel ashamed

Er, no.

Explain this little conundrum to me somebody. I popped into my local Marks and Spencer today with my face covering in place. Keeping it brief, I wanted to quickly get an item of clothing. To my surprise the cafe has reopened and about 20 people ( without masks obviously) were enjoying their afternoon meet up and tea.

Does that not tell us that all the shaming and nastiness is, infact a total waste of time.

It's not really a conundrum is it, you don't have to wear a mask when eating or drinking (statement of the bleeding obvious of course) but that's not an argument against wearing one in other situations, the fight against corona is made up of many factors none of which have to have 100% adherence to reduce the infection rate. The cumulative affect of everything we do protects us all

Snoods. I wear them on the motorbike.

I will not do it. I want others who feel the same to also refuse the mask.

Won't or can't?

You do realise you are only exempt if you CANNOT wear a mask because of disability, health condition or severe distress?

I don't know why you are wasting all these words telling people not to wear masks or to refuse to wear masks because they are exempt. If they cannot wear masks they don't need you to tell them not to and if they can wear masks you are misinforming them of their legal rights.

You'll do what you want, I'm sure, but you should be under no illusions that this is a brave act of solidarity with those who actually cannot wear one. You are making things worse for them.

Honestly, I'd have more respect for you if you just used the 'reasonably necessary to eat or drink' exemption and carried a giant bag of crisps everywhere. At least you wouldn't be dragging disabled people and those with health conditions into your wanky little political campaign.

Won't or can't?

You do realise you are only exempt if you CANNOT wear a mask because of disability, health condition or severe distress

So you think if people can wear masks despite experiencing enormous distress, they should suck up that distress and wear the mask?

You. Are. A. Massive. Hypocrite.

You were the one in the other thread saying that rape victims shouldn't have to do this exact thing.
Why do you get to decide that violation of principles is a lesser exemption?

I agree with @GinDaddyRedux!

I've always thought Sweden's approach was the correct one

😂

Shame the Swedish prime minister , finance minister etc don’t agree with you. They have been disarming in their candour that they got it wrong

@Plimpy

In what world is that remotely the same as being asked to wear a fucking simple face covering during a public health emergency.

In my world.
The intense fear of COVID to me is something that is largely of political doing, and pushed to the point of it being almost religious in nature. I'm being forced to follow that political religion.
I believe that the mask is a political symbol far more than an actual health measure. Look at my early posts in this thread.

To me, being forced to wear a mask is akin to being forced to wear a political or religious symbol, for a movement I don't support and which I think is causing others enormous harm.

I will not do it. I want others who feel the same to also refuse the mask.

Its really not lay off the #KBF twitter you'll feel better.

Shame the Swedish prime minister , finance minister etc don’t agree with you. They have been disarming in their candour that they got it wrong

Sweden have done much better than us, and better than many other countries which locked down - without causing any of the harm that our lockdown has.

Because politics and health are kept separate, politicians are free to criticise the health policy with impunity.

However, Anders Tegnell has also had a lot of candour, he admits that HE dropped the ball with the care homes, which accounted for most of their deaths.

@Aridane

I've always thought Sweden's approach was the correct one

😂

Shame the Swedish prime minister , finance minister etc don’t agree with you. They have been disarming in their candour that they got it wrong

Realistically nobody can say what the right course of action was yet. When it's all over it needs to be weighed up, not just deaths. Everything.

@redcatbluecat that's great that you can (and have actually tried), if you're comfortable using one and can remove safely, then each to their own. One of the reasons they're not recommended though is because of safe use/removal issues and as evidenced by some of the comments on this thread, some people either don't know about the issues or can't remove them safely.

@pinksparklypussycat Your situation is where reusable (and homemade if you can sew) masks are more practical and would allow you to have a large enough 'stash' to do a couple of days of frequent changes. My husband needs about 10-15 due to his work environment, so we've used pillowcases as a cheap source of fabric - also means u can get a better fit, as custom made. I am wondering why you need to put one on to go to the loo/make a drink, as not sure how that's different to sitting in your (presumably) well ventilated office - I can understand the printer if it's close to other people's desks. You don't need to answer me by the way, I'm just musing.

So I go into M and S with my face covered, uncover it to talk and drink tea, recover with infected mask and go on my merry way?

The cumulative effect of Cummings getting his eyes tested in Barnard Castle was that most people didn't give a