Wearing masks everywhere indoors is so depressing

[Sossen]

AIBU to feel frustrated and, at times, a bit upset that I can’t really do anything indoors now, either on my own or with my kids, without wearing a god damn face mask? I’ve just about been able to tolerate wearing them whilst food shopping but that’s because I now take a lot of time to write out a list and meal plan beforehand and I get in and get out, as opposed to before, when I took the time to browse, picked out what I fancied, and maybe tried on some clothes whilst there. I can cope with this ok but what is depressing me is that my ds is desperate to go to a few indoor places like the trampoline park (our local one has strict guidelines in hygiene social distancing and staggering sessions) and I’ll take him but the thought of sitting there for an hour and a half opposite my dh trying to talk to him with a mask on or watching my ds play and he can’t hear me because of the mask, well it fills me with dread. I had a cinema pass which i’ve has for years but I’ve already cancelled It as there is no way I can sit for up to 3 hours with a mask on, it would be unbearable. Every day out we go on that is predominantly outdoors but have some indoor areas I’ll have to remember to take masks with me. If I nip to post a letter, pick up my medication, go into a public car park to get my car after work I have to wear a mask. I expect to be told I’m moaning but I can’t help it. I fully resent the fact that I am being told to cover my face and I have no choice in the matter. Please tell me I’m not the only one.

I went on what is now a rare shopping trip to town yesterday which involved an hours bus journey. Going mostly good, relatively cool and not too many people on board. Shopping town very quiet so got everything quickly and was impressed by how pleasant and stoic the staff were in the shops. I then caught another bus home for another hours journey home. Bar me and and a few others passengers had masks round their necks, in one case for maximum nail biting capacity. It was by then extremely hot and the driver appeared to think he was driving a dodgems car. We were passing Chessington World of Adventures so maybe understandable.

After an hour I didn’t blame anyone for removing their mask. I am so bored of all the MaskZillas who are determined to share what hardos they are and how they can wear a mask for 24 hours straight without removing it to eat or drink. It’s fucking vile just admit it.

@purplegayle

UABVU when the spanish flu came 100 odd years ago. The second wave was more deadly than the first. The 3rd and 4th just as bad. Over 50 million died. You were fined for not wearing a mask and rightly so. No paper ones back then . Its not hard. I have to wear them up to 8 hours a day. I dont bitch and moan. Nurses, doctors ect cant even stop for a drink. If this virus doesnt go away or we dont find a vaccine it could be years of misery. So woman up. Wear a mask and protect yourself.

That maybe so but as we're constantly being told ...Covid isn't flu, so why the flu comparison?

@CausingChaos2

Ah, so you are trying to dictate who is affected.

No, I'm saying that just being diagnosed with a particular condition does not necessarily mean that you cannot wear a mask.

You say you can't wear one but other people with POTS can wear one.

Hearhooves And likewise, just because some people with a condition can tolerate a mask, doesn’t mean that everyone with the same condition can.

Perhaps you need to read my post again. I have been wearing a mask despite finding it very difficult. There was one occasion where I didn’t, in all honesty because I was flustered having just been assaulted. My post was clear that I’m just not going out much to avoid having to wear one.

@wanderings

A balanced response, unusual for MN in this issue. Is the tide turning? My bingo card so far is blank.

Sooner or later the public will vote with their wallets. Saint Boris threw this at us to make it look as if he was doing something (no coincidence he announced it in the same breath as squeeeeeeezing the brakes and cancelling Eid), and because he thinks the public are still in favour of the face nappies. He’ll backtrack if someone tells him people are refusing to spend money if they have to muzzle up.

I voted Labour. I wear a mask.

By all means don't wear one, I don't give a shit if you get coronavirus or not. But stop sneering at those of us who do.

face nappies

Perhaps a good description given the amount of crap coming from some posters

So boring now, mask threads.

Just fucking wear one, or don't go out.

Why is it a nappy? You don't shit into the mask!

Honestly, the amount of carping about face nappies and muzzles is making me wish I didn't wear the bloody thing, just to shut people up.

I had to go to A&E recently. I wore a mask for 5 hours. It was fine. In fact, I more or less forgot about it. Get over it.

A bit more charitably: try the paperish, disposable ones. They’re probably the lightest and most “breathable”.

I empathise, OP. I accept we should be wearing them indoors, and I do, but I don’t love it. Especially when it’s warm.

Weirdly, the masks I find the most comfortable are ones from my favourite rock band. I ordered them on a whim when I was ordering something else from their online shop. The fabric is double layered but not nearly as cumbersome as a lovely floral one I ordered from EBay which I almost never wear now because of it.

So now I am out pretty much constantly in a Rammstein face mask, regardless of outfit or situation It was absolutely not my original intention when I bought them (just thought they’d be fun for ‘going out’, whatever that is!)

Also, the paper masks are significantly lighter than any fabric, and seem to be easier to talk in.

This ends my mask review

ffs! a cinema pass isn't essential!
I've been wearing one 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in retail to try and get back some of the money I lost in lockdown...
I have no air con and it's very physical work on my feet the entire time... no proper breaks...jeez!
Try working in one instead

oh and guess what, we are all massively dehydrated as not allowed to drink water on the shop floor now as can't lift up masks..
I just did a huge and I feel justified, scream at reading your post!

@cakewench

I empathise, OP. I accept we should be wearing them indoors, and I do, but I don’t love it. Especially when it’s warm.

Weirdly, the masks I find the most comfortable are ones from my favourite rock band. I ordered them on a whim when I was ordering something else from their online shop. The fabric is double layered but not nearly as cumbersome as a lovely floral one I ordered from EBay which I almost never wear now because of it.

So now I am out pretty much constantly in a Rammstein face mask, regardless of outfit or situation It was absolutely not my original intention when I bought them (just thought they’d be fun for ‘going out’, whatever that is!)

Also, the paper masks are significantly lighter than any fabric, and seem to be easier to talk in.

This ends my mask review

I love Rammstein! I really want one of those now.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras

No, I'm saying that just being diagnosed with a particular condition does not necessarily mean that you cannot wear a mask“

True. Our son is asthmatic, 17 now, no problem wearing a mask.

One of his triggers is cold air so it may actually help. Also, his hay fever symptoms (usually extreme, hospital visits and adult prescription medicine for years) have noticeably reduced this year with masks.

YABU I wear a mask for 12 hours a day in my job as a nurse in a very hot environment during this hot weather then obviously also wear it in shops etc. I see it as a necessity at the moment especially witnessing the deaths that I have from this thus virus! Keep safe.

It’s not ideal. But it’s a small price to pay to be able to go and do things you want. What would you prefer? Lockdown again?
You are being unreasonable for moaning. Where would be if all the doctors and nurses said they ‘can’t possibly work wearing a mask all day’ ...?! yet you are complaining about wearing one so dc can go to a trampoline park?

No, I'm saying that just being diagnosed with a particular condition does not necessarily mean that you cannot wear a mask.

True. I keep hearing people say "I'm excempt but I still wear one". You're not excempt then.

Your excempt from wearing a mask if you have a physical or mental conditions that means you can't wear a mask, you can't put it on or take it off safely, or it caused you distress.

One person with athsma might have no issue with a mask. Another may have athsma attacks triggered by mask wearing. One person with ptsd might not care about wearing a mask, another may feel extreme distress. The same with claustrophobia.

The conditions doesn't make you excempt and you don't need to be diagnosed. It's the fact that you can't wear one becauseof xyz that makes you excempt.

No one loves it, but you do get used to it. I find a thicker cotton fabric mask the best - it is stiff enough not to suck back against your mouth when you breathe in, so you feel less like you are being suffocated with a plastic bag.

Have you looked at face shields instead?

I certainly won’t get used to being muzzled everywhere I go. They are uncomfortable, and irritate my face and have given me really bad acne in the areas I have had one on. I was fine with them in grocery stores, but is unbearable wearing one literally everywhere indoors for HOURS at a time.

I hate that you can’t see someone’s expression, their smile, or hear them talk prope. I also HATE that it blocks effective communication, as you can’t lip read effectively if you didn’t hear what they said. I also can’t stand that the areas where it’s mostly spreading (warehouses and pubs) you don’t have to wear them.

Also it triggered an asthma attack in me and I have very mild asthma, and masks either feel really itchy, or like I’m suffocating. They are THE WORST!

@SockYarn

Can we ban people who are so thick that they dint read the thread, but instead post senseless memes about surgeons

No 🖕🏻

@Gobbycop

So boring now, mask threads.

Just fucking wear one, or don't go out.

I have to use public transport and visit public spaces where masks are required but I'm exempt so I can't 'fucking wear one' and neither can I stay in.

When I do visit shops (which is now rare) I wear a visor

Visors have been banned in Scotland unless worn with a mask because they're not protective enough alone. Anything you breathe/cough/sneeze is 'jetted' around the sides and bottom of the visor. The gov.uk website states that cloth coverings which fit closely to the face should be worn, unless you're exempt.

Visors are not the solution many believe them to be.