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.

It's quite easy to see why it's "ok" to be mask free whilst eating but not otherwise

If you have 10 people together in an area that's nearly 100 possible contagion routes ( person a could infect persons b, c, d etc, person b can infect persons a, c, d ...)

If half of those people are wearing masks you have half the number of contagion routes, so you have reduced the chances of viral spread in half

And if everyone wears masks it's zero

So if the virus is running high, you would insist on all masks, but when the virus is low, we can increase the risk and help the economy

That poster didn't say she lives elsewhere though, @Lockheart. 99% of of us posting on here are posting from a British perspective. 3 year olds wearing masks is horrendous.

Agree with PicsinRed, I find the disposable ones light, fairly comfortable and easy to breathe in (though I’ve never tried wearing one upside down 🙃) with a bit of practice it’s actually possible to forget you’re wearing one (really!)

3 year olds wearing masks is horrendous.

Any particular reason?

I can see why masks are a needed but we should remember they don't remove the aeolised transmission route they mitigate it, chance of transmission is not zero.

YANBU. It’s depressing. Of course I am wearing one, but I just find that we are spending more time in places where we don’t have to wear them (i.e. outdoors). I expect at the end of it all, whenever it may be, there won’t be much high street left. I am not saying the new rules are wrong, but as it is not enjoyable for many, a lot of folks avoid the new normal.

@SockYarn it’s crazy isn’t it. I was chatting to a friend, she said that she’s happy to wear a mask for ‘as long as necessary’, I asked how long she thought this would be her response was a ‘few months‘. I didn’t want to burst her bubble but this shambolic government have got us exactly where they want us, nothing is questioned or scrutinized we just follow along with whatever nonsense they choose to come out with, it’s worrying.

@Teal99
Your spot on.
The use of persuasive language on the public by the government seems to have been a success.

I agree OP, masks are really, really horrible. I had one on at the hairdresser's the other day for nearly 3 hours - it was just SOOO hot, especially when my hair was being dried! I too am avoiding any but essential shopping - gone are the days when shopping was fun, browsing shops for something new to wear or some new make-up to try. Sigh!!!

I also think that children should wear masks - they are the worst for sneezing and coughing without covering their mouths - they are full of germs and various bugs.

@SockYarn

That poster didn't say she lives elsewhere though, *@Lockheart*. 99% of of us posting on here are posting from a British perspective. 3 year olds wearing masks is horrendous.

Why? What if they are immunocompromised or have some other underlying condition, and them wearing a mask gives the parents that little bit more comfort which allows them to take their child out after lockdown?

You're not alone, OP. I hate wearing them. As a result, I've stopped doing lots of things I used to do, such as browsing shops, going to public indoor spaces etc. I've tried lots of different types and its just the constricted feeling, especially in hot weather. So, I follow the rules but it's made my life smaller and I hate it. This is OK. It doesn't mean that I want people to die.

@PicsInRed

Surgical masks are much more breathable and comfortable. Also, if you wear them upside down (with the bendy part under your chin), they don't hurt your nose. Rubbish, but quite bearable.

I hadn't thought of that! I hate the metal strips, they make my sore and I find I keep fiddling with them.

*they make my nose sore

You do get used to them. I’m a doctor who’s been wearing them since March, if it means we won’t lock down again I’m all for it! Honestly it gets better, I wear one all day at work even when not near patients and I’ve just got used to it now.

The reason we didn't wear them back in march was because manufacturers hadn't predicted a demand in supply, and those on the front line needed them more worldwide.

Once it was assured that those who needed them most, like those saving the lives of those with covid and other diseases and illnesses, then it was announced we could start buying/making/wearing masks..

Suppliers by that point had ample time to create what they needed.

Luckily we dont have to wear them only on public transport and i use my car so.......

If they are so damn vital to stopping the spread, the use of masks should have been mandatory back in March, not now.

My experience is you get used to them really quickly.

We went to France where they are worn much more than here, and my a much greater number of people - I think there must be less exemptions.

We wore them in up to 40c heat and sometimes all day, such as the theme park day.

It was fine.

No idea why you can't hear people though as it's only two or three thin layers of fabric. In France and last year in Japan we had no issues with hearing people or understanding people who were in masks - even Dh who has dodgy hearing as it is had no issues on that front.

I do think here in England we are making far more fuss over wearing a mask every so often than we need to be.
We are one of the few countries to be introducing them so late, and every one else mostly seems to be having less fuss about them it seems.

@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.

Face nappies? Muzzles?

Surely it’s only necessary to call it a face nappy if you regularly spew shite from your mouth? I don’t, so I’m fine with calling mine a mask

Likewise I don’t tend to savage people with my teeth when I’m out and about, so no need to call it a muzzle.

Use your grown-up words.

YANBU. I hate wearing a mask and am totally against it, but I won't ever moan about it to staff or anything. The rules are the rules.

However, yesterday we went to do a family activity where we had the rooms to ourselves, and always were going to have them, and aside from the introduction, which was done 3 metres apart, had no interaction with anyone. This activity involved running around and communicating with each other and we had to wear masks at all time. I nearly passed out and the fun was totally sucked out of it. I won't be doing it again whist we are muzzled.

I am staying at least 2m from people and I am very careful. I don't need to wear a mask. Because of this I wear it very loosely to tick the box, but Im not going to suffocate myself.

If people don’t wear masks chances are a lot more places will close again. We are still avoiding indoor activities other than shopping, we’ve found lots of new places outside to explore until we decide to use indoor places again.

YABU

Is it that big a deal? If they are that desperately uncomfortable, get a bigger/smaller one.

I come from a country where you need to wear a mask most of the year because of pollution. It's far more humid and hot than the UK and I never hear anyone moaning or calling it depressing.

Wear a mask or stay indoors. Those are your options, so why spend your life moaning about something you can't change.

Wearing a seatbelt
Not being able to have a couple of drinks and drive home
Only being allowed to smoke outside
Needing car seats for children so needing to buy a bigger car if you have more than 3 children

Of the top of my head, these are things that changed since my childhood. I'm sure people hated those changes and thought them inconvenient. We don't blink an eye to any of them. Masks are our thing to accept.

@TheGreatWave @SockYarn. - I don’t think they legally have to wear one where we live, but they can and do. If it’s not harming them and keeping everyone a little bit safer then why not? They only wear them in shops, toilets, public transport etc.

They don’t legally have to wear a helmet when they ride their bikes, or gloves when it’s cold, or underwear even! It’s more of a challenge to get them to wear pants than masks!

DS was working in a school in Japan when COVID started. The youngest kids there were 2yrs old. From the time it started every child had to wear a mask (as did the teachers). They were all fine with it. I imagine kids whinge less than the adults!

Why? What if they are immunocompromised or have some other underlying condition, and them wearing a mask gives the parents that little bit more comfort which allows them to take their child out after lockdown?

And that shows exactly how the mask message has been lost.