... to ask why people are still wearing masks?

[KatyKopykat]

I've seen several people wearing a mask in shopping centres and on buses and trains.

Because they want to.

What a 'nothing' thread

Always likely to be an issue with a virus that can cross the blood brain barrier and cause brain cells to die.

Why are people so touchy about others life choices. Unless you are hearing impaired, in which case there is an issue, then what is the problem. Unless it’s making people wonder if they are not quite as right about covid and masks as they thought they were.

They currently have Covid / some other illness
OR
They are nervous about getting ill
OR
They are clinically vulnerable and eating a mask on medical advice.

@Keyworks I meant the original poster raised the question to start a debate on the wearing of masks.

I've done a couple of marathons this year including London. At the exposition wherw you register and get your event pack/number a few days before lots of people were wearing masks. Why spend loads of time training for something, potentially lots of money and a flight halfway around the world so you can miss it bevause you got sick?

My life revolves around my sports and sports events. I have an event coming up I've spent hundreds of pounds on accomodation and travel to get to. I'll be wearing a mask in busy public places (i.e. my train and underground commute) until it's over. I'd be devastated if I got sick and missed it or did badly. Couldn't care less what anyone thinks of that tbh.

Of course it was to start a debate. That's the purpose of discussion boards!

@KatyKopykat You are not discussing though as you are ignoring all the reasons given to you. You are also cherry picking what comments you are answering to. I don't know your reason for not wearing a mask. Live and let live and let people do what they feel comfortable doing. They are not causing you any harm at all.

Teacher friend back to work last week, London school. She's now got Covid as have her daughter, son in law and grandson. She'll be wearing a mask on return to work and utilising the anti bac wipes.

@KatyKopykat so if you are genuinely asking why people are wearing a mask then you must be not very educated or not have ever known anyone who is clinically vulnerable. It is obvious to practically everyone except you that the reasons are they don’t want to spread illness or don’t want to catch it.

My Dd had a virus at the start of covid and the results were it caused part of her brain to be damaged. She was having seizure activity everyday and sometimes stopped breathing. She has recently had a big operation to remove that area of damaged brain. When we were waiting for the scheduled, highly specialist operation we all wore masks and worked from home for the weeks leading up to it. That’s why all her relatives wore masks for a lot of the time preceding it too. Anything to give her the best chance.

I expect if you are a mother you would do the same in my situation and wear a mask. If she hadn’t been so ill we probably wouldn’t have been wearing masks.

Lots of people have given there reasons so have you got enough answers yet to your question? Have you been educated enough? Is the debate over?

The majority of respondents think YABU. There’s your answer.

It was a disingenuous OP. You hid criticism in a question.

I'm not sure what would ever compel me to wear a mask again, but it is an individual decision. If someone wants to, it's up to them.

@Tinysoxxx I have a master's degree. I think you mean that you think I'm not very up to date on the covid situation. That's entirely different from being educated or not. So many people yell "Educate yourself!" when they really mean find some information out.

@KatyKopykat Well I don't know how the information has escaped your attention then, everyone else is fully aware of what is going on. Perhaps get up to date on the Covid situation before making a post about it.

So many people yell "Educate yourself!" when they really mean find some information out.

Seeking out some information is one of the meanings of the word "educate". Many people are entirely self-educated.

But given you have still not engaged with one single poster who has given their personal reasons for wearing a mask "still", as you put it, I don't think you started this thread hoping to be educated on the matter.

Will the school allow her to wear a mask in the classroom? It seems reasonable to me but I’ve sort of lost track of how schools are handling it.

@KatyKopykat so what. I have a masters degree too. An Msc. And taught biology. I also know a lot more about immunology and neurology than I wanted to now.

Read my post again. If you were in the same situation with your daughter as I was, would you wear a mask (by the way the operation was time sensitive too due to nhs budgets and strikes we couldn’t move the date)?

If you would then you have got your answer to your debate.

I feel neutral about masks having lived in Japan where it's not uncommon to see people wearing it for a variety of reasons (most of which doesn't even involve covid).

Having said that, the whole "it's just a simple question" thing is so disingenuous, especially paired with the word "still".

"Why are people still watering their plants in the middle of a drought?"
"Why are people still not wearing sunscreen?"
"Why are people still drinking alcohol?"

Unless English isn't your first language or you are completely clueless (intentionally or otherwise) when it comes to nuances, I seriously doubt the question is as innocent as you are purporting it to be.

Interesting analysis, I like it.

Exactly, and the bemusing thing is that the posts accusing me of being ignorant and illiterate (that has to be generated by chatGPT) or "goady" are in themselves more goady than anything I've said.

There's no intention to shame or - what was the word, I can't trawl through the whole thread to find it - sneer, that was it - at anyone. It's up to the individual to choose. I'm interested in the reasons and it's fine to ask and I don't have to defend myself. Equally posters don't have to justify why they choose to wear a mask. It's a discussion board. I'm on a train right now and no-one has a mask on. Yesterday I saw several people wearing one.

If anyone has any complaints they should report the post or thread. I don't waste time goading, and I've reported my own thread but the mods don't have a problem with it. I see though that a few individual posts have been removed.

How much of a discussion does it need though?
Covid is a cardiovascular disease and the fewer times you catch if the better for your short, medium and long term health.
Masks do work if you actually wear them. Better quality is better but lower quality will do ok in situations where viral load is lower. In the absence of being able to get a vaccine or the government showing any signs of doing anything about ventilation in public spaces they are the only tool people have to reduce the number of infections they get.
Some people don’t wear a mask to protect themselves but will wear one to protect others.
Lots of people don’t wear masks either because covid risks have been downplayed a lot by government or social media and we are ‘living with covid’ so don’t see the need, or because they don’t want to or because they can’t.

Im an ideal world U.K. public health would be able to point out the risks and that wearing masks in crowded indoor areas was recommended but we can’t because people get a bit triggered by that. Especially on MN.

To avoid transmission of viruses.

Thanks, @Wednesdaysotherchild, I needed another mask so have just ordered!

Because they want to? They make be vulnerable and feel safer wearing one.

I find them a huge sensory issue, so will wear if mandated but not by choice.