To require a friend to wear a mask in house when she has a cold?

[Saboblue]

I found out from another friend that she’d been slagging me off for making her wear a mask when she had a cold in my house. When she came round I simply said I’d rather not get a cold and asked her to put on the mask and opened the windows. She was very understanding and put the mask on. I thought nothing of it until I found out she was slagging me off about it when she seemed fine to put it on at the time. I’m pissed off about it because what have I said wrong? Why would I want your virus? Put a mask on when you’re ill and in someone’s house!!

Nonsense from start to finish there.

Literally at least two of us have said in our posts that we’ve been told this by doctors and scientists.

Remember the good old days before covid when people weren't massive hypochondriacs and accepted that getting a few colds a year was the norm?

A simpler time.

If I have a cold, or my toddler has cold, I, like the rest of my friends (with kids) text each other beforehand to let them know and ask if they are still comfortable with us meeting up.

Other than that, what do you want? The whole of society to be masked up forever and never go out during winter?

I am not a conspiracy theorist. In fact I volunteered in the vaccine programme and received an award for my contribution. Whilst I strongly disagreed with passports and vaccinating healthy under 30s, studies clearly showed the benefit of the vaccine.

I have yet to see a decent study that proves the effectiveness of the type of masks available to the public. I believe they were a measure introduced because governments saw them as cheap and easy, non-disruptive measure and easier to mandate to appease public opinion than argue against their use based on inconclusive evidence.

i would talk about you too

Oh I add that my husband is a surgeon. He explained to me why masks were common place in medical practice. Wound contamination and blood splatter protection.

Now they are comfort blankets and a box ticked for management.

What an odd thing to ask her. Are you or someone in your household immuno-suppressed?

Unless you have a particular reason for being so jumpy about a cold, you were certainly inhospitable. Oh, or if there's a massive dripfeed still to come.

I'd ask her not to come rather than a mask, they aren't that effective

If you are concerned about your health them you wear the mask

These days who knows what is a cold and what might later test as covid?
I am clinically vulnerable so wear a mask and if workmen etc need to come in my home I ask them to wear a mask
Only had one rude bloke query it
Your house your rules
I would be crossing that one off my christmas card list

MN crowd is famous for their “masks don’t work” and “covid is just a flu” approach so you probably won’t get much support here.
Ridiculous the posters “would leave and never come back if asked to wear a mask” 🙄
I’d say your friend is incredibly selfish to just turn up at your house when sick.

I think the standard blue masks aren’t as effective as other masks that have fibres the right size to shield against smaller droplets

I mean, I wouldn't have made her wear a mask but I wouldn't have been happy with her showing up full of cold either. I hate this sharing illnesses thing because they're 'mild'. I always get horrendous colds that last forever, then DC get them it's awful.

Raving.

Absolute batshit behaviour. I'd have turned round and walked out again.

These covid related threads are always “fun” to read - it’s basically acceptable to show up sick at someone’s house, but omg the horror of asking someone to wear a mask or be in any other way careful!

I keep a box by the door, and sanitizer and covid testing kits.
Mask on and sanitize when entering, pick up a covid test to use before the next visit.
If anyone refused they wouldn't get in...

It would never occur to me to visit someone in their home if I had a noticeable cold. I think your friend was being extremely inconsiderate in coming round when she was unwell and I would have asked her to wear a mask too.

Everyone saying "Oh it's only a cold". Isn't that what everyone reckons Covid often feels like now? Who is to say she hadn't got Covid which can still make many people seriously ill and even be fatal.My daughter is only young and was seriously ill last time she had covid and is now very poorly with Long Covid. I wouldn't want anyone visiting my house with a cold that could turn out to be Covid, thank you very much. Oh but I'm just over reacting wanting to keep my child safe.

I keep a package of masks by the door and in the car.

Perhaps people shouldn't ask a partner to wear a condom for fear of offending either 😆

That is fair enough, but then suggest friend stays away altogether, or do something outside. A scabby bit of cloth over your mouth wont protect anyone.

Umm, no. Other people’s health issues are not my responsibility!

If facemasks had the same efficacy as condoms, maybe. Personally I still wouldn't wear one because 1. my immune system needs the stimulation and 2. well I hate them so much that I'd have cold or covid any day of the week.

But I realise not everyone has the same health or attitude to risk that I have. You brought condoms into it, wearing a facemask is like using a fishnet condom.