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!!

I would have been understanding in the moment too but probably giggled about you to a friend after.

How old are you, eight?

I am immune suppressed and get very ill with viruses that are trivial to others and even I wouldn't do that. I'd keep my distance and wipe down surfaces afterwards.
If I am in a very high risk situation such as someone with covid or a plane then I would wear a FFP3 mask myself. I wouldn't impose it on others.

YABU for thinking a flimsy mask will stop you getting a cold.

Wear one yourself if you're that worried or better still, ask people not to come round your house when they're dripping with germs. Yuck.

She’s not a friend if she’s slagging you off behind your back.

Wouldn't cross my mind to ask for such thing, wouldn't bother me if someone came to my house with a cold, not everyone's ill in bed with one! I carry on my life as normal too

I wouldn’t expect someone round to my house whilst unwell even with a cold, similar cold made my asthmatic son very unwell last year. Wearing a mask might help if you both practised good hygiene and hand washing, wiping down your surfaces, door handles etc

Her behaviour is childish and rude, but a mask won't do anything. Better to avoid visits until it's gone in cases like this.

I think you're entitled to tell her not to come , but the mask is weird.

Depends on the mask really, otherwise surgeons and theatre staff have been wasting their time wearing one for years!

They wear them to prevent bacterial contamination of open wound sites and to protect themselves from blood splatters. Nothing to do with respiratory viruses.

Not sure whether this is hypochondria or paranoia, especially as masks don't work. We all get colds, although fewer as we get older - they're annoying, but not a big deal, and you're just as likely to catch one in a shop or on a bus/train. It would be nice, OP, if you could be more welcoming to your friends.

We probably wouldn’t be friends. I tend to avoid neurotic people 😁
Obviously if someone in your home was severely compromised and I had no choice but to enter with a cold I would with no question but mask wearing over the sniffles is just weird.

Humans have been catching colds forever and it’s what gives us our immunity. If you really didn’t want her cold, you should have said ‘let’s wait until you’re feeling a little better’, not still have her over and ask her to wear a (useless) mask. I’d probably have been polite to your face, but told others about the request too. It’s bonkers to be honest.

Oh for goodness sake... either have her over or don't with a cold. Putting on a mask is just pathetic. Even if my BEST friend requested this of me I'd call them a lemon and say ill be back when the cold has passed.

So you’re too cowardly to speak up for yourself but would happily bitch about your ‘friend’ behind their back?

It doesn’t matter whether it’s putting on a mask, taking off your shoes or only sitting on a certain chair.

If you have a problem with it, say it at the time.

Don’t be fake and slag them off to someone else.

When you say 'slagged you off' do you mean she mentioned it in a 'can you believe...' kind of way or actually made nasty remarks about you?

I think I'd have complied at the time (out of surprise more than anything) but had a little laugh about it later.

I think she's a twat to show up at your house with a cold.

I can't fucking stand people who take their illnesses on tour, throwing their germs around like confetti and then moaning that other people haven't been hospitable to them.

If you're sick, stay home. No one wants what you've got.

OP, it's your house. If she had a problem with the mask she should have said so at the time or taken herself home.

I hate having a cold and would hope people would stay away if they're contagious, but it simply wouldn't occur to me to ask a guest to wear a mask. Either invite them in and accept you may catch the cold or ask them to stay out of the house. Maybe take a walk together instead?

Indeed.

Wtf

Unless you don’t touch any surfaces at all , wearing a mask is a waste of time.

People should stay away from other people's houses when they're ill.

If you don't want to risk catching someone's cold, then cancel the meet-up.

Making them wear a piece of fabric over their mouth and nose won't make their presence any less risky.

I would like to have done it pre-2020, that's for sure. Some years ago, we invited a 'friend' for dinner and it was only once he was sat at the table with a drink in front of him that he told us he was just starting a stinker of a cold. OH caught it and was quite unwell but because we're both self-employed and get no sick pay, he carried on going to work. He works on his own outside so at least didn't spread it himself. The friend works for a company so took the week off and told us he spent most of it sleeping. We called him Salary Man for a while.