Does anyone think masks will become the new normal?

[Chaosreigns123]

Even after the virus is gone/there is a vaccine?

Once we go down this route of masks being widely used in public.

Already we're hearing more and more how if you don't wear a mask you're killing people, selfish, putting others at risk.

Ok right now I think most of us want to see the back of this virus, but I'm no longer sure where the government are going with this. Are we going for elimination in England? Even if we get a vaccine it's likely not everyone will be eligible, or it will be yearly and the virus will still be circulating.

Will people devise masks are a good idea to protect against other viruses?

@loulouljh

I suspect a Government U-turn on this when they realise that actually masks are going to make people go out even less. They will not be flocking to the shops etc with a mask on. The economy will suffer even more.

Wher I am masks have been mandotary for a week now and I have to say the vast majority of people are wearing them. I was in my town centre today and visited 6 shops. The town was busy with people going about their day, wearing masks and using the hand sanitiser at the entrances to shops. There was a nice atmosphere and it was a pleasant shopping experience. I also visited my local small supermarket and again I saw only one person not wearing a mask. I doubt that for the vast majority of people the wearing of a mask will stop them going to the shops.

You honestly equate wearing a mask while there's a pandemic on - or if you're out and about with a cold in winter - to a damagingly sterile environment @Sunshinegirl82?

And do you honestly think that people who've been wearing masks by choice have a hatred for human interaction @lifeafter50? Because that's not been my experience at all.

And do you honestly think that people who've been wearing masks by choice have a hatred for human interaction @lifeafter50? Because that's not been my experience at all

It was my post that @lifeafter50 quoted from. And yes, I do think that’s the case with a sizeable minority of people. Like the ones who yelled at me and my partner (two separate incidents on the same day) for a) stopping by a river with our toddler to feed the ducks and b) daring to take her into a chemist to pick up a prescription. Apparently, according to their very vehemently expressed opinions, children should be kept indoors, other than for school and park exercise, for the duration of the pandemic.

Amazon package has arrived. I have purchased a mix of disposable masks and bandanas for the family. Full range of colours to go with whatever outfits the girls want to wear.

Also got a selection from Kew Gardens online shop.

As more of us wear masks then the more socially unacceptable it will be not to wear them.

Got a message from Uber - no mask = no ride.

@DameFanny

"General sickness rates being lower is not necessarily desirable. The human immune system needs to encounter viruses in order to work effectively. If we weren’t exposed to ‘harmless’ virus’s, we would be far more at risk if/when we encountered something more serious."

How about you meet the families of the doctors and nurses that have died of covid already and tell them that? Because if anyone gets a healthy exposure to viruses and bacteria it's a nurse

nothing I have said isn’t true. Exposure to viruses is what helps to develop our immune systems. So I have no idea what point you’re trying to make.

No. If there is a vaccine and better treatment. There's no way the UK will embrace wearing masks for no reason.

There's no way the UK will embrace wearing masks for no reason.
Will be interesting to see what happens after the 24th with people staying out of shops following the new edict -hope full the Gvt will backtrack pdq.

Looking at the bigger long term Covid safety landscape in terms of Government voluntary Covid mitigation safety advice change to mandatory PPE use instructions.

(1) Do you think because Brits tend to be anti PPE and hence mandatory Covid mitigation instructions instead of previous safety recommendations?

(2) importantly there is now a reality check recognition that the media spin regarding new treatments and vaccines etc is all pie in the blue sky wishful thinking mission impossible? Apparently we don't use or have enough Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines and therefore not use this as part of the medical ICU Covid intervention unlike some oversea nations.

(3) Brits just prefer Covid herd immunity (hence no masks generally) despite the fact that the virus mutates and the medical scientific community is only just discovering some of the irreversible long term organ damage plus if herd immunity is a slight possibility it may be for a very short time span.

(4) the government given their repeatedly contradictory guidelines (and hypocritical self non adherence) are preparing for the future "independent" public inquiry so now after 50k plus excess Covid fatalities are finally taking this more seriously as the economy collapses?

I am not against masks for the duration of the pandemic but I think expecting everyone to wear masks every winter in order to reduce transmission of the usual winter viruses is unreasonable and misguided.

@Drivingdownthe101 I'm making the point that doctors and nurses with plenty of previous exposure to viruses died - in pain and fear - of covid. What price a developed immune system then?

And do we just let people with deficient immune systems, or autoimmune diseases, face the choice of staying home till there's a vaccine?

@damefanny

The OP is very clearly about masks being the new normal AFTER the pandemic, not during.

I'm sorry that happened to you @TempsPerdu but my experience is that people wearing masks are doing so BECAUSE they want to get back out and see people. My experience being that I've been making masks for people in the village since the beginning of April.

[quote DameFanny]@Drivingdownthe101 I'm making the point that doctors and nurses with plenty of previous exposure to viruses died - in pain and fear - of covid. What price a developed immune system then?

And do we just let people with deficient immune systems, or autoimmune diseases, face the choice of staying home till there's a vaccine?[/quote]
But that has absolutely nothing to do with the point I made, which was that people need exposure to viruses to develop their immune system. Which is a fact. I don’t need to tell that to the families of people who have died of Covid as I imagine they already know... it’s fairly common knowledge that that’s how the immune system works.
What I didn’t say is that exposure to other viruses prevents people from dying of Covid, or that people with deficient immune systems should stay at home until there is a vaccine.
The thread was about whether mask wearing would become our ‘new normal’ (after the immediate thread of Covid has gone), and I was directly addressing a point about children’s exposure to viruses.

[quote Sunshinegirl82]@damefanny

The OP is very clearly about masks being the new normal AFTER the pandemic, not during.[/quote]
Exactly this. Hence your aggressive comment having absolutely no relevance to the point I made.

No. Some people might carry on, but that would be up to them.

Aggressive?! Righto then.

How about you meet the families of the doctors and nurses that have died of covid already and tell them that? Because if anyone gets a healthy exposure to viruses and bacteria it's a nurse hmm

Yes, aggressive.

And had no relevance to the point we were discussing, which was about mask wearing continuing after the pandemic.

That's not aggressive, and there's plenty of people saying we shouldn't be wearing masks against covid, here and IRL.

@DameFanny

That's not aggressive, and there's plenty of people saying we shouldn't be wearing masks against covid, here and IRL.

But that’s not what I was saying. So as I said... irrelevant.

And of course ‘tell that to dead people’s families’ is aggressive. Especially when you had completely misconstrued my post.

Ok, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have addressed that to you. I'm a lot frustrated right now because an in-law has had his brain rotted by YouTube and said all of that and more about covid and masks, and it's making me too touchy.

I'm sorry.

@DameFanny

Ok, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have addressed that to you. I'm a lot frustrated right now because an in-law has had his brain rotted by YouTube and said all of that and more about covid and masks, and it's making me too touchy.

I'm sorry.

Apology accepted.

No way. I'd be happier keeping 2m away from people permanently!

I just can’t see people ‘browsing’ and shopping for pleasure in the uk wearing a mask. This would require and enormous shift in behaviour, at the same time as people are offered the stress-free alternative of online shopping. Imo it’s a no-brainer which one is going to thrive and which is going to die.

Our high street was already on the way out but I do feel really sorry for independent shops that were only ever going to succeed against their online competitors if they could provide an ‘experience’.