Is anyone else sick of the mask brigade?

[SpongeCake23]

I am going to be wearing a face covering from the 24th.
However I’m getting sick of the constant steam of ‘shaming’ on social media especially.
The latest is a passive aggressive meme being shared which says ‘if you don’t like the mask, you definitely won’t like being intubated in the ICU’
I’ve just seen another one on a local page in the style of queen’s ‘we will rock you’. Basically “you’re a big disgrace, spreading your germs all over the place” blah blah blah.
I have anxiety and panic attacks and I am going to struggle wearing one, although I’m going to try my best. There are those who really won’t be able to for various reasons - asthma, copd, autism, other mental health issues and I bet they’re reading these posts feeling awful about themselves.

@Wilburgh that's so interesting. I wonder if history will peddle the notion to our grandkids that everyone was some sort of heroic patriot or will they actually say 'some people caught this every step of the way'. Very interesting

Fought, not caught*

I am also amazed at how much is being made of them. They've been obligatory where I live since March, ages 6+.

I suffer from anxiety and depression and panic attacks, it wouldn't even have crossed my mind to ask my GP about not wearing them.

I think you just need to get used to it. It probably feels like a bigger deal than it is because it's new. Having worn them since March, and in a hot country, I've found the surgical ones to me the most comfortable and bearable, although try and wear my homemade reusables when I can.

Nobody's saying they aren't a faff, but they don't stop you breathing, nobody is forcing you to go shopping but the shop staff do need to be at work and could be facing a lot of worry about the disease themselves, so it's the kind thing to do really.

@Wilburgh thanks for that so interesting.

I expect other people are also literally sick of being infected by non mask wearers.

🤣🤣🤣🤣. And there we have it. The mask brigade at work.

* In the context of a world wide pandemic

Sorry but neither of those things are anywhere near being at the same level. Seatbelts for instance come with none of the cultural baggage of masks. Dislike or even fear of masks isn’t a new phobia that some snowflakes have concocted because they’re a bit uncomfortable to wear; it’s deep-seated in our culture. We are hard-wired to recognise human faces and naturally fearful and distrustful when we can’t - just think of the previous hoo ha (all forgotten now) about the niqab, similar debates about balaclavas and motorcycle helmets etc.

’Maskophobia’ is extremely widespread and in many ways a natural part of childhood development (many pre-adolescent children fear masks because they’re much less adept at recognising partially obscured faces than adults are). Every self-respecting horror movie villain wears a mask - because it evokes such a visceral response in the audience. Masks are a symbol of ‘otherness’, and for some people represent oppression or abuse.

None of this means we shouldn’t try to adapt to masks as an emergency, temporary measure but it’s not as straightforward a choice as you make it sound.*

OR THIS*
*
*I am also amazed at how much is being made of them. They've been obligatory where I live since March, ages 6+.

I suffer from anxiety and depression and panic attacks, it wouldn't even have crossed my mind to ask my GP about not wearing them.*

That sort of black and white thinking, the need to be seen to be 'doing right' is often a cover for issues in their own lives. The need for external validation, covering for things they'd rather remain hidden.

And the anti mask 🤷‍♀️'brigade'

The whole brigade business is so stupid. And so SM. Really goody. @userxx

@Lweji

Quarantine is a very old public health measure to prevent disease spread, used in populations or individuals. Old as centuries or millenia.

Covid does have a high survival rate, but in a few months of going about our normal lives it would easily infect 50% of the population. So, 30 million in the UK. At a low estimate of 0.1% fatality rate, it would be 30 000 deaths on top of the usual deaths for other causes. Last year the UK had 9400 deaths in total.

How does that sound?

I'd rather use a mask.

Where the hell did you get 9400 total deaths in a year??? Approximately 1500 die every day, which is 60000.

@SqidgeBum my dad has always said (and so did my grandparents) that the old news reels that you see from the war and the glowy, stoic times that were portrayed were nothing like their experience. It used to really annoy my nan especially when she would see things about the British spirit and pulling together she said it was nothing like that for her on the outskirts of London.

People have always been arses to each other.

But then, history (especially in the media) is always written with a bias and I’m sure that in years to come, coronavirus will be the same.

Oh yes @Wilburgh. I am a history graduate and I was always told that history is simply one part of a story. It's from one angle, and changes depending on who you ask. I think coronavirus will be the same. There will be lots of talk of the country 'banding together' and possibly the 'success' of the govenrment policies in saving us from the brink of destruction, but that's not a full picture. History never is a full picture.

Tbf people were issued with gas masks but didn't actually have to wear them day to day, other than for practice sessions. They had to carry them, but not wear them.

@SqidgeBum @Wilburgh

Interestingly the evidence of people's reactions will be preserved all over social this time.

I

@madbirdlady22

The most galling thing is the guys in the pubs can happily sit there drinking away completely maskless and zero social distancing, and thats okay apparently! But you can't go into a shop without one.

The most annoying thing for me about covid are the number of contradictions.

You can go to the pub without a mask but not a shop.
All theme parks are open, but most secondary schools have been closed for six months in September.
You can go and fly to the other side of the world on a packed flight with no social distancing whatsoever, and not have to quarantine at all, but you can't get your eye brows waxed/facial even with the therapist in full PPE.

I am sick of it personally. There is no logic to any of it!

Agree with this

I find the whole 'but I don't want to/it's uncomfortable/it steams up my glasses/ it's restrictive' blah blah blah reminiscent of a foot stomping toddler.

This.

@InFiveMins
@lifeafter50,

The issue with people staying at home is that we'd have to lock down for around three months + to replace all of the workers who have a risk situation. Speaking to the bus driver yesterday, he was only able to go back to work because people are wearing masks. His DD has a health condition which may mean that she can't return to University. She won't be the only one, so we'll end up with a skills shortage in the future.

All of the specialist Nurses that I see have at-risk relatives or are at risk themselves. HCPs have sacrificed seeing their children.

We need to stop 'othering', you might not have a relative that you are bothered about, but other people do. It's a bit like speeding. Eventually it's going to impact on someone.
If you want a NHS appointment over winter, it's best to be pro masks.

There's a thread here which outlines some of the legitimate reasons why people are exempt from wearing masks.

Please don't judge those not wearing them. Don't ask personal questions or tut or imagine they're selfish/conspiracy theorists/don't care about your health.

Those exempt are not required to offer proof and should not be expected to be questioned about the conditions which mean they're exempt.

Please, let's all show a little empathy and less judgement.

Here is the first thread. There's lots of useful information on both about quite rare conditions which require exemption, things I hadn't heard of and situations I hadn't considered.

@TwilightPeace

I’m more sick of the non-mask brigade and their stupid excuses.

Some people - millions - are exempt and their reasons aren't 'stupid' at all.

There's a percentage of the people who are exempt that could wear visors and should do so. Or as I've said on another thread, don't make unnecessary journeys, sit upstairs on buses, don't have conversations on public transport, so you aren't causing excessive droplets etc etc.

@Lindy2

I expect other people are also literally sick of being infected by non mask wearers.

Not happened to me, yet, oddly enough.

Unfortunate if you repeatedly find yourself infected by other people. Terrible bad luck.

Unfortunate if you repeatedly find yourself infected by other people. Terrible bad luck

:)

@Ponoka7

There's a percentage of the people who are exempt that could wear visors and should do so. Or as I've said on another thread, don't make unnecessary journeys, sit upstairs on buses, don't have conversations on public transport, so you aren't causing excessive droplets etc etc.

Visors are not a magic bullet.

There are posters on the threads I've linked to who are survivors of sexual violence for whom anything near their face would be problematic. Visors place pressure on the head so are not suitable for those with neuropathic conditions.

If somebody has told you they are exempt, please just accept it and don't ask if they've explored all the options/think they're just not trying hard enough. Nobody should have to offer personal, often distressing, information to justify why they are (perfectly legally) not wearing a mask.

• TwilightPeace I’m more sick of the non-mask brigade and their stupid excuses.

Some people - millions - are exempt and their reasons aren't 'stupid' at all.*

I’m not referring to those that CANT wear masks for whatever medical reason. I’m referring to those that WONT because it makes them
Slightly uncomfortable.

@madbirdlady22 Its made me feel like a right mug.

If there is ever a second lockdown ............fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

’Maskophobia’ is extremely widespread

And yet it seems most of the world just get on with it....