Hypothetical mask question

[Frazzled13]

Absolutely hypothetical question as obviously it would never happen like this.
Imagine the government said tomorrow that masks were no longer legally required, however they were still recommended, and they hadn’t suddenly discovered that they don’t work or cause some horrible side effect, and there also hadn’t been a massive drop in cases that made masks not necessary. Everything is the same, they just aren’t legally required.
Would you still wear one? Would you only wear it in some situations? Or would your masks be instantly thrown into a fire, never to be seen again? If you would keep wearing it, do you think you’ll continue to do so (post-covid) as a regular winter measure against colds etc?
I was only wondering because before masks were legally required, where I live the vast vast majority of people were not wearing them in shops but I think if they suddenly changed the rules more people would wear them despite not being legally obliged to than did earlier in the year, in part because I think people are a lot more used to them now.
(I’m not advocating a sudden random change in rules by the way.)

No. I wear a mask because the government say I have to. As soon as they say I don't, I'll stop.

It’s true they don’t appear to have been a roaring success 🤷🏻‍♀️

Can't stand them, so not a chance I'd wear them if not compulsory.

Once it has hopefully been deemed not mandatory they will be hoyed right in the bin. Hate the things. I don’t see how this makes me selfish in the slightest. If we’ve been told it’s ‘safe’ to not wear them then I’m going with that advice, not what some stranger on here says.

I would wear one, because I'm not a selfish dick, and I know that wearing masks predominantly protects other people.

I wouldn't wear one unless forced to. I am generally walking around blind in the supermarket with my glasses steamed up. I rip it off as soon as I get out. It's stopping me from shopping much tho so I guess it's minimising me going out and therefore the risk of catching Covid tho....!

I can't wear the fucking things anyway.
I look forwards to the day when I'm not excluded from participating fully in society. When I can enjoy indoor spaces. When I don't have to lug a clunky visor around (which can still cause me breathing issues from the humidity). When I can look at random people in the face, lip read them and hear their words more clearly.

Face masks make society more isolationist and exclusionary.

I miss people's smiles and communication.

I still caught a cold despite washing hands and wearing a mask when inside in shops so I don't think they do much unless medical grade

Not sure, ive got allergies and keep sneezing, I think if makes others more comfortable if I'm masked (I've been literally nowhere so it's not a virus!)

I think realistically I'd slowly get out of the habit bit by bit. E.g. If I forgot to bring it out I'd still go in the shop and as it became more normal to not wear one I'd do it less and less. I think I'd keep it on busy tubes but not when I had the carriage to myself, wouldn't bother if the shop was empty etc...

I will probably continue to use them throughout winter.

Not because of Covid but because every year I get a cold that goes straight to my chest and I end up coughing for weeks after or until doctor finally listens to my chest and gives me antibiotics.

If masks just stop me getting one cold more I will continue to use them in the winter.

I get the exact thing after every cold.

I have cough variant asthma triggered by a cold. I end up coughing for weeks after a cold and it is really painful and exhausting as I never get any sleep from it.

It's a difficult asthma to control and end up on steroids and prescription sleeping tablets. Only way I get sleep is through alcohol, which as someone who very rarely drinks, is horrible.

Anyway! It's very noticeable that I haven't had a cold this year, and I am fairly sure it's due to mask wearing.

I'd love for mask wearing to be normal now.

I’ve barely been anywhere and everywhere I have been I’ve dutifully wore my mask - still ended up with stinking colds 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not a chance. They are getting burned in a fire at the first opportunity never ever to be seen again.
They cause me so much stress and anxiety

Stellaris22

Do you still have your tonsils.

I had mine removed in the 60s when if you went in to hospital for anything they whipped all sorts out just in case.

I think without them there is nothing to stop infections going into your lungs.

I wouldn't wear mine a second longer than I had to. But I'd keep them as I like their designs!

Tonsils are removed funnily enough, but in the 90s as I kept getting tonsillitis as a child.

I wouldn't, I'd love to be able to see again!
My glasses fog up and although I can just about see without them it makes me tired and headachy.

Remembering how unpleasant wearing a mask in the summer was, I think I'd start off with good intentions to keep wearing one if they were no longer legally required but the evidence still suggested they slowed the spread, but realistically I imagine it would fall by the wayside next summer if not before.

Also, I totally see the logic of people saying they'd wear one if they had a cold, but I wonder how many actually would because I had a cold a few weeks ago and wearing a mask while snotty and sore-throated was noticeably more uncomfortable than it normally is.

No, I only wear one now because it's legally required, and partly because of social convention (I could claim an exemption, but I don't because I don't want to stand out). I always wear mine where it's legally required, and remove it immediately once I leave. I would stop wearing it as soon as it was legally allowed. If there were venues where it was required as part of entry procedures, or for example if my DD's nursery requested it, I'd do it in order to meet their rules, even if it wasn't the law, just because I want to gain access to their venue/services. But the one I use is a thin single layer and has lots of gaps around the face which allows me to breathe properly - meets the legal requirements but doesn't offer very much protection.

Nope, can’t wait not to have to wear one anymore, especially at work. I work in community nursing and one of the big values in the nhs is effective communication, I’m sorry but masks totally hinder this especially with the elderly or those with hearing difficulties.

A lot of the Asian countries actually wear masks because the air quality is atrocious and not because of illness. We need to be exposed to illnesses to keep our immune systems working

No i wouldn't. They make my jaw ache.