Non mask wearers and “hard of thinking”

[2X4B523P]

After reading several threads on face mask since the 19th I have seen many posts where non maskers were referred to as being “hard of thinking” (along with being selfish). I have given thought to why I have decided not to wear a mask, see below, and I was wondering if those who refer to people as hard of thinking have actually given any thought themselves on the pros and cons of masks and came to their own conclusions?

It is known that mask use has a limited impact on transmission. From my own observations the sort of masks in common use have no effect whatsoever on preventing transmission from aerosols. They leak out around the sides of the mask and at the top, which prevented me wearing my glasses when using masks. If not a glasses wearer, anyone else can observe this for themselves by standing close to a mirror with a mask on and see the misting. I also wondered if a tight seal around the mask would help so I stood in front of a mirror and held the mask tight around my mouth and the vapour passed straight through. For those glasses users who didn't have the misting issue then there would have been a better gap elsewhere for the expelled air containing the moisture to escape from.

However masks do help to contain droplets, until evaporation takes over. This would depend on several factors including the time the mask was worn for, the ambient temperature, humidity levels and any movement of the air. Droplets are generated when talking, coughing or sneezing. These droplets fall to the ground within six foot which is where the original social distancing rule came in. I am able to avoid scattering droplets in a confined public space so feel that a face mask would have no positive effect on anyone else's health and safety. I shop alone and use the self checkout / scan and shop so seldom, if ever, talk to anyone. I very rarely sneeze (unless removing a lengthy nasal hair with a pair of cooking tongs) and if I did when in a public space then would do so into the crook of my elbow. I can't remember the last time I had to cough in a shop and if so would do as per sneezing. Aside from that I am also continuing with social distancing where possible. (I can keep my distance from others but others may enter my space)

Also I always use the hand sanitiser when entering shops and have had both doses of the Pfizer.

Think the question asked in my op has mostly been missed, the thread was not about how effective masks are or are not but to the countless posts where non mask wearers were referred to as "hard of thinking" and I just wondered how much thought they themselves had given to the topic. To show I had given thought I included my own PERSONAL thoughts on masks and how I assessed the risks.

Given your personal thoughts seem to have been formulated ignoring actual scientific evidence and only incorporating the views of those who are convenient for your position (without apparently examining their credentials), I’m not sure how much you’re advancing the idea that people who choose not to wear masks because they ‘don’t think they work’ have put a lot of critical thought into it.

Yes, I think they're hard of thinking.

For some of them, there's not much thought. For others like you, there's thought but it's fuzzy and full of confirmation bias. That's another kind of hard of thinking.

In other words, I think you're selfish rather than stupid, and I suspect you know it and don't want to admit it. Hence all the nonsense.

From my own observations the sort of masks in common use have no effect whatsoever on preventing transmission from aerosols

Ah, so you're an expert on viral transmission?

@2X4B523P

Think the question asked in my op has mostly been missed, the thread was not about how effective masks are or are not but to the countless posts where non mask wearers were referred to as "hard of thinking" and I just wondered how much thought they themselves had given to the topic. To show I had given thought I included my own PERSONAL thoughts on masks and how I assessed the risks.

You've missed the point that your personal thoughts are ill informed and wrong, and you are incapable of assessing the risks.

It doesn't matter how much thinking you did when it all lead to the wrong conclusions.

Ah, so you're an expert on viral transmission?

Where ‘expert on viral transmission’ = ‘owner of a mirror’.

I've stopped wearing a mask because I hate them. I also hate seeing others wearing them and it reminds me what a shit situation the world is in. I think their effectiveness is very limited given most people are not wearing them properly or cleaning them. Plus as I said earlier, virus transmission is more likely in the home and other non mask settings (restaurants, parties, nightclubs etc).

@2X4B523P

Think the question asked in my op has mostly been missed, the thread was not about how effective masks are or are not but to the countless posts where non mask wearers were referred to as "hard of thinking" and I just wondered how much thought they themselves had given to the topic. To show I had given thought I included my own PERSONAL thoughts on masks and how I assessed the risks.

If the question isn't about the effectiveness of masks, why do you constantly post that masks are "known" to be ineffective? I don't agree with the "hard of thinking" slur tbf. I prefer a more robust "lack of understanding".

@JassyRadlett

Ah, so you're an expert on viral transmission?

Where ‘expert on viral transmission’ = ‘owner of a mirror’.

Where did she say she was an expert?

@TraumatizedFlower

I've stopped wearing a mask because I hate them. I also hate seeing others wearing them and it reminds me what a shit situation the world is in. I think their effectiveness is very limited given most people are not wearing them properly or cleaning them. Plus as I said earlier, virus transmission is more likely in the home and other non mask settings (restaurants, parties, nightclubs etc).

You think they don't work then you state you are more likely to catch it in situations where you don't wear them.....and you think you're not hard of thinking? LOL

Think of those who are even harder of thinking than you. They see you without one and think ooh I won't wear one. Then someone else sees you two without them and thinks ooh they aren't wearing masks so I won't either. And so on. Do your bit for the sake of the community. And yes, some masks make my glasses steam up so I just adjust them or change to another.

i didnt see op say she was an expert on viral transmission?

Where did she say she was an expert?

When one sets oneself up against actual experts in the field and claims the results of their observations are superior to the work of those experts, you are implying a degree of expertise.

I very rarely sneeze (unless removing a lengthy nasal hair with a pair of cooking tongs)

OP, I really couldn't take you seriously after what you said above

Welp, I think we've had the "hard of thinking" hypothesis beautifully supported by the OP's evidence.

I've stopped wearing a mask because I hate them. I also hate seeing others wearing them and it reminds me what a shit situation the world is in.

I’m really sorry you feel that way about others wearing them. I feel exactly the opposite, I dislike seeing increasing numbers of people not wearing them when case numbers are so high as it makes me feel they don’t care about ending this thing as quickly as possible, which as an immigrant has a personal impact on me.

However I’d never say anything to anyone not wearing a mask, first because I don’t know if they’re able and secondly because it would be a twattish thing to do; I imagine you do likewise with those people wearing masks who it bothers you to see.

In terms of wearing them, I’ll continue to follow public health advice which is backed by evidence from a number of sources. I’m not personally fond of wearing them, I will be thrilled to ditch them after the pandemic, but in the meantime I have an interest in wanting transmission to be under control and the UK not being cut off from numerous countries due to our case levels, because I would seriously like to see my family again.

Early on in the pandemic masks were discouraged due to the risk of medical grade mask shortages.

FFP2 and FFP3/N95 most definitely do help prevent the spread of covid. Homemade masks help in conjunction with other measures such as good ventilation and not standing over someone breathing on them.

There wasn’t much education on the use of fabric masks and risks to wearer though - ie single use, hot wash after each use and wash your hands before and after handling masks. Therefore there is definitely an argument against the effectiveness of face masks when not handled properly or regularly washed.

My view and I heard the same from adult DC. Very simply, wearing a mask can do no harm to the wearer or anyone else and it might have some benefit.

I wonder whether there is vanity at play for some who won't wear one for 10 minutes in a shop?

I think I’ll get my coat. Worst part is no one got the reference to a popular comedy I couldn’t help putting in.

Should add, the risks to the wearer. Even wearing a grubby mask will offer protection to others.

I think I’ll get my coat. And your mask. Don't forget your mask.

@ChristmasShearwater

I'm wearing a mask to save the hassle, OP. However, I remember (in Early Covid Times) listening to Dr Sarah Jarvis on Radio 2 doing a whole segment vehemently insisting that masks were useless - possibly dangerous. She later changed her tune.

Who knows? Not me.

I heard her too on Jeremy Vine’s radio 2 programme, and it made me really dislike her. Her patronising tone, saying that ‘people who wear masks fiddle with them, touch their face all the time’ etc etc You could hear the laughter in her voice as she implied we were all far to stupid to be trusted. She may be well qualified, but my thoughts at the time were that surely a mask would reduce the chances of transmission, so I ignored her ‘advice’. When we were required to mask up, I would have loved to be able to say ‘I TOLD YOU SO’ to her, with a smug grin on my face.

I’m with you OP, so what if people call you names, in a few weeks no one but the super anxious will be wearing them. People are only wearing them because they can’t cope with sudden change.

Too stupid …..

People are only wearing them because they can’t cope with sudden change.

• Citation needed