If you're still mask wearing, when will you stop?

[Fordian]

Do you have a 'line in the sand'?

Depending on what happens with numbers and variants- I'm thinking 'once all adults have had the chance to be double vaxxed'.

I'm wearing one at the moment because I've got an awful cough and cold (been tested, negative) and I don't want to pass it onto anyone

Other than that, I have to wear one for work (NHS) and would wear one on public transport, at the cinema etc but am comfortable not wearing one in a pub or restaurant. I have continued wearing one whilst shopping but that's for other people's benefit rather than mine as I'm under 40, generally healthy and double jabbed since early April

My understanding is that in adults the claim that wearing a mask weakens your immune system was noted as false.

This Reuters fact check says wearing a mask doesn't weaken the immune system in adults but loneliness and stress from social isolation may do. www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-staying-home-immune-system-idUSKBN22O2LA

This article is more readable perhaps www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2020/05/17/no-wearing-a-mask-to-protect-against-covid-19-coronavirus-will-not-weaken-your-immune-system/

Or this healthfeedback.org/claimreview/face-masks-handwashing-and-vaccination-do-not-weaken-the-immune-system-and-are-effective-measures-to-reduce-the-spread-of-infectious-diseases/

I haven't even thought about it!
Interesting question OP.

I actually started wearing a mask right from the start, before the debate and uncertainty regarding mask wearing started in the UK. Very few time I wore scarves because that's all I had. It was a but awkward at times when acquaintances or friends questioned it but I had my own conviction of using all I could as preventative measures back then because I didn't know much about this virus at all.
I'll keep wearing for all instances where going inside irrespective of type of building apart from homes of relatives and friends unless they'd prefer it (I always offer to wear it though).
Randomly going to an office at present but I always ask what they prefer if I need to go in - different clients have different preferences and I'm ok with their choices unless it's a small space without ventilation when I simply keep it on.

It's not a left requirement to hold the door open for someone but it's the decent thing to do. I feel wearing my mask is the decent thing to do for others. I also understand that it gives me a little bit of protection as well so why wouldn't I protect myself in the process?

I gave up disinfecting door handles etc a very long time ago as that doesn't appear to be a significant channel of transmission.
I still use hand sanitizer when I get back in the car from being inside a place where I touched items. Otherwise I don't bother. However I am very good at not touching my face anymore. And, again, my understanding is that this is not a significant transmission avenue. So mostly wash hands when I get home as I always did pre-pandemic.
Wearing a mask is about the only defence in reducing transmission as far as I understand it, even though it's a relatively weak armour for me personally.

Conversely, I never stopped hugging my good friends throughout the pandemic as I feel human interaction is the most important thing in life. And that's how I realised I have very, very few truly close friends that I love with all my heart and would hug them in a heartbeat if they were comfortable with it. And I wish I could hug the very good friends I have dotted around the world as well but who knows when I'll see them again. So my huge circle of people I feel closed to or comfortable with who I really like and would enjoy spending time with or helping out when needed, is actually made up of most what I now class as people I know and only a handful of absolutely true friends who I truly love. Took a pandemic a few decades of experience to figure that one out!

Legal requirement not left requirement 🙈

It baffles and irritates me that so many people STILL think that a flimsy bit of blue paper with gaps at the sides and top provides any protection from a virus either way. It is the equivalent of wearing a St Christopher every time one travels.

Also every expert source has stated that face coverings do nothing to protect the wearer, and yet comments from them show that many believe that they do.

It's now turned into a religious belief, disconnected from science.

Trying to get people to think and act logically on this subject is exasperating.

• comments from them

I mean comments from mask wearers

But it is logical. I stated that when I go in indoor crowded spaces I will continue to wear one (which in my case means a minimum ffp2 mask rather than a surgical) for the foreseeable. I'm not trying to make others wear one. I'm not assuming it's a total protection against all viruses. I just think it's something I don't mind doing that in combination with other behaviours seems to have reduced the amount of colds I get as well as at this time seeing like a reasonably prudent thing to do.
I find it illogical why that seems to make people cross and exasperated.

I have a cev daughter who’s too young to be vaccinated, when she’s able to have the jab I’ll stop wearing a mask in busy places.

I’ve just had my second this week would need to see higher rates of double vax
Case numbers here are double what they’ve ever been so need to come down considerably
I’ll still wear them in busy places for the foreseeable

Loads of people dont care about wearing masks but will wear one if required

I wore one to sons graduation and one to tescos because both places requested one

I didn’t wear one in the cafe because the owner was happy for people not to wear one

I think a lot of the problems i have with ‘mask’ threads is posters from both ends of the subject treating all mask wearers and non mask wearers as one homogeneous man…they are all afraid or they are all stupid or they are all….whatever

No idea. Things are still changing a lot and I feel it's too early to say. Other people's choices may differ in the coming months and I appreciate that.

user1471443411

People saying you'll wear masks every winter, why are you wearing them in the summer?

Because of CEV loved ones. Rates where we live are very high. It’s likely I’ll encounter an asymptomatic carrier in a busy indoor space and I don’t want to take the avoidable risk of taking infection home. It’s really not a puzzle, no big deal to put on a clean mask and sanitise and doesn’t harm anyone else 🤷‍♀️.

When COVID cases stop looking like this

About the next 12 to 18 months as I’ve just had braces fitted so I’m loving being able to hide behind a mask whilst I get used to them!

I have to continue wearing them for work so will probably use them in stores/transport for a while yet. I always wear the ones we have to wear for work when out and about. I think if people are wearing crappy homemade/fashion material ones/visors only they may as well not bother

I wore it all last week as i had a cough cold. I am not bothered anymore thoigh.

Some people do take mask wearing to the extreme, I saw a guy wearing a mask whilst cycling in 30c heat a few days ago. Why? Just why?

When I feel the case numbers are low enough

Wellbythebloodyhell

Some people do take mask wearing to the extreme, I saw a guy wearing a mask whilst cycling in 30c heat a few days ago. Why? Just why?

Hay fever? Masks help enormously.

@MrsSkylerWhite

Wellbythebloodyhell

Some people do take mask wearing to the extreme, I saw a guy wearing a mask whilst cycling in 30c heat a few days ago. Why? Just why?

Hay fever? Masks help enormously.

Surely all that panting from exercise added with the extreme heat it can't be a good thing to have your mouth and nose covered? Maybe I'm more claustrophobic than I thought

My local area has much higher case numbers than average currently. Therefore I haven’t changed my behaviour for now. I’m looking forward to ditching my mask but I’ll follow the local conditions in lieu of ‘rules’ when making that decision.

It's difficult as I know people who are CEV and need to keep them safe from covid.

Also, you never know who else in the supermarket or on the bus might be CEV or be someone who would lose out financially if they have to isolate. I think cases would have to be below the 1000 a day mark for at least two weeks and for the case positivity rate to be well below 5% before I would consider removing my mask. Even then, I'd still wear a mask if visiting someone who is CEV.

@MrsSkylerWhite

Wellbythebloodyhell

Some people do take mask wearing to the extreme, I saw a guy wearing a mask whilst cycling in 30c heat a few days ago. Why? Just why?

Hay fever? Masks help enormously.

Cyclists have been wearing masks longer than we’ve had a pandemic. It filters out pollutants from traffic - you’d be surprised at home much black crap you can blow from your nose when you cycle on roads.