If you're still wearing a mask are you feeling a bit daft?

[LegendaryReady]

If I'm honest, I've never been completely convinced about the value of masks, especially the way most people use them, but I have always worn one in indoor public places since we were first asked to do, as I know it makes some of the people around me more comfortable.

I've continued since restrictions were relaxed, although admittedly I'm less concerned now if I find myself without one by mistake. However, I've noticed that I am most definitely in the minority now and I feel like people are judging me for being one of those paranoid over anxious types and I'm not, I'm just trying to do the right thing. I think people are huffing when I'm the only one in a queue wearing one and there's a delay because I can't be heard properly, for example.

So if you're still wearing one, do you feel comfortable doing so?

If you're not wearing one do you have an opinion on those who do?

@UsedUpUsername - mind your own business.

So if they are not effective in a healthcare setting, how are they even supposed to be effective in a community setting? Only respirators show an effect, but the general public probably won’t tolerate them

I can think of a few reasons. The most important being that in a healthcare setting you are getting much closer to other people and those people may well be more vulnerable. When I last went to hospital I had to wear a disposable mask that they provided rather than my own disposable or fabric one.

None of that means that wearing a fabric mask out in the community does nothing to protect others. In fact the studies say that they do offer some protection for the general poppulation, but you didn't copy and paste that bit, did you.

Nearly everyone is still wearing them where I am so I think you're more likely to face judgement for not.

I'm firmly in the they offer some protection camp so will continue to wear one. Couldn't give a toss what others think.

I still wear one…and my username explains what I think about people who don’t. HTH

I don't feel daft at all, but when I have to go into a shop with my daughter (not yet 2) I feel SO guilty that she's not protected like me.

Even though the main benefit of wearing masks is to protect other vulnerable people I still hate taking her in with me and only will when I have no choice.

I'll wear a mask inside until covid is almost a thing of the past!!

@AntiMaskersAreTwats

I still wear one…and my username explains what I think about people who don’t. HTH

Is that people who are actually anti-mask? (I am not, and I do wear a mask)

Or people who don’t wear them everywhere you would? (I probably do fall into this category)

Just so that we are clear about who you consider to be twats

Happy to still wear a mask and considering wearing one in public transport forever if I’m honest. And perhaps in areas of high pollution. I think Asia has got it right.

Although I don’t think shops are very high risk, but I wear one out of respect for shop workers as they don’t have a choice.

I went on a train and plane recently and wore the FFP2 masks which have been shown to have a much higher protection rate and it made me feel pretty safe.

Bunched in with 100 people one person is bound to have something and I realise how much I just took my constant colds / sick bugs for granted. I travel loads on public transport. I’m so pleased not to get them anymore.

Btw the FFP2 is what health workers normally wear and they are very effective. They are sold by Boots and other places.

None of that means that wearing a fabric mask out in the community does nothing to protect others. In fact the studies say that they do offer some protection for the general poppulation, but you didn't copy and paste that bit, did you

Why should I when you link to an outdated CDC article that still talks about droplets when we know it spreads via aerosols?

Lots are still wearing them round my way, including me and no I don’t feel silly

Went to the garden centre today, I would say 90% were wearing masks

There are lots of people still wearing them here, even walking from shop to shop.

I went to a city yesterday and forgot to take a mask - I would say more people than not were wearing them and I felt a bit awkward going into some smaller shops without one on.

@NCBlossom

Btw the FFP2 is what health workers normally wear and they are very effective. They are sold by Boots and other places.

Health workers in specific areas and/or doing specific clinical tasks.

The vast majority of healthcare staff do not wear these.

@UsedUpUsername

None of that means that wearing a fabric mask out in the community does nothing to protect others. In fact the studies say that they do offer some protection for the general poppulation, but you didn't copy and paste that bit, did you

Why should I when you link to an outdated CDC article that still talks about droplets when we know it spreads via aerosols?

Would you care to do a link to an up to date study that says they don't provide any protection? That would be most helpful.

Are people wearing fabric masks in the UK?
I visited England recently, but very briefly, and the people who were wearing masks were wearing surgical masks in the main, with a not small minority in FFP2.

Where I live FFP2 are legally required for everyone over 15, and children of 6+ have to wear surgical masks. Only the occasional very small child wears a fabric one through choice/ parental choice. Otherwise they're largely redundant.

It looked, on my brief visit which involved public transport but no supermarket shopping, as though people in England who were wearing masks, were not wearing fabric ones. So I'm surprised to see the bickering on this thread about fabric masks - surely most people wearing masks are wearing surgical or FFP2, so the bickering about fabric is redundant?

I've almost completely swopped to disposable masks now. That was mainly due to the hot weather and finding them much more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. I know it's not so great for the environment and I do care about that, but I think they are slightly more effective than the fabric ones.

I usually wear one in shops and supermarkets and I dont feel silly at all.
I still wash my hands, use hand san all the time and cough on to my arm rather than hand etc
The general amount of bugs/illnesses seems to have waned. I'm a germophobe so all these precautions are things I'm happy to take.
I think it shows respect to supermarket staff to wear a mask. They are potentially exposed all day every day.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Are people wearing fabric masks in the UK? I visited England recently, but very briefly, and the people who were wearing masks were wearing surgical masks in the main, with a not small minority in FFP2.

Where I live FFP2 are legally required for everyone over 15, and children of 6+ have to wear surgical masks. Only the occasional very small child wears a fabric one through choice/ parental choice. Otherwise they're largely redundant.

It looked, on my brief visit which involved public transport but no supermarket shopping, as though people in England who were wearing masks, were not wearing fabric ones. So I'm surprised to see the bickering on this thread about fabric masks - surely most people wearing masks are wearing surgical or FFP2, so the bickering about fabric is redundant?

Most people in my area are wearing cloth masks. A few in disposable. Very very few in FFP2. I wear a cloth mask because of the environment impact of surgical ones. Apparently there are millions on our oceans from the past 18 months. Dread to think how much waste plastic all the tests are generating.

I rarely see anyone in FFP2/3 outside of medical settings
Some of the blue disposable ones
Mostly fabric in the places I go. Mine is fabric, but some medical/care settings give me their own new disposable one for the time I’m there

So perhaps the “bickering” isn’t redundant at all, who knows

FfrothiCoffi I completely agree with you about the environmental impact, but am curious about what % of mask wearers in the UK are wearing fabric masks, given that part of the thread descended into the well worn bicker about whether "masks work" based on an assumption people are wearing fabric face covers, not actual masks.

My brief observation suggested that almost nobody seemed to be wearing fabric ones, making the dull old "gotcha" of the anti-masker redundant. Obviously even as a gotcha its ignorant "Don't you realise that you're behaving in a largely selfless community minded way, haha, gotcha, don't you feel daft!"

Very rare to see anyone in medical masks I would say 80% fabric. At one stage people were discouraged from buying medical ones in order that they could be preserved for high risk settings such as care homes.

Where I live in the US, we have to wear them in indoor settings again, regardless of vaccination status-the rule was reimposed a few weeks ago. There’s no mask exemptions here, everyone has to wear them in shops, etc,. or you’ll be asked to leave.

I hope they’re having some impact in keeping the Delta variant at bay, but I’m not qualified to say either way, I’ve no medical nor scientific training.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

FfrothiCoffi I completely agree with you about the environmental impact, but am curious about what % of mask wearers in the UK are wearing fabric masks, given that part of the thread descended into the well worn bicker about whether "masks work" based on an assumption people are wearing fabric face covers, not actual masks.

My brief observation suggested that almost nobody seemed to be wearing fabric ones, making the dull old "gotcha" of the anti-masker redundant. Obviously even as a gotcha its ignorant "Don't you realise that you're behaving in a largely selfless community minded way, haha, gotcha, don't you feel daft!"

I would say at least 50% wear fabric masks where we live and when we've been away too.

Thanks for the answers - it looks as though there are still a lot of fabric face covers being worn then. It surprises me as its all FFP2 where I live, and I was looking to see what people on the trains I took in England were wearing and it was either nothing covering their mouth and nose or surgical masks, with some FFP2.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

Are people wearing fabric masks in the UK? I visited England recently, but very briefly, and the people who were wearing masks were wearing surgical masks in the main, with a not small minority in FFP2.

Where I live FFP2 are legally required for everyone over 15, and children of 6+ have to wear surgical masks. Only the occasional very small child wears a fabric one through choice/ parental choice. Otherwise they're largely redundant.

It looked, on my brief visit which involved public transport but no supermarket shopping, as though people in England who were wearing masks, were not wearing fabric ones. So I'm surprised to see the bickering on this thread about fabric masks - surely most people wearing masks are wearing surgical or FFP2, so the bickering about fabric is redundant?

We got some FFP2 when delta came in and then case numbers rose over the summer.

My DC aged 13, who has just been vaccinated, commented that he is not the only one at his school with this sort of mask.

@UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme

FfrothiCoffi I completely agree with you about the environmental impact, but am curious about what % of mask wearers in the UK are wearing fabric masks, given that part of the thread descended into the well worn bicker about whether "masks work" based on an assumption people are wearing fabric face covers, not actual masks.

My brief observation suggested that almost nobody seemed to be wearing fabric ones, making the dull old "gotcha" of the anti-masker redundant. Obviously even as a gotcha its ignorant "Don't you realise that you're behaving in a largely selfless community minded way, haha, gotcha, don't you feel daft!"

Ok. Well it’s mainly cloth masks in my part of England.