Is anyone exempt from wearing a mask but feels that they should try their best to wear one?

[girlbaby85]

I'm asthmatic and take two different coloured asthma pumps making me exempt from wearing a mask. When the mask wearing rule came into effect, I tried so hard to wear a mask even though I could barely breathe. I tried the fabric ones and the medical ones and neither worked for me. I then got pregnant and eventually gave up because I was constantly out of breath😂

When I had my baby I was very cautious of my surroundings so tried to wear my mask again as I didn't want to get ill. Some days were easier than others but I eventually gave up yet again. Fast forward to now and I'm pregnant again and with the new variant I've tried so hard to keep wearing a mask but it's literally hell!

DP says he doesn't know why I keep putting myself in this position of doing this when I know it makes it harder to breathe but I wondered if there's anyone else about that shares my pain? I think the reason why I keep trying to wear the mask is because I want to feel as if I'm doing my bit by keeping myself safe and other people. I find it so annoying that I can't wear one even though there's nothing I can do about it!

(I know there's bigger things to worry about so this is kind of lighthearted)

@Innocenta

Asthma means you need to wear a mask more, not less.

Exactly.

The frustrating thing I have noticed is most people that I know who are "exempt" are the ones who were insisting on wearing masks right up until it was recommended because they were so vulnerable. Now everyone has to wear them they're special snowflakes that need an exemption.

The self declaring exemption is the issue IMO. Yes, there are people who can't wear them, but it shouldn't be an arbitrary decision you make yourself.

As above, masks aren't terribly comfortable but it is what it is. They've done studies which show they don't cause issues with breathing.

I had severe kliebseilla pneumonia a few years ago and guess what, I had to wear a heavy duty mask so as not to infect other people in hospital. No option given!

But saying asthmatics can't or shouldn't wear masks is literally misinformation.

Nowhere did I say that. I'm speaking about my own experience and mentioned the experiences of the people that I know that have asthma. Everyone is different so why would I generalise saying asthmatics shouldn't do this or that lol, makes no sense

I actually like wearing a mask. It saves a hell of a lot on lip fillers and means not having to smell people's breath on the metro and best, it is an indicator of the type of person you are forced to sit ne t to in public. If it's a militant starer, just begging to be challenged about their pathetic conspiracy theories, it's a great joy to ignore them but cough a lot. They soon fuck off

Oh here comes the struggle Olympics about who has what condition but they still wear masks and other people shouldn't be able to make the decision themselves and whatnot. Give it a rest honestly this isn't what this thread is about

@girlbaby85

Oh here comes the struggle Olympics about who has what condition but they still wear masks and other people shouldn't be able to make the decision themselves and whatnot. Give it a rest honestly this isn't what this thread is about

It's not the "struggle Olympics", it's just the basic reality of severe asthma. I'm not trying to tell you what to do; if you want to put yourself at risk, that's fine.

@girlbaby85

Oh here comes the struggle Olympics about who has what condition but they still wear masks and other people shouldn't be able to make the decision themselves and whatnot. Give it a rest honestly this isn't what this thread is about

It's literally what the thread is about though- you're asking if people who are exempt force themselves to wear masks...

Or some of us who are clinically vulnerable are more, rather than less keen on wearing masks because of our conditions.

I think that we should be wearing masks as a society, but I don't judge individuals.

It's literally what the thread is about though- you're asking if people who are exempt force themselves to wear masks...

Yes but I didn't ask for your judgement regarding people who are exempt and not wearing a mask solely for the reason that they're 'exempt.' You've already said your opinion upthread now you're coming and using an example of when you were in hospital and blah blah blah. Struggle olympics at the finest

@Draggondragon

I actually like wearing a mask. It saves a hell of a lot on lip fillers and means not having to smell people's breath on the metro and best, it is an indicator of the type of person you are forced to sit ne t to in public. If it's a militant starer, just begging to be challenged about their pathetic conspiracy theories, it's a great joy to ignore them but cough a lot. They soon fuck off

You deliberately cough on people during a pandemic? While berating people who cannot wear masks for genuine medical reasons?

If you're actually for real, you are dangerous.

@girlbaby85 OK hen. It was an example of how pre covid exemptions didn't exist and you simply didn't get a choice.

[quote girlbaby85]@Holly60 Every person I know that has asthma struggles to wear a mask and finds it more difficult to breathe than usual. Is that so hard to comprehend? I'm so sorry we don't feel as great as you do when out and about and wearing a mask! Bloody hell.

And where did I say I don't really like wearing a mask?? You're literally making things up to fit your own narrative, so delusional. Bye [/quote]
I don’t think it’s true to the extent you say but some people with asthma struggle and therefore, they are mask exempt. It’s kinda irrelevant what other people can or can’t do. It’s your body and your health. I have severe lung disease and I can wear a mask but saying that does not magically make it easier for other people to be able to wear one. All bodies are different. Don’t make yourself ill over it.

?..so this thread is actually about you seeking validation for not wearing a mask? All I see is you arguing with everyone. You asked a question and people have answered

I'm also deaf and have to chose between hearing aids and mask. I can't wear both.

I'm also autistic with ADD so wear a sunflower lanyard. Sometimes I don't have my aids in and have a mask on plus lanyard.

The amount of time I've been questioned about wearing a lanyard plus a mask means I'm not so polite in my responses any more.

What's unhelpful about posts like yours is, they give the impression that some (if not all) exempt people could wear masks if they only tried harder.

Yes!

This kind of attitude drove my 16 year old daughter to a mental health breakdown and agoraphobia earlier this year.

This message that she just wasn’t trying hard enough - coupled with bullying and abuse, being told she shouldn’t be allowed to leave the house and constant “you’re killing people/you will catch covid and die”

My daughter has Tourette’s. She cannot wear a mask. She has tried - and put herself into hospital in the process, but the nature of her tics mean she can’t wear a mask.

@Pumpkinstace

I'm also deaf and have to chose between hearing aids and mask. I can't wear both.

I'm also autistic with ADD so wear a sunflower lanyard. Sometimes I don't have my aids in and have a mask on plus lanyard.

The amount of time I've been questioned about wearing a lanyard plus a mask means I'm not so polite in my responses any more.

Wearing hearing aids is specifically listed as not being a reason for exemption. There are plenty of options including non loop masks, button loops and velcro masks. So to say you can't wear both doesn't make sense (I'm a hearing aid wearer so it's not that I don't get it).

@Pixiedust1234

?..so this thread is actually about you seeking validation for not wearing a mask? All I see is you arguing with everyone. You asked a question and people have answered

Did you read the original post or...?? I don't need validation from anyone, I still try to wear a mask so what needs to be validated here?

The thread is about people who are exempt from wearing a mask but still feel as if they should wear one for whatever reason? A few people have answered the question so it's clearly a very simple question. MN is so funny because if you don't have the tone that is expected of you, you're apparently arguing with people. I haven't argued with anyone.
This isn't the thread for people to come on and say 'oh I have so and so condition therefore I wear a mask so other people with other conditions should be able to wear a mask too.'

@girlbaby85

It's literally what the thread is about though- you're asking if people who are exempt force themselves to wear masks...

Yes but I didn't ask for your judgement regarding people who are exempt and not wearing a mask solely for the reason that they're 'exempt.' You've already said your opinion upthread now you're coming and using an example of when you were in hospital and blah blah blah. Struggle olympics at the finest

"Struggle Olympics" doesn't actually mean anything. You just don't like the fact that people disagree!

There's nothing wrong with coughing around a conspiracy theorist. They are docks.

I'm guessing you didn't read the original post either then @Innocenta

This isn't really an agree/disagree situation it's more of a situation whether it applies to you or not. It really is struggle Olympics to come here and say well I suffer from this and still wear a mask so even if you suffer from this, you should still wear a mask. It's even silly to go back and forth over mask wearing. Everyone does things differently, I just wanted to see if anyone could relate🤷‍♀️
I don't think people should come on here judging one another etc

Of course I read the post. I literally said that I'm not trying to tell you what to do, and it's up to you if you want to put yourself at risk.

"Struggle Olympics" is an attempt to invalidate justified points because you don't like them

@Draggondragon

There's nothing wrong with coughing around a conspiracy theorist. They are docks.

How do you know that someone is a conspiracy theorist without speaking to them? How do you know the person you're coughing on isn't mask exempt, and possibly with vulnerabilities?

You're another one of those people who considers themselves kind, caring and empathetic aren't you - yet you're happy to call disabled people twats and cough on them at the height of a pandemic.

And FYI, your coughs won't just affect the person sitting next to you. If you have covid, particularly Omicron, you may infect the whole train carriage.

So kind. So caring.

I wouldn't have Omicron or Covid. When I travel out of the 150 a day case country I live in, I PCR test daily so I don't get stuck in the pits of Hell UK. I wear a mask and since Omicron, would rather eat my own foot than step foot in Heathrow. My sister is a theorist, she wears a mask behind closed doors but loves, lives for , loves not wearing a mask in public so she can tell people she's exempt. For her, it's the new praying someone without a kid parking in a parent space at Asda.

Actually I am not saying I am kind and caring. If you read my posts, I admit to being judgemental and sick of twats. I know people who don't wear masks here do so for a reason but they generally don't want to be assholes to their host country, I have seen the police speak to people and log them as not to be fined. But nobody ever was waived from declaring themselves exempt because they are a useless sad old twat.

@Draggondragon

I wouldn't have Omicron or Covid. When I travel out of the 150 a day case country I live in, I PCR test daily so I don't get stuck in the pits of Hell UK. I wear a mask and since Omicron, would rather eat my own foot than step foot in Heathrow. My sister is a theorist, she wears a mask behind closed doors but loves, lives for , loves not wearing a mask in public so she can tell people she's exempt. For her, it's the new praying someone without a kid parking in a parent space at Asda.

Actually I am not saying I am kind and caring. If you read my posts, I admit to being judgemental and sick of twats. I know people who don't wear masks here do so for a reason but they generally don't want to be assholes to their host country, I have seen the police speak to people and log them as not to be fined. But nobody ever was waived from declaring themselves exempt because they are a useless sad old twat.

PCR test daily? Err, okay

Omicron and Covid are the same thing, it's not either or.

I'm glad you admit you're not kind and caring, at least you're honest. Anyone who deliberately coughs in an enclosed, crowded space during a pandemic is not only uncaring about the health of others (some of whom may be vulnerable), they also have no regard for others' anxieties.

If you're for real. Which I seriously doubt. Only a sociopath could act the way you claim to.

Oh I am for real. I defend my right to not live in the UK and assume its the most civilised place in the work. My PA is from Sri Lanka and said all his male relatives do illegal in the UK because the cash is good. Ibecause you know what? Outside of your sweetlittle life, people have different cultures to survive. From floating boats to choosing illegal hotel work to picking your middle class coffee

@Plantsandpuddlesuits

Me. I'm deaf and hearing aids plus mask straps make for bleeding ears. I tried going without my hearing aids and with a mask on but it's just so hard to hear. So now I don't wear a mask so I can wear my hearing aids.

But I always feel a bit judged in public, I keep my distance as much as I can though. Feel stuck between a rock and a hard place either I have bleeding ears or get looked at for not wearing a mask, can't win really!

I wear hearing aids, the hook around ear ones are no good. At the audiology clinic they advise masks which tie around the back. I have those plus some with elastic which are better.