Who is planning to ditch masks as soon as we are legally allowed?

[polar81]

Is anyone else planning to ditch the masks asap? The only reason I wear one atm is because of the legal mandate and it will go as soon as that's dropped.

If you are staunchly pro-mask then this is probably not the thread for you! I know all the arguments on both side and they have been fully rehearsed on this board for the last 2 years. I am simply interested to gauge how many people also want to ditch masks asap, when the law allows.

It would be fab if we could have a thread on this topic that didn't include the words- selfish, it's no hardship, why wouldn't you?, we're in a pandemic ffs, I wear my mask to protect others etc.... that's lovely, and we already know!

There’s a real horseshoe theory thing going on with vaccines.

Total covid deniers: “Vaccines worthless!”
Most people: “Vaccines good.”
Very anxious covid people: “Vaccines worthless!”

@TheKeatingFive

I don’t count vaccines because we don’t have a long term credible vaccine for it yet!

I find it absolutely bizarre that you don't count vaccines (which have demonstrably decimated people's chances of severe disease) and you do count masks for which there is very little credible evidence they make significant difference.

That strikes me as one of the most unscientific comments I've ever read on here.

What I mean is if we have to keep having vaccines every 3 months, then we don’t have a sustainable solution.

I’ll be happier once we have vaccines that work in the longer term and a sustained, properly funded nhs. Then I think we can say that we can “live” with covid.

What I mean is if we have to keep having vaccines every 3 months, then we don’t have a sustainable solution.

Why not?

Why would you prefer to rely on a pretty ineffectual piece of paper than get a vaccine every three months? Why's that sensible?

And in any event, their efficacy in preventing severe disease is believed to last a lot longer than 3 months.

@TheKeatingFive

What I mean is if we have to keep having vaccines every 3 months, then we don’t have a sustainable solution.

Why not?

Why would you prefer to rely on a pretty ineffectual piece of paper than get a vaccine every three months? Why's that sensible?

And in any event, their efficacy in preventing severe disease is believed to last a lot longer than 3 months.

Where did I say that I would prefer masks over vaccines?

I said we still need measures in place. That’s because the vaccines we have now aren’t good enough to protect the population.

Those measures include masks but aren’t just masks. I’d also like a sensible approach to school ventilation, better tracking of cases to minimise spread and a better funded nhs.

We aren’t in a position to let everything go and just rely on vaccines.

I walked a 4 mile stretch of the South West coast path at the weekend . On my walk I counted the bits of litter, five pieces in total, four blue disposable masks and one cloth mask. No litter except masks.

When we excitedly get rid of our masks can we please remember to put them in the bin?

@TheKeatingFive

What I mean is if we have to keep having vaccines every 3 months, then we don’t have a sustainable solution.

Why not?

Why would you prefer to rely on a pretty ineffectual piece of paper than get a vaccine every three months? Why's that sensible?

And in any event, their efficacy in preventing severe disease is believed to last a lot longer than 3 months.

Then why did we need boosters after three months….

Haven’t been wearing a mask as exempt but I’m overjoyed masks are coming to an end in general

@BashStreetKid

Unhygienic - hit the nail on the head! Shoved in and out of jacket pockets, handbags, glove compartments, sat on tables in public areas, worn endlessly with no washing or changing... then worn on the face as some sort of public health measure?! Good riddance indeed.

I've got good news for you. It's really incredibly easy to get round the hygiene problem for your own mask. It's this amazing invention called washing.

It’s just extra hassle we don’t need in our already busy lives. Buying masks, remembering to carry them, scrabbling about to put them on when you’ve got your hands full, washing them, the bloody elastic snapping, being able to smell your own coffee breath. They’re rank & totally inconvenient.

Then why did we need boosters after three months
@Iggly we already knew boosters made a big difference in upping immunity and as it turned out with Omicron it was more important than had been previously thought that everybody should have that extra, sooner!

I won't be wearing them any more. Anyone else is welcome to do as they see fit but I've done exactly what's been asked if me for two years and now looking forward to living without this shit.

Freedom day 2!! Excellent news, won't be wearing one in any setting, unless airlines insist on masks again, then make a jumbo bag of skittles and cup of coffee last the flight duration to satisfy the requirements..again 😆

Next week..... how many joining me in this

Absolutely chuffed. I don’t know anyone who would still wear them next Thursday onwards.

I remember loads of people ceremoniously ditching their masks after Freedom Day 1. Wonder if they thought there would have to be a Freedom Day 2

I don’t remember anyone doing anything ceremoniously? Were people really burning them, I thought it was a figure of speech tbh. I remember a gradual decline in use generally. I think many of us (particularly if like me you work in healthcare settings) expected some form of mask wearing to come back in again over the winter.

@Whammyyammy

Freedom day 2!! Excellent news, won't be wearing one in any setting, unless airlines insist on masks again, then make a jumbo bag of skittles and cup of coffee last the flight duration to satisfy the requirements..again 😆

I am sure airlines will insist on them. And unlike TFL on the tube, they'll be able to enforce it.

I’m now quite tempted to put the masks in the fire pit next week.

I really hope they drop the requirements on flights too, but sadly I don’t think they will.

I wonder if schools will still have to have an outbreak policy, which might include masks

Looks like even better news to come from the press conference - especially over ending free testing

I wonder why Boris isn't doing the press conference, scared of some of the questions he may be asked.

Then why did we need boosters after three months

To minimise transmission

Yes il be ditching them completely although the only place I really wear one anyway is Waitrose as there are lots of older people in there and most people wear them.

I bet loads of places are still going to try to insist people wear them though - and take the piss with their "policies". Some people want it to go on and on and it'll be like trying to take a dummy from a baby!

@JuergenSchwarzwald how can they enforce it? Once up in the air and a mask comes off, they can hardly chuck you off at the next stop like a bus

I won’t be bothering if nobody else is, there seems little point.