Thoughts on using facemasks again....as numbers rise

[Kcc73]

So....numbers of covid (along side other cold/flu viruses) and rising quickly.
I have had cold/sore throat/feeling fatigue - but not covid - after 7 days still can't shake it off. I am not that 'ill' and just getting on with what I have to do BUT my health generally not great and a) the thought of getting covid /or/and flu , plus all these more minor colds , and b) probably worse - the thought of my hubby or teens getting covid/flu (and they probably less careful/mindful re washing hands etc) and the impact of that alone! is beginning to get me in a spin (I suffer with chronic condition that doesn't make me cev but I have high fatigue and pains at best of times).

Yes, I do suffer with anxiety (but have reasons to justify) but as it becoming more evident that we heading into another wave, what is reasonable to do , looking at the measures we used in past - when it was kind of mandatory - that can do now?? I want , and have started wearing face mask in supermarkets . I want to ask my teens to wear facemask on public transport but because no one else, well few, are doing this, feel I can't impose this and don't want to pass on anxieties to them.

BUT I know as 'mum', that if (when) family get sick, it will fall to me to a lot more , which don't get me wrong, I do want and feel should do, - but my stance is let's try and do whatever we can to reduce likelihood or getting sick - or preparing for the worst. I am NOT going to be stopping life; but as we head into winter again I am getting worried. Hubby away for weekend with friends and now it's back to thinking 'oh expect he will bring back covid '.

So wish really there were some more mandatory mitigations tbh. I know a lot will shout me down about this. I don't think we should lockdown before anyone thinks then. Just we are a culture of 'followers' and when fold started wearing masks, it made others accept wearing ok, and when it no longer mandatory, if still wearing one you felt odd! Wondered if others starting to wear masks again or doing anything else? (apart from get vaccinated which for most won't be for a while; my appointment is late Oct as I have another health condition).

Long woffly message. Sorry!

Kc

So let’s ask people to wear fpp2 like they do in Germany?
i mean I agree no point doing something fur the sake if it. But saying any mask isn’t worth wearing because surgical masks aren’t is just stupid imo

More masks noticeable here in London.
I caught it for the first time this summer when I stopped wearing one on the bus.
I’m going to start again

Nope nope nope

That's really sad. I care about others enough to slightly inconvenience myself.

I expect you vote tory.

Sorry, I meant to say that back in Jan 2020 it was thought that it would be gone but as time went on, it was expected to turn into an uneventful virus and I am referring to the latter. For my own purposes, that would be as good as disappeared. Death figures had dwindled, there is data available on infection rates (with a lag) but it is hard to find data split between the vax/non vax populations which is divided according to severity of illness.

I think I might start again - still have some FFP2 somewhere. Recovering from 3rd bout, caught on way home from holiday/in airport I think - was quite unwell. Noticed more people wearing them again.

I've never voted Tory no. Restricting my breathing is not a mild inconvenience.

Wearing basic masks does statistically make a difference, but it’s not a panacea and has in way been destructive because it’s enabled this zero sum view that “masks don’t work”. Proper FFP2 masks DO work. They protect YOU.

I flew to Australia a few months, on the long 14 hour Singapore to London leg I sat behind a very sick man, worst hacking cough I’ve ever heard, blowing nose etc. I don’t know if he had Covid or some other cold/flu virus. But wearing an FFP2 mask I did not get sick, despite always getting sick on planes in the past when stuck behind a sick person.

I don't think there will be a mandatory mask wearing in UK. It doesn't work in UK, with so many people against it.
But it doesn't stop you wearing one though. I always have masks in my bag, just in case.

I think it's sensible to wear medical grade masks on public transport because we have excellent evidence that they reduce transmission. I've never found them uncomfortable and if it helps me get through winter without flu or covid then well worth the cost.

Yep, that wonderful autumn air that public transport & supermarkets are well known for.

@Kcc73 I have several underlying issues that make me CEV. I'm still wearing a mask inside shops & I would on PT if I used it. Not asking the kids to now though, they're in school with hundreds of kids & the schools don't insist on makes any more, so not wearing them all day , I don't think the bus makes a lot of difference.

I do feel very self conscious wearing one now, but although it protects others more than me, I do feel the FP2, do provide a level of protection.

I minimise the 'inside' places I go as much as possible I feel it's the best I can do for myself really.

Booster jab on the 8th, so hopefully that'll help a bit too. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

FFP2 masks cost around £10 for a pack of 20 disposable. Not everybody is going to be able to afford that on a seemingly permanent basis.

FFP2 compulsory in Germany on all public transport, medical establishments and places with many vulnerable and elderly, from Saturday... 1st October.

I think the culture of followers is interesting OP. There's actually a name for the concept of changing behaviour to fit in with what people believe others will think or do. What you seem to be saying is is it extreme for people to try to protect each other from a wave of a virus? I don't think so personally. I do think it's extreme to not want to do that though! Am I in the minority? Maybe now. Who knows? Was I in the majority when some others were loudly saying stop protecting each other? Yes. More people wanted mitigations than didn't. Less covid is definitely better in my opinion - one less thing to dump on our kids too longterm - health wise and financially.

I am CEV. I have had no response to the vaccine (have had blood tests to check).

Therefore I wear a high grade FFP3 mask, and my daughter wears a high grade mask too. Doing everything we can to stop it coming home.

We are told covid is down to “personal responsibility.”…. Right. 🙄

As the U.K. govt has chosen to abandon public health it’s currently not safe for me to do really basic things like go to a restaurant. I miss it. But no doubt some of the people on this thread, if I did die, would just say “oh she had underlying health” and not give a stuff.

No, I am not arguing for lockdown. However, because there are no protections in place I think we can expect a huge wave this autumn & winter, the NHS is already under huge strain and I am worried for how some people will be affected by it all.

There are things we could be doing here, but we aren’t. That is a choice, and it will lead to more illness and death.

I always find the confirmation bias on these threads fascinating with those posters in favour of reintroducing masks reporting increased levels of mask wearing around them already. I haven't noticed any more people wearing masks at all on PT or anywhere else but maybe that's because I'm not looking for a preferred behaviour to be confirmed

I won’t be wearing a mask again in this country unless it is made law which I very much doubt. Hardly anyone will comply. I’ll continue to wear them abroad where legally required.

I had covid for the first time last month (and didn’t report it so no idea how you know what the stats are as most aren’t even testing) so am enjoying a short period of protection as I’m not quite old enough to be eligible for another booster. I would prefer my y11 child to get covid in advance of their exams so hopefully they have a clear run at them. They are eligible for a booster when they turn 16 so will be having that. I think your anxiety is more likely to trigger OCD than people not wearing masks.

So the NHS did not collapse when no one was vaccinated, but you expect it to collapse now half are vaccinated?
More people are vaccinated now than previously, surely the NHS will cope BETTER this time around, not worse?

I don’t want any restrictions

Why do you think it was scare-mongering? Do you have any evidence?

Nope.

I will NEVER wear one again. EVER.

Remember at the beginning the footage of people in China collapsing in the street?

What was that about?

Quite a few people on the commute are wearing them again

Then again quite a few people on the commute have hacking coughs and snotty noses at the moment

I don't like them but don't think it's an issue at all if you want to wear one

Precisely. We know they work to protect others and ourselves. All the 'charade' people are enjoying the psychological boost of being 'in the know', and the sense of belonging that comes from being a member of the herd that thinks they're not sheep - but it's a conspiracy theory to assert that ppe was a sham.

@mrsjohnnylawrence you must know that doesn't fall under the category 'evidence' of anything at all. You have fallen for a conspiracy theory.