Push for masks to be reintroduced

[GerardusMercator]

Over the last few days I've noticed a big push in media to get masks back on the agenda. A brief foray into twitter and flick through a few Covid threads here, and I've seen all the old pandemic era versions of 'it's no hardship to mask'/ your selfish if you don't want to mask etc start to creep back in.

How many of you are-

1. Still masking now
2. Will mask if it becomes guidance
3. Will mask if it becomes law
4. Will not mask again under any circumstances

I really struggled with masks and don't believe they make a great deal of difference (covid theatre) so would be somewhere between a 3 and 4.

@fromdownwest

i can see any of those.

Tell you what, you critique every study I posted first, and then I’ll do yours 👍

It doesn't negate them, it merley highlights that there are studies on both side of the coin. It is not uni laterally accepted that masks work.

So to look to mandate a function that has in certain acamedic quarters to be ineffective just seems a little odd.

If you feel the need to wear a mask, because you think it protects you, and it makes you fel better, then please do so.

But do not look to enforce your views and opinions based on questionable science upon others.

For some side reading, look at the impact of young childrens social development during the mask mandate. It is impossible to protect all of society all of the time.

I am not the one looking to enforce a mandate on people. The ball is in your court to prove without any reasonable doubt that they work.

“We know that masks help to reduce transmission of respiratory disease by blocking the particles that carry respiratory viruses. The evidence for this is unequivocal. Yet, we know that the overall effectiveness of mask wearing depends importantly on the type of face mask worn and how well a mask is worn. High-quality, well-fitting respirators worn properly provide substantially more protection than other mask types, such as surgical masks or cloth masks. Regardless, if masks are even 50% effective, which is about the effectiveness of many surgical masks, they can have major public health benefits. But, a 50% intervention alone cannot completely eliminate risk or reduce transmission to zero.

The currently high rates of COVID in China are in many ways expected as people start to interact across households to a much greater extent than they have in the recent past. Mask wearing by the public can and does absolutely help reduce the rates of transmission. But masks alone cannot eliminate transmission risk entirely.”

'High-quality, well-fitting respirators'

So are you suggesting that the public walk around in well fitting respirators in any public setting? Who is going to pay for that?

@fromdownwest

why do you think I’m trying to enforce a mandate on people. I’m not. I’m saying that the global consensus of thought is that masks are effective. I’d say there is far, far greater need to prove they don’t work - and the proof there isn’t robust enough at all. I’m just following the NHS guidelines - as is every doctors surgery and hospital up and down the country/across the world.

Im not quite sure why you think your niche hunches are better researched or have better evidence. They don’t. Think it’s more to do with your psychological reactance.

You wear your mask becasue it protects you, I won't wear mine as I don't lik to wear one. Simple outcome.

The luxury of a free society, choice. Just do not remove the choice and expect people to all adhere to your view point.

@fromdownwest

err I didn’t write that. I’m not a scientist.

I think you need to look up your understanding of respirator. It can also mean a mask. A dictionary is a very helpful thing. Good for fact checking.

@fromdownwest

well like I said. Psychological reactance and individualism. It’s fine if that’s how you want to be - but don’t start saying consensus scientific evidence backs you up when it doesn’t.

“An N95 mask is a type of respirator”

I think you need to look up your definition of a dictionary! 😂

'Fact checking' or spelling and pronunciations?

4

My goodness!!! @fromdownwest

Definition:

a book giving information on particular subjects or on a particular class of words, names, or facts, usually arranged alphabetically:
a biographical dictionary; a dictionary of mathematics.

I spy the word facts there. Or is the dictionary a conspiracy theory too???

I dunno whether FFP2 counts as that but
Being immunocompromised I've worn one the whole time and not caught covid
Then I was out without one for 2hrs or so and got covid and I've been off work for 2 weeks so far
So I'm going back to wearing one and not going to places where I can't!

Not sure where I mentioned conspiracies? Nope dictionaries exist, that is a fact.

Are you arguing that people should wear masks in public places? I am intrigued to see the extent of the mask wearing ?

I'm not sure what good my mask did the first time round. It was a fabric type one that you could buy very cheaply. I also think I washed it very rarely. It lived in the bottom of my dirty handbag or hanging on the indicator of car.

@fromdownwest I know, it was my attempt at a joke. I can understand why there is mistrust. I’m not calling you a conspiracy theorist.

I guess it would depend on how much need there is? My personal thinking would be : I don’t want to wear one, I’d rather not wear one - I want to be free to interact normally. I’d wear one if asked - so health centre/hospital. I’m not yet wearing in the supermarket, but will if that’s asked for. I’d respect the rules set by whichever organisation or shop that I’m visiting. I’ve put one in my bag again.

So - out of interest - if you went to a surgery and were asked to wear one, would you refuse?

My recent visit to the GP Surgery, I was asked to wear a mask. It was a quick visit, so I obliged and wore a mask. Much easier to do so, than not to do so in that scenario. Also, based on the nature of the building, people may feel more at ease with me wearing a mask, as by the nature they would be vulnerable.

However, if you asked me to wear one at a supermarket, or a bar, or a shop, I would refuse.

Well there you go, you showed consideration to others - even if you doubt their efficacy.

You’re not burning dictionaries outside the surgery and waving a placard saying ‘no to the nappy’…

@fromdownwest

Just for information

GP surgeries are, for me, one if tte most dangerous place to go to (with hospitals).
im one of those people who dint well if they catch covid (or the flu etc…). Like a high % of people st the surgery (these are the people who are more likely to need a GP).
unfortunately, no mask means that a higher risk fur me to catch whatever you might have.

The only time I caught covid was at my surgery.

Many people with the same condition than me have done so too. And hospitals…

Please mask when you know there WILL be around people who will struggle with covid/flu etc…