How can someone be so small minded?

[BlueBrickRoad]

One of my mother's brothers has been sick in hospital. He was in ICU but he is out from there now. My mother is eager to visit him. I think we are going today. I suggested packing some masks in my bag for the hospital and my mother started to give me stink saying:

• we won't wear them unless we have to because it will only just look odd.

I can't believe what I was hearing. It makes sense to put on a mask in case there is any virus or sickness brewing in us and in order to protect him.

If he is in a ward/room then the staff will say if masks are required you wear one if you like but I don't think it's nesscesry to wear a mask if you and your mum are well.

I think your mother’s fear of ‘looking odd’ outweighing everything else is something to think about.
She has been trained to care about the hypothetical musings of strangers than her seriously brother.

I am reasonably well except for a post nasal drip that I think is hayfever. But what if it's not?

Well wear your mask if it makes you feel better, but you can't force or guilt your mother Into wearing one. Hospitals will have precautions in place for infection control if its needed.

An ordinary ary mask won't protect him. They have been shown to be mostly useless. The proper protective masks are not issued unless you've had the fit training so don't worry about it.

I have the n95s in my bag

The ordinary masks are not much use.

if he is really ill then they will make you take infection control measures - we had to wear plastic aprons and gloves etc to visit my dad when in hospital.

Well done OP. I wear a mask in some situations and I don't give a toss what other people think. It's a shame your mother has this selfish attitude. But you cannot control the behaviour of others.

Aprons and gloves do fuck all against respiratory infections. (And not much against a lot of others.)