Why won’t people wear masks

VANECAM

If we were meant to have masks, God would have provided them.

He did! We have the knowledge of how to make them.

Masks are useless especially the silliest who wear them under their nose

If I am full of cold but feel well enough to be out and about, I just go in the park. I steer clear of shops and people. But I would not wear a mask.

I caught Norovirus from a cup of coffee the nurse made me in A&E. I was there for only half an hour checking on my son who had been knocked off his bike by a car. Rest of family who were there bought drinks from the vending machine and were fine.
Spoke to my GP who told me that clean washed cups were often left on the draining board to dry and the germs were airborne from anyone sick attending A&E. Will never have a drink from a nurse in A&E again.
I lost my job as I had asked for the next day off to support my son and was told no. When I rang in very ill the next day the boss didn't believe me and told me not to come again.
It wasn't a great job, but I was very upset that he thought I'd lied to him which I'd never done.

It was acknowledged after Lockdown that masks were not terrible effective but were imposed to remind us we were 'under orders', thus, they were an authoritarian manifestation of 'Nudge'. Handwashing was and is effective.

That said, I find it very selfish of people to be out and about coughing and spluttering at others and spreading germs.

Amazing really how many people have so much to say about societies where women are required to cover their faces for cultural reasons, citing all number of reasons why they find this practice unacceptable, yet simultaneously want the same thing when it comes to what they perceive as their own protection. It's all very subjective. As someone whose hearing has rapidly deteriorated with age I rely on being able to see a person's lips if I'm trying to communicate with them, and also as a person who wears glasses I effectively lose my eyesight if I myself wear a mask and move in and out of different atmospheres. If I were required to wear a mask in any situation I would refuse as it deprives me of two vital senses - seeing and breathing. And during the pandemic when I visited any medical establishment I asked people to remove their masks so I could lip read - not one person said they wouldn't. Also the fashion that developed for wearing cloth masks promoted breeding grounds for germs. People need to be sensible, keep away from those who are coughing and spluttering, and do the same if you're suffering. We should also remember that millions of pounds were spent by government and put into the hands of unscrupulous PPE providers - this is an industry bolstered by the continuing feeling of fear.

Totally agree with MOnica...most masks are ineffective. What is thoughtless is that person didn't say don't come near me with this cold. Therefore we can only say I'm not going to stop and chat, as really don't want a cold. Thing is, I'd never have worried about it when I was younger. It's our age and knowing it can hit us like a tonne of bricks, especially if you have underlying conditions.

And if god had meant us to spread our germs everywhere and potentially kill others in the process she would have got rid of illnesses.

It's nothing to with gods, it's common courtesy to not infect others with your germs.

Do you also think it's gods intention that people with lowered immune systems should have to be housebound all their lives because other people can't be considerate?

Yeh she wouldn't get past my front doorstep. Tell them you don't feel safe around her and want a different nurse... One that understands the severity of viruses.

😅

rosie1959

I am not fan of mask wearing and certainly would not wear one going out but if I had such a bad cold I would stay at home and not spread it around.

This is what I would do, it's so easy to pass on infections if you are coughing and sneezing.
Personally I think that many bacteria and viruses can also be picked up from surfaces whilst you are out and about, and there isn't much you can do about that. You have to hold on whilst on the bus, and open doors.
Personally I don't wear a mask, though I appreciate that if people are vulnerable they may want to wear one themselves.

Whilst agreeing with comments on here about the effectiveness of masks we shouldn't overlook the psychological angle. My husband has compromised immunity and wears a mask when visiting hospital or other crowded areas. This gives him the confidence to go and about and lead a more normal life.

Well stated Goldenage

If face masks are useless, why is it that operating theatre staff have ALWAYs worn masks when they are hovering over vulnerable patients with open wounds?

There seems to me a misunderstanding about them. You wear a mask when you are infectious like when you have a cold. You don’t wear a mask otherwise they do not protect you.. they protect others.

MayBee70

CariadAgain

MayBee70

CariadAgain

MayBee70

I want to start using public transport again and would like to wear a mask. But I feel self conscious about wearing one and feel that people would laugh at me. So I continue to drive everywhere instead. I thought after the pandemic people would get into the habit of wearing masks to protect others the way they do in eastern countries but it never happened. If masks don’t work why do eg surgeons wear them?

Errrr....maybe a bit more about patient reassurance if anything?

We've all had to come out of masks regardless at some point - as we had to get back to looking/acting normal or what would be the point?

We run the government - not the government running us. They are our servants - though they seem to conveniently forget it at regular intervals.

You refer to "eastern countries" (presumably China?) - but we are a western country and we are more individualistic and expect to make our own decisions.

Yes. We decide not to protect other people because it inconveniences us….

Reframe that as "We are a Western society. Western societies do not expect or demand their citizens wear masks as a regular thing - as we are a democracy and Western. So it's an individual decision". Anyone who doesn't like living in a society like ours and accept that is how we are and we will remain is obviously totally free to either a. Stay at home permanently or b. Move to a different type of society than ours - rather than trying to change our society.

So if one individual doesn't like how our whole society is - then they must have worked out how to live their lives personally within the confines of their own home....so........

Well that’s me told then….

Well that’s me told then….

... good and proper! - you should apparently even consider moving to a different kind of society!

I think all you were asking is that people on public transport or in confined spaces wear a mask for the duration. I had to go to the surgery the other day - a text message requested I wear a mask if I might have 'flu or Covid. In common with most others, I hate wearing them. But I did because I'd been sneezing a lot. Half an hour later when I left the surgery, I removed the mask, and noticed that Western society was still intact as I walked back home where I then disposed of the mask and forgot all about it...

Chatted with a neighbour today who told me she always wears a mask when she goes into town on the bus so I might join her. This actually reminds me of post referendum comments such as you lost get over it and if you don’t like the result go and live somewhere else .

Outcast52

I can't believe the number of posters who have clearly not read the whole thread. People blithely commenting that masks don't do anything to protect from virus transmission: "it's commonly known"; "it's been clearly shown" etc . Read the goddam thread so you can see the scientific reports on research about masks and their CLEARLY PROVEN efficacy and stop shouting in the wilderness with incorrect and possibly dangerous generalisations.

Tell me about it🙄. Working in healthcare (dentistry ) I researched the effectiveness of masks in great detail as my health depended on them . I’ve worn gloves and masks for decades , so for me wearing them wasn’t an issue . I do a lot of eye rolling when people spout incorrect information.

Renata1079

If face masks are useless, why is it that operating theatre staff have ALWAYs worn masks when they are hovering over vulnerable patients with open wounds?

In healthcare , staff know the correct way to wear a mask, so that nose and mouth are covered , plus masks are single use and are changed after each patient .

Following Covid it was proven that masks did not work. What should happen is that people who have colds etc. should stay away from people. I’m 68 and I was always brought up to do that. Common courtesy.

People in this country are selfish, that's why they don't wear masks. They are also dirty. They go into shops, hospitals to visit and other places when they have respiratory illnesses such as colds and coughs or worse. They wipe noses with soggy tissues and then touch everything without a thought or care. Nobody washes their hands properly if at all, even after going to the loo. As the pp above said, get yourselves FPP2 or 3 masks and carry hand gel. You most certainly cannot rely on other people to be concerned about anybody else's health or vulnerability. We have turned into a nation of lazy, selfish, yucky people.

A ppf2 or 3 mask will keep the vast majority of air born droplets from entering your nose or mouth. It's about viral load as well as simply viruses. There're also NoroZite nasal and throat sprays that have been proven to be effective in protecting against respiratory infections (by Oxfords University I believe).

2507C0

People in this country are selfish, that's why they don't wear masks. They are also dirty. They go into shops, hospitals to visit and other places when they have respiratory illnesses such as colds and coughs or worse. They wipe noses with soggy tissues and then touch everything without a thought or care. Nobody washes their hands properly if at all, even after going to the loo. As the pp above said, get yourselves FPP2 or 3 masks and carry hand gel. You most certainly cannot rely on other people to be concerned about anybody else's health or vulnerability. We have turned into a nation of lazy, selfish, yucky people.

You're making umpteen unsubstantiated claims about the entire population, that might well be true of some you've encountered, but it's a gross generalisation aimed at 70 million people. Along with another inane assertion "nobody washes their hands properly if at all" Well I for one am scrupulous about hand washing. I would never knowingly take a cold out and about.

Yes I know there is this one effective mask that the vulnerable can wear, but as everybody has said generally the others are not effective so why call everyone selfish for not wearing them. The surgical masks we all had during Covid, were really only ever supposed to be used once. The way filthy used ones were discarded and strewn all over the place, instead of being binned, well that was disgusting imo.

MayBee70

Chatted with a neighbour today who told me she always wears a mask when she goes into town on the bus so I might join her. This actually reminds me of post referendum comments such as you lost get over it and if you don’t like the result go and live somewhere else .

I thought similarly but decided not to mention that .

Equating a public-health issue with Western democracy being under some kind of threat is a tad far-fetched.

... as was the post-referendum 'advice' - which completely missed the point.

Tenko

Renata1079

If face masks are useless, why is it that operating theatre staff have ALWAYs worn masks when they are hovering over vulnerable patients with open wounds?

In healthcare , staff know the correct way to wear a mask, so that nose and mouth are covered , plus masks are single use and are changed after each patient .

They are also much larger and cover more of the face.