Why won’t people wear masks

Fallingstar

I cannot understand people who cough and splutter all over others. When my husband had a heart operation a few months ago a young woman came to visit the man in the next bed and was dripping with an awful cold/virus, I actually heard her say to the man she was visiting that her child had been sent home from school with a terrible rash all over his body. Hospitals give information over the phone and have posters up asking people not to come into the hospital if they have a virus or vomiting and diahorrea.
So stupid. Most of the men on the ward were old/elderly with other serious health conditions.
If someone feels unwell for whatever reason they should stay at home or at the very least wear a mask when in public places, and certainly never set foot in a hospital unless they need urgent care.

I’m glad they don’t . It’s personal choice . I have health issues but for a cold it’s a bit much

I believe the point you're trying to make is that we're no longer wearing masks, yet infection rates are not surging = masks are useless?
Sorry that’s not what I was suggesting at all Dickens
and each must do what they see fit All I m saying is before the huge disaster of Covid nobody had thought about wearing masks, we just stayed home if we were feeling ill, coughing or spluttering.
We were told to wear them during Covid and most of us obeyed Now for me and I m only speaking for me I m back to pre Covid I don’t know anyone who tests any more so we don’t know if we ve got seasonal flu, Covid, or a bad cold so the sensible thing is a few days away from people
I ve only had one bad cold this winter and stayed in for a week
I m not considering wearing a mask again unless it becomes mandatory but what anyone else does is their business

BlueBelle

Meant to say did all the mask wearers wear them before Covid? because that’s the stage we re in now, with lots of germs of all types, passing round, just as we were pre Covid

In fact, the stage we are at now is that, after a record-breaking surge in December and early January, hospitalisations are now decreasing. The data, though incomplete, is all there if you care to look for it.

I believe the point you're trying to make is that we're no longer wearing masks, yet infection rates are not surging = masks are useless?

Apart from the fact that there was a surge, earlier than expected, it isn't all about mask-wearing anyway is it? You appear to think that "mask-wearers" all fall into a defined group who believe they are absolutely effective in the same way their opponents think they are useless.

As a 'sometimes' mask-wearer I can assure you I have the capability to understand that the real world isn't a controlled experiment. There are other major drivers In respiratory epidemiology: population immunity, vaccination coverage, which variant is circulating, weather, school/holiday mixing, not to mention healthcare capacity. And mask wearing.

True MB70. Still carry hand gel as a back up & to be honest I don’t like the thought of using other peoples hand soap, so carry waterless gel in my bag.

Meant to say did all the mask wearers wear them before Covid? because that’s the stage we re in now, with lots of germs of all types, passing round, just as we were pre Covid

nñn, I don’t use hand gel etc i wash my hands when needed I think building up your immune system is the perfect way to go however if you are immune suppressed or have some major disease I can understand your worry but people with no underlying problems should be living normally
After all as pointed out most Chinese wear masks but look at them they did have a lot of deaths and illness didn’t they or am I remembering that wrongly

Bucci

They don’t work. Have you ever looked at the size of a virus and the size of the openings in a mask weave? It is equivalent to a mosquito flying through a chain link fence. I call them suffocation devices. You need oxygen.

It's an appealing argument, but viruses don't fly around naked - they travel in droplets which are bigger than mask fibres. Masks block droplets, not individual viruses.

Masks are neither perfect nor useless - they reduce risk which is what they were designed to do.

I call them suffocation devices. You need oxygen.

Your GP might insist you wear one for 20 minutes in his waiting-room. He's not suggesting you keep it on from dawn 'til dusk.

MT62

Proper bar soap is better than gel for killing bacteria & viruses, it breaks down the outer shell.

True. But you can’t use that when shopping or using public transport.

Bukkie

Masks are 100% ineffective, it's like putting water in a sieve and wondering where it has all gone after a few seconds. The only benefit they have is making people feel more secure.

Evidence?

Now, if you say that you don’t wear them because you think they are ineffective, that needs no evidence.

However, constantly reiterating an unproven statement doesn’t make it true.

Proper bar soap is better than gel for killing bacteria & viruses, it breaks down the outer shell.

I didn't like wearing a mask during covid,but if I have a cold, I don't really feel like going out anyway.

They don’t work. Have you ever looked at the size of a virus and the size of the openings in a mask weave? It is equivalent to a mosquito flying through a chain link fence. I call them suffocation devices. You need oxygen.

FranP

Graceless

I have carers coming 3 times a day. I have stage 4 cancer. I complained because my morning carer had a cold and wasn't wearing a mask. Now everyone but her wears one. She's also told me she'd never have a flu or COVID vaccination because she was ill after her first one.

Sad for you

It angers me that, " I am not ill, I am not vaccinated" is all about them, caring nothing about everyone else.

Do complain to her company and ask them to replace her for you

Errrrm......I wouldnt see either side in that argument as "seeing the other point of view". Complaining to her company about the carer is all about being on one's own side. Not wearing a mask is all about being on one's own side. What is the difference between the two on that one then - as both are only seeing their own viewpoint?

Dickens

Maremia

Luckygirl13, interesting post, thanks.
Masks are not 100 per cent effective. Did anyone say they were?
Nor are they 0 percent effective, which some GNs are claiming.

... exactly!

And yet some are still claiming that the latter part is true. Which is totally wrong.

Masks are 100% ineffective, it's like putting water in a sieve and wondering where it has all gone after a few seconds. The only benefit they have is making people feel more secure.

Maremia

Luckygirl13, interesting post, thanks.
Masks are not 100 per cent effective. Did anyone say they were?
Nor are they 0 percent effective, which some GNs are claiming.

... exactly!

Luckygirl13, interesting post, thanks.
Masks are not 100 per cent effective. Did anyone say they were?
Nor are they 0 percent effective, which some GNs are claiming.

M0nica
Unlike many other viruses (eg COVID-19 or flu) that have a fragile outer "envelope" made of lipids - norovirus is a "non-enveloped" virus. It has a tough protein shell instead.

Things like hand-sanitisers and washes just slip off it.
It is one of the viruses that do remain viable on surfaces for two weeks. On some surfaces it's even longer.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22564943/

This study, for example (using "human" strains of norovirus shows that it can be viable for 42 days plus in the right conditions.

Obviously the weaker the person the greater potential damage.

I wasn't trying to scaremonger M0nica - my earlier (very brief) comment was for the person who wouldn't want a drink made by a nurse. I was just pointing out that norovirus if it's there could be wider spread!

Graceless

I have carers coming 3 times a day. I have stage 4 cancer. I complained because my morning carer had a cold and wasn't wearing a mask. Now everyone but her wears one. She's also told me she'd never have a flu or COVID vaccination because she was ill after her first one.

Sad for you

It angers me that, " I am not ill, I am not vaccinated" is all about them, caring nothing about everyone else.

Do complain to her company and ask them to replace her for you

SaxonGrace

I agree, I’ve never worn a mask , pointless during covid and air born virus, one walk around a supermarket note all those wearing filthy masks or masks with still their noses uncovered, they then lift them off to speak. Far better if one has a cough, cold or suchlike to stay home.

But people don’t stay at home with a cold or virus. That’s the whole point. Thinking that people will stay at home if contagious is the same as thinking that people will wear masks to protect themselves and others.

I agree, I’ve never worn a mask , pointless during covid and air born virus, one walk around a supermarket note all those wearing filthy masks or masks with still their noses uncovered, they then lift them off to speak. Far better if one has a cough, cold or suchlike to stay home.

A week ago DH started with a cold and sneezed a lot. He has recovered quite well but 5 days later I got the cold and unfortunately we were due to fly off on holiday. In the mean time I took echinacea to try to ward off the cold and I am fairly healthy as I eat well and take supplements. Consequently the cold is not too bad. We were on the plane today and I wore a mask as I thought it was the right thing to do - they may not be brilliant but at least I made an effort. A friend flew on holiday at Christmas and came back with a dreadful infection which kept her inside for three weeks. Of course she might not have got it through being on the plane but I would think it’s probable that was the cause.

I thought masks only protect the wearer? And, unless they’re medical quality, they’re worse than useless anyway.

If you’re ill, best stay indoors. 🤷‍♀️

So I take it all the 'anti mask' brigade would be quite happy to undergo surgery if none of the medical staff in the operating theatre were wearing surgical masks then?