Are you still wearing a face mask?

I wear mine and whether it benefits myself or you, it is no big deal for me to wear one. You only need to watch those caring for patients…they are not wearing their masks for no reason.

growstuff no I haven't

Absolutely. And I will continue to do so.

It said on the news last night that one in ten secondary school pupils have Covid. So in an average class of 30 children, 3 will have it. I’m hoping this week’s half term here in Trafford will be something of a ‘circuit breaker’. A pause whilst immunisations play a bit more catch up perhaps.

BlueRuby

Still wearing mine. People are dying in increasing numbers from Covid. Personal choice is one thing, but there's not much freedom in being dead due to stupidity.

The total numbers of people dying goes up in varying degrees all the time, sadly. However death rates are far far less now - due to immunisation - than the worst time which was February 2020. Let’s not scare ourselves silly.

Still compulsory indoors here ( N.ireland) although not everyone complying. I certainly am and particularly worried about non compliance as my husband is vulnerable. As a retired health care professional I have little patience with those who say they don't work or many who claim exemption. Most health care staff have to wear them for hours at a time so can't understand why people can't wear them when in shops. Think of the staff in ICUs or operating theatres who wear full PPE for a long time each day whilst performing complicated tasks.

Kids all over the country are testing positive in the thousands who have nothing at all wrong with them and never get ill and who never - as far as can be determined - appear to infect anyone else in their families when kept at home. If this was just an isolated case here or there it could be dismissed but it isn't. I no longer believe the 'case' statistics are accurate or a sensible basis for policy.

Sloegin they wear it because it's their job to do so. My husband is a welder he doesn't go out in overalls and helmet. I don't want to shop in a stuffy mask just because a nurse wears one

I have arrived and my first meeting of a close contact non masked person, a taxi driver. I asked him why he wasn’t wearing one . It isn’t the law, the government say we don’t have to.
I didn’t continue the conversation but felt sad, as he looked that he could be from, we have been told, a very vulnerable group in Manchester but I am not a doctor.
I am still wearing masks and have to go for that expensive PCR two day test tomorrow.

I don't want to shop in a stuffy mask just because a nurse wears one

And there you have it. Selfishness, not science.

Or common sense. Different settings entirely.

Urmstongran

Or common sense. Different settings entirely.

How the heck is it common sense ???

Many years when I was a school girl / I worked in a the shop part of a bakery / we had to clean the glass ( spit guards ) at the end of the day. They were always grimy with spit ! So yes masks save other people from the germs that you inadvertently spit out / makes sense to me to protect others /yes ?

Nurses work in a clinical setting. With patients who are poorly, vulnerable or both. The general public don’t. Let’s keep a sense of perspective. I don’t get up close to anyone in the general public. Who would wear a mask in the fresh air? They don’t in Spain unless in a very bustling area. Only inside.

I see people around going for a walk in the fresh air and wearing masks! Pointless.
I put one on for entering a shop/ dentist/ doctor and cafe or pub until seated, and that’s it.I haven’t been on public transport for a while, but would wear a mask if I did.
I think more stringent mask wearing will be brought in by November if cases continue to go up.
Having said that....I’m more likely to catch Covid from one of my grandchildren.

Well of course it does not make sense to wear a mask in fresh air unless in crowded places!

What many of us are saying, is that mask wearing should be compulsory in all enclosed public spaces- it is not difficult is it? It is compulsory in France, Italy, Switzerland and most EU countries - and it makes it so much simpler for staff and everyone. Wear a mask, or don't get in- no exception.

Lemongrove, so you take your mask off at the doctor's, once seated in the waiting area???

Urmstongran

Nurses work in a clinical setting. With patients who are poorly, vulnerable or both. The general public don’t. Let’s keep a sense of perspective. I don’t get up close to anyone in the general public. Who would wear a mask in the fresh air? They don’t in Spain unless in a very bustling area. Only inside.

Who said anything about wearing them in the open air ? I’m talking about in shops etc

That’s what I meant lemongrove I just didn’t explain my view well. Why on earth are people wearing masks in the fresh air?? It beggars belief.

Just back from a coach holiday in the north of Scotland, based in a huge hotel. All of our party (pick ups only in Scotland) wore their masks on the coach and while moving about indoors, whereas the other (English based) coach parties seemed to find this amazing, but were mostly happy to comply. One couple told me that they had specifically chosen to come up to Scotland because they felt it would be safer.

We had a salutary lesson when on our lunch stop in Inverness, our driver received instructions that the hotel we were heading for in Dornoch, had closed that morning due to a covid outbreak among the staff. We were redirected to the massive hotel in Strathpeffer, who were able to accomodate us because one of their incoming tours had been cancelled - I think their driver had tested positive. Please take care everyone.

Agree with Urmston gran and others. I feel a blanket requirement to wear masks makes no sense. The medical profession use them to prevent all sorts of bacteria getting on to patients, and those staff accept that as part of the job. I use one in indoor confined spaces but only then and find them hot, claustrophic and tear them off at the door going out. I really can't understand people wearing them in the open air but that's their choice.

If I have done a test in the morning and it is negative, then I see no need for a mask as I am not carrying the virus or spreading it. Or are we saying the jabs and tests are a waste of time?

I have had 2 jabs, plus a big bout of the virus (before jabs came about, despite handwashing and using a mask), booster due shortly, so in effect I will have had 4 lots of immunity building.

Lockdown and mask wearing has weakened everyone's immune systems - we now need to be letting our systems get out there and strengthened, else we will be falling ill with things we once fought off easily.

In fact I was wearing masks in shops before it was compulsory and got laughed at by shop staff and that attitude did nothing for endearing mask wearing to me.

So, if wearing the nasty things becomes compulsory again, then once again I will not be going out and the local economy will have to do without my input.

Rant over.

If I have done a test in the morning and it is negative, then I see no need for a mask as I am not carrying the virus or spreading it. Or are we saying the jabs and tests are a waste of time?

We're saying that the jabs don't work 100% and the false negatives for LFTs are at about 25%.

Still feel invincible?

Am I wearing a mask in public in indoor spaces?

Of course I am - stupid and thoughtless not to.

Lockdown and mask wearing has weakened everyone's immune systems

This is not scientific.

Lockdown and mask wearing have made no difference to people's immunity to Covid, unless the person has been infected. They have prevented people catching other infections, so an immunity to specific infections has not developed. However, this has had no effect on the immune "system".

The local economy (or at least individual businesses) are having to do without my input if they don't enforce mask wearing on their premises, so it's swings and roundabouts ... your discomfort against my risk to health.

growingold I think your statement that wearing masks and lockdown has weakened everyone’s immune system is utter rubbish.