Are you still wearing a face mask?

GrannyRose15

Urmstongran

Is ‘making people feel safer’ the same as ‘making people safer’?
Asking for a friend.

Exactly.

We are concentrating too much of the former without really bothering about the latter.

In that case, wear a mask! Masks do make other people safer.

News headline was “Germany's Covid cases surge 70pc as parts of Europe track UK into winter crisis”.

sparkynan

I wonder how many people on GN actually wear disposable masks once, then throw away. Also how many wash homemade cloth masks after one wear, then wash and iorn?

I have several masks and lots of filters. However, as I rarely go out anyway I do find it easier to use a disposable mask and easier to carry one around in case I need it. I feel safer wearing one, too.I do feel guilty about it, though. And with my cotton ones I still have a filter to dispose of.

But it does demonstrate my point.

Yes I am

Urmstongran

The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s public health body, reported 19,752 new infections on Friday, the highest figure since May, as scientists warned that the country was heading for a “difficult” autumn wave.

And Germany wears masks!

That's still less than half the UK.

sparkynan

I wonder how many people on GN actually wear disposable masks once, then throw away. Also how many wash homemade cloth masks after one wear, then wash and iorn?

Why should they be ironed? Quite honestly, why do they need washing after each use? They will have bacteria on them, but the wearer's bacteria, which are mainly harmless, unless the wearer has a bacterial infection. The whole point is to create a barrier, so that droplets aren't projected. Homemade cloth masks without a filter are probably the worst, but they do have some benefits.

The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s public health body, reported 19,752 new infections on Friday, the highest figure since May, as scientists warned that the country was heading for a “difficult” autumn wave.

And Germany wears masks!

GrannyRose15

TwoWolves

I've asked for my post to be deleted cos it was totally daft, but the darn things wind me up so much. Bridgeit, I have very rarely worn one, and I'm still here - they don't work!!

Absolutely agree.

But on a more serious note, now that everyone has had the opportunity to have two jabs and so the threat to life is very much diminished, every action designed to prevent infection should cease, apart form for the extremely vulnerable. This is because if the vaccines do not totally prevent illness then the only way the virus is going to go away is if we all develop natural immunity. Unfortunately this means we are all going to have to get the disease at some point.

Do we want the restrictions to go on for ever?

I disagree 100%!!

You have fallen for the Great Barrington myth!

If vaccines don't give people immunity, it's unlikely that the same people will become immune from being infected. People will just die unnecessarily, but that doesn't seem to bother you.

I wonder how many people on GN actually wear disposable masks once, then throw away. Also how many wash homemade cloth masks after one wear, then wash and iorn?

I still wear a mask especially in crowded areas. It isn’t too much to ask of the public as I’m sure no one wants to see many of the restrictions returning as they did last year and earlier this year, especially as Christmas is coming.

I work in the NHS and have to wear one all day even though I’m not in a clinical area.
I can’t see why it would bother anyone wearing a mask if it potentially saved your life.

Parky

Well said GrannyRose15. Here barely anyone wears a mask. Does anyone know what the percentage of people are dying from covid as opposed to with covid. So many deaths reported are of people having underlying conditions.

IMHO individuals should protect themselves, not expect others to do so.

How should they protect themselves from other people spreading germs ?

Parky

Well said GrannyRose15. Here barely anyone wears a mask. Does anyone know what the percentage of people are dying from covid as opposed to with covid. So many deaths reported are of people having underlying conditions.

IMHO individuals should protect themselves, not expect others to do so.

1 Not that tired old beloved argument about "from" and "with" again!

2 Most elderly people have underlying health conditions. Are you saying they don't matter?

3 How do individuals protect themselves from toxic, selfish gits? Do you not have any idea of how public health works?

I like to err on the side of caution on this one… I don’t find it inconvenient now,it has become habit.I don’t want to be ill.
When it was chilly the other day it kept my face warm!

Yes we do and I can’t see any reason why we can’t all wear them in shops and public places. As they say every little helps.

Well said GrannyRose15. Here barely anyone wears a mask. Does anyone know what the percentage of people are dying from covid as opposed to with covid. So many deaths reported are of people having underlying conditions.

IMHO individuals should protect themselves, not expect others to do so.

I was up until Wednesday when I decided I’d try without one. It felt odd. Still kept my distance and followed the rules.

First time out on my own (felt brave) in over 3 years due to my mobility issues.

Met with a lady I was interested in buying a mobility scooter from. All went well, we stayed outside. Then got a message at 9pm that night saying her young son has Covid and she could have passed it onto me! Lateral tests done, no signs of it, but I’m staying in again just in case it appears in the next 10 days.

Just my luck!

Mask won’t be coming off again now once I’m ready to go out again. Big shock to the system though after dodging it for so long.

Yes I agree Shirls compulsory wearing of face masks should have remained. I have just returned from the Canaries. People I know who live there think that people who do not wear masks in the UK are reckless and stupid not to do so. I’m inclined to agree. Enforcement is taken seriously by the Police and security in shops. I did not see anyone without a mask in a shop or enclosed space the whole time I was there. Unlike some people in the UK people there do not make a fuss they accept that wearing a mask will help to protect themselves and others. I really think mask wearing should be made compulsory and enforced, although this is unlikely as the Police failed to do this even during lockdown. Vaccination passports should be introduced as in Wales and Scotland. The government are really dragging their feet on this and need to take action.

I live in Scotland, where masks never went away. Cases are in decline here.

Why would anyone only wear a mask when requested to do so? If wearing a mask protects you and others, which it does, why would you only wear one if requested.

Short answer yes - and in England with cases rates rising so alarmingly and hospital trusts already declaring a crisis, with ambulances and patients held up for hours - we can and should do our bit to minimise the effect.

This is the chart published by the Zoe Project today - and it does not look good.

GrannyRose15

TwoWolves

I've asked for my post to be deleted cos it was totally daft, but the darn things wind me up so much. Bridgeit, I have very rarely worn one, and I'm still here - they don't work!!

Absolutely agree.

But on a more serious note, now that everyone has had the opportunity to have two jabs and so the threat to life is very much diminished, every action designed to prevent infection should cease, apart form for the extremely vulnerable. This is because if the vaccines do not totally prevent illness then the only way the virus is going to go away is if we all develop natural immunity. Unfortunately this means we are all going to have to get the disease at some point.

Do we want the restrictions to go on for ever?

What restrictions ??!!

Maggiemaybe

Yes I am. Probably just as well as I tested positive a couple of weeks ago, and I was on public transport and in shops that day.

Can we please not try to turn this into yet another other countries good, UK bad thread though? If DH and I and our DS and two of the DGS had not had routine tests, we would not have known we had Covid from our symptoms. Other countries with their much lower levels of testing will have higher infection rates that are just not being picked up.

Agree. Some countries don’t test as much. The lateral flow tests are not free, so people are not going to bother.

I always wear a mask when I am out and about, on public transport, in crowded places, in shops. I also sanitise regularly.
I am not so keen on the constant use of lateral flow tests though.

Maggiemaybe good point.
I agree some of the countries are not doing LFTs and hardly doing PCRs. So literally 100,000s are being missed because people don't even know. They just think they have a cold. I did, if I hadn't done a LFT followed by a PCR I would have never known.