Will you continue to wear a mask?

I had already made my mind up a while ago to continue wearing a mask, certainly until the beginning of March. I have been in town this morning and most people seemed to be continuing with the practice. It is no real hardship.

For those who are dismissive of wearing masks and think it's all over, here is an extract from a letter I received this morning from the Chief Medical officer in Scotland.

As someone who is exempt from wearing as mask, due to COPD and other chronic lung problems, I still wear them and will continue to do so. I do struggle wearing a mask and yes it is a nuisance that my glasses steam up, but it is a small price to pay to stay safe.

Yes, although I don't have the choice as they are still required here. I'm quite used to them now and they don't bother me once I get my glasses unsteamed!

No I will not be wearing mine, apart from very occasionally. I am going to the dentist this afternoon and they request you wear one. In his instance I will.

Wore ours this morning, as did most other people. Only wear it in crowded places though. Won't be going into crowded pubs and restaurants for a while, but when it's warmer we'll go to places where we can sit outside. We have three nice local pubs where we've always sat out in the garden anyway, because it gets so noisy inside. With the exception of wearing masks sometimes our lives have been back to normal for some time now but then we are both healthy and I appreciate that 'back to normal' for some people is a bit riskier.

I have been to the optician and the supermarket so far today. The majority are wearing masks. I think less people will wear them as the weather gets warmer. It is nice to keep your nose warm.

Lucca

LilacChaser

Nooooooooooooooo. Continue? I never started.....

I think we know all about your views.

I didn't and don't know about your views, lilacchaser. Gotta do something else now but will come back and have a look.

yes, I shall continue to wear a mask when I use public transport, toilets and shops...look after my own health....

Only if I'm forced to. I have never got used to them. My glasses steam up, even with FFP3 ones. They make my nose run (everything makes my nose run) and itch. They cause severe pain at the top of my right ear (pressure on a nerve? No idea really).

The glasses steaming up thing I found out about years ago because I started using FFP3 masks while strimming and while wearing tight-fitting goggles. The goggles steamed up as well. Had to give up the masks just so I could see what I was doing, and put up with the subsequent rhinitis.
If I pushed my glasses down my nose to hold a wired cotton mask down I got neck-ache from having to lift my head to awkward angles to be able to read labels in food shops, thanks to varifocal lenses. I even tried hanging a magnifying glass round my neck while food shopping. MrB now does nearly all the food shopping.

I solved the ear problem by tying the ear loops together across the back of my head with some more elastic. That works but the runny nose problem still exists to the extent that I have to pull a mask down at frequent intervals to blow my nose.

And then there's the low lung capacity. I just find it harder to breathe through cloth. Three separate GPs have diagnosed me as asthmatic over the years. I'm not asthmatic; they only thought so because my peak flow is so low but it doesn't change or respond to inhaler treatment.

So my anxiety levels went up too.

Of course I believe people who say they've just got used to wearing a mask. I just don't know how because I can't. It's not as if I didn't try. I even made batches of masks for family and friends right at the beginning so it wasn't unwillingness.

But now, I avoid mask wearing as much as possible. I'm really settng this out as support for other mask haters. I can fight my own corner, and have.

I'll always have one on my person but will wear it with discrimination.

they’re much less dehumanising than being incubated in an ICU.

Wear a mask, don't wear a mask. Its up to you (if you're in England).

In Scotland, we'll still be wearing them.

But can we please not start on against with the if you don't like masks you won't like being intubated thing? Wearing masks is not a small thing; they impede communication and they are unpleasant and they make me breathless. I wear them because it makes sense to do so for now, but I will not be wearing them indefinitely and I will not be wearing them on the bus in 2025 to stop me or anyone else getting the sniffles.

Some proportion, please.

My husband had a similar experience Yammy trying to board a ferry where the steps down were very old and uneven I told him to take the bloody mask off before he fell and broke his neck

Disposable masks are the answer MissC as you will have the pleasure of chucking it away after each wearing. ?

Yes, though I have no choice with the supermarket and pharmacy both are in Sainsburys who are asking people to continue.
No if I'm out for a walk in the country side and can keep my distance. They do steam your glasses up and the first time I wore a mask I panicked and steamed them up completely . I nearly went head first over the pharmacy counter .It seems I had been about the tenth that day. They then put a fluorescent strip to show where to stand and showed up through the steam.

You might received negative posts about your walks MissC but please don’t attribute them to me. It sounds as though you may not have washed your masks, in which case they may be filthy but I assure you that they’re much less dehumanising than being incubated in an ICU. Those of us who wear masks do so to protect ourselves and others.

LilacChaser

Nooooooooooooooo. Continue? I never started.....

I think we know all about your views.

Parsley3; you have made me think now. I remember buying a pack of 4 cotton masks by post from Hobbs at the start of the first lockdown. I appear to have 2 left which lurk at the bottom of my everyday bag. A mask is put on as I go into a shop and ripped off the second I walk out of the door.
I loathe and despise them as being dehumanising face rags to the point where I refuse to engage with them at any other time once they have been stuffed unceremoniously back into the murky depths of my bag ! I have never bought any disposable ones so I must be wearing the same ones.

Germanshepherdsmum; I certainly received very negative posts regarding my twice daily stomps through the woods and moors. It was rare that I came within half a mile of another person, so not a transmission risk. I do remember someone being extremely concerned and really quite rude to me saying that I was extremely selfish doing this in case I slipped, sprained an ankle and had to call out the air ambulance. That was hilarious. Who on earth calls a helicopter or an ambulance for a sprained ankle.

Yes definitely. We are taking care this week as we were in contact with a couple who have found out they have Covid this week (we were with them at the weekend for several hours). They are unwell - as if they have Flu.
It is all around us.
We will be testing every day for 7 days to check we don’t have it. ?

Whitewavemark2

dogsmother

Not if I don’t have to, a nuisance with glasses.

Not interested in protecting your fellow citizen?

Clearly not. “A nuisance”. Oh dear what a shame .

I shall carry on wearing one in shops and crowded places or where there is little opportunity to space out.
If I have tradesmen in I would still ask them to wear one.
I made all my masks and they are quite pretty. Being pure cotton , double layer, they don’t seem to impair breathing or be particularly hot. Each one is hot washed after use.

Not likely unless asked to. Probably on public transport though.
I wonder what will happen in church…

I’m in Wales. Still required here but I have no plans to stop wearing one. I’ve got used to it. Just another item of clothing. ?

Yes definitely. Someone on TV suggested we wear them indefinitely on public transport and crowded spaces. I agree.

Yes, I will still wear a mask. I don't go out a lot anyway, but I think it still makes sense to be careful.

I went to the vets this morning with both cats. I wore my mask , as did the receptionist, and 3 other people who came in for their appointments while I was there. The vet, however, did not. Neither did the two phone installation workmen who were sizing up a future job. I kept my distance from them.

Tomorrow is my weekly shopping day. Early morning , as usual, at Tesco. Just hoping most people are still wearing masks, but I will be in and out asap. Lingering and mooching round the shops has definitely lost it's appeal!

Take care xxx

yrs definitely, I think the older generation seem to be the only ones bothering where I live.