Wearing a mask?

I’ve just rejoined my gym. I’ve reached the point where not getting any cardiovascular exercise was getting to be detrimental to my health. But I’m going to go when it’s pretty quiet and will be wearing a mask. The only time I find mask wearing is a problem is if I’m wearing my reading glasses. I still haven’t found a way to stop them steaming up.

We are going to be wearing ours and doing the hand sanitizer again. We tested positive this week and have felt quite poorly, DH more so than me.
I think we got a bit lax about it but this has been a wake up call. If masks help, then masks it will be.

I stocked up on FFP2's via Amazon at the start of the pandemic and still have two boxes left. I read an article at the time by a scientist who said you could use them many times as long as they were rotated regularly, you did not spray them with anything and you hung them in fresh air either on the washing line or in our case in the greenhouse! I marked 5 masks each with our initials and rotated them daily. Didn't stop us getting Covid or flu though ! We are going to start wearing them again from today, I'm not happy about any new variants coming in from China.

I ‘take my hat off’ to anyone wearing a mask and try to give them that little bit more space when possible. I think the latest about wearing a mask if you have a cold etc is a very good idea but it’s not easy and yes I know we need to build up our immune systems but the GPs, pharmacists, supplies, NHS etc need all the help they can get. My aunt has had to cancel her very much needed medical appointments at the last minute due to catching covid for the first time.

karmalady

No, I will never wear a mask again, will never again hide my face and emotions behind a mask. Fortunately I don`t see anyone in my small market town wearing a mask.

What will you do if, for example, your GP surgery mandates mask-wearing on its premises?

My local medical centre has just done that in order, they say, to protect the staff and patients who - obviously - come in close contact with each other. Up until now, they've left the choice to the individual but with the increases in numbers of people affected by the new variant, they've decided to make it compulsory. Just one doctor off-sick can make the surgery's workload problematic - especially if they are also suffering from staff-shortages, which is the case with some.

No, I will never wear a mask again, will never again hide my face and emotions behind a mask. Fortunately I don`t see anyone in my small market town wearing a mask.

Where did you find that figure, MerylStreep?

The guidance I found for FFP2 masks is that for the general public they're fine for five wears (or up to 40 hours). The ones I use are currently £7.99 for a pack of 10 on Amazon.

I still wear a mask on my commute to and from work, or anywhere crowded. Much as masks are supposed to protect others, as opposed to the wearer, I'm the only one of my colleagues not to have caught a cold or worse over the past few months.

Fortunately our office is very spacious and it's easy to keep a distance there.

If masks are so effective how come over 2 million people have died in China in the past few months?

The FFP2 masks I have brought were single use only so if you wanted to use them frequently it could get expensive. If I remember correctly they were £10 for 5 from Boots.

Does anyone know how often you can wear a FFP2 mask? Unlike the blue ones we try to wear ours as much as possible. I’ve never stopped wearing masks ( even though I don’t go to many places). I do visit m family now, though, which I’ve only just started doing. I really hoped we’d get into the habit of wearing masks in crowded places as they do in eastern countries. They do it to protect others and I can’t see a problem with that.

I've just recieved a text from my doctor's surgery to say that masks are again mandatory before entering, due to the increase in covid cases.

We are due to go on a long haul flight on holiday next week. I will probably wear masks on the flight (and they may very well ask us to). However, under normal circumstances I won't but will avoid any cuddles and kisses over the next few weeks.

I wear an FFP2/3 mask when I feel it is advisable ie in crowded unventilated places. I was going to wear one on the plane to New Zealand when we flew over but it was just too long a journey, and I felt sick some of the time, and so I took it off. I didn’t get Covid though despite about 24 hours on an aeroplane.

I have never stopped wearing a mask when in large shops, public indoors places etc. so far I have not had covid. I just can’t see the logic with people not wearing one in the winter with all these nasty bugs flying about. Also wash my hands a great deal more

I have ben wearing a mask again since the beginning of December.
I have remained COVID free and intend to stay that way. I don't like the blue masks I can't breathe normally l always use the ffp2, don't care if it looks odd. I have always used a preventative essential oil mix daily since it started

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34585544/

I will wear one on public transport if I use it. Or for any time when I am in close contact with a person for any reason.

No......hated wearing masks, will not do so again. If I feel I am infectious with anything will not mix with people - otherwise I will take my chances with the vaccination programme.

Note how many people have been hospitalised with covid and flu - would be interesting if there was some sort of date as to how m any of those were totally up to date with their vaccinations.

Just living a normal life has always been a risk and we all know that the one definite thing we can all expect is death - so if it is not that or this virus it will be something else eventually. in the meantime, I will just try to live a normal life mixing with other people and being social.

There's surely more point, and courtesy, in wearing a mask if you have a cold or something so as to not pass it on to other people. It may be less effective to wear one for your own protection - I'm not quoting the science on this - but it really depends on your own situation.

As I am immunosuppressed, I wear a mask in crowded places. Haven’t been to the theatre or restaurant in over two years (my choice).
The media messages and pictures do not fill me confidence to go without it. I do wonder if they are responsible for my nervousness.
Here in York, before the pandemic, Chinese students and tourists with masks were a common site.

I haven't stopped wearing a mask on buses or in shops. Do not intend to stop. I have a cold at the moment so I was protecting others from me. I have health problems and so far been lucky not to get Covid . But one that my luck will run out.

I have to wear a mask for work,otherwise I will just be cautious around people. I’m pretty sure in years to come there will be a report that says we have been breathing in a lot of microfibres from those blue masks and they will not have done our lungs any favours!

Will not be wearing a mask ever again unless legislation dictates but suspect that is very unlikely.
Very rarely go into particularly crowded areas or use public transport.
I have picked up Covid twice but that was more likely from family contact rather than nipping to the shop. Also more likely to contract illness from social settings where wearing a mask would be inappropriate.
I am fully vaccinated and do not mix amongst others if I am unwell for any reason.
Also I really don’t have the faith in basic masks if I was really concerned I would go for a FFP2 type mask.

I’m not wearing a mask as yet but over Xmas and NY I didn’t shake hands, kiss or hug anyone at any social gatherings!
The RSV virus going around is nasty, I know so many people who have been so poorly with it.

I think it's very sensible.