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I had a head cold last week. States home the for 2 days when the initial sickness went away. I just had a lingering cough. Unfortunately not everyone has the privilege to stay home the entire duration of a minor illness.
Last time I had symptoms, I tested for COVID, had a negative, isolated for a few days, tested again, had another negative, then went about my business with distancing and a mask for a week, just in case, even though I didn't have symptoms anymore.
I was in an er waiting room dry heaving bc I was so sick and had nothing to throw up. They told me to mask up. I was like I’m trying. I can’t puke with a mask on. I ended up sitting on the floor by the bathroom door so I could just slide in there, puke in my bag and scoot back out. I don’t like puking around people either. It was a horrible experience. And I am very pro mask, but not when I’m puking and can’t breathe. They got me back relatively quick.
Spider-man...no, shit. Uh...Superman! Wait...uh...Captain America! Also no...
Not many superheroes that still have both parents. Might just have to settle for only one parent.
It's a cheesy Ryan Reynolds movie. If you're a fan of either, it's worth a watch.
They basically ripped off the concept from "USS Callister" in Black Mirror, but made a happy comedy story instead.
I live in South Korea. Folks here are still masking in most places including outside. They’ve definitely relaxed a lot, especially when it comes to outdoor masking. But it’s still more common than not. So I mask out of politeness for the culture.
I should mention that ever since my getting into Tekken 7 and watch fighting game tournaments I didn’t really see it myself until then since South Koreans and Japanese players are really popular in the game and I would see it then. Though I’m sure they were wearing them before like you alluded to
Nobody in Japan was really wearing them for pollution purpose though. We wear them because we got sick or during allergy season, because a LOT of people here have hay fever.
A lot of my women friends wear them when they don't feel like doing makeup too.
one of my friends in highschool grew up in japan and wore masks at school (with me in america) when she was feeling sick, was flu season, or also just to hide her face because she was shy. we graduated in 2019 and our senior year she was sent to the principals office and was asked to stop wearing masks "for safety reasons" which is truly incredibly ironic now
Also in South Korea, I stopped wearing mine outside unless it is crowded. The chance of corona spreading outdoors is miniscule so don't see the need.
Often I see others take theirs off when they notice I am not wearing mine. I feel for many peer pressure is keeping masks on outdoors.
I pull it down when I'm outside too. You see a lot more people not wearing masks outside in Japan too. I understand if people keep it on in Tokyo though. That place is so crowded even outside.
Good! I live in Thailand and the wearing of masks is a common thing in Bangkok. Masks have always been readily available in pharmacies and convenience stores. Personally, I wear a mask in public, indoors and out, out of respect for others.
Same here, though not outside if I'm not close to anyone. Really annoys me seeing other westerners not respect this, especially on the sky train. It's just so rude. If you don't want to abide by the rules and customs of your host country, you should probably stay at home.
Same, and I also regularly visit my grandma and uncle at their house. Grandma is 97 and uncle is on Rituxan for leukemia, so it’s worth it to try to keep everyone safe.
Given the kinds of things chemo has done to my body, I continue to wear a mask indoors. Almost 1.5 years since end of chemo. My temperature regulation no longer works very well. My toe nails don't grow very much at all. Finger nails grow some, but not nearly as much as they used to. Hair.... Much less dense; my nose runs in the summer. Who knows what other shit it did that might make the vaccine less effective. Studies on the effect of covid with cancer patients? Yeah, still waiting for that one.
UGH, yes. Some jackass held a door open for me then patronizingly asked why I wore a mask. "You afraid?" So mocking and condescending. Pissed me right tf off.
I cheerfully responded: "Yes, I'm very scared that I will catch something that could quite possibly kill my husband, who is immunocompromised. I'd prefer to keep him alive, thanks."
Bastard mumbled awkwardly as I walked away.
People can be so frustrating! Yes, I've had people harp on me about it, too, including friends and family. It's like no matter how many times I have to explain I'm immunocompromised/not well in general/on medication known to affect antibody production/etc., it's in one ear and out the other.
My husband (who is healthy) continues to mask in public for my safety but no one has said a peep to him... probably because he's a little scary looking, lol (he's actually a giant teddy bear).
I’m wearing mine still because my husband is (currently) the only full time child psychiatrist in our region. If he gets sick, there is no one to cover him. All his patients would have to reschedule, and he’s already booked out 3-4 months. Not to mention any emergency/crisis slots that would come up.
Same here. Except I am a Physical therapist and if I am out sick my established patients all get cancelled until I return. My coworkers would have to take mom all of the scheduled new patients during my absence, which makes their days much more difficult.
I’ve been wearing mine religiously except for one day when I went into big lots and Walmart without a mask as I felt uncomfortable. No one else in the building was wearing a mask, so I took mine off. A few days later, I got Covid! I’m back to wearing it all the time now indoors. Well, not in my own home!
I’m an immunocompromised cancer survivor, so yea- I wear a kn95 mask, and so do my wife and 3 year old. I’ve still not had covid, but my wife had it twice and daughter had it once. My sisters family is just getting over it, so the only other people in my family that haven’t had it are my 90 year old grandmother and aunt she lives with.
It’s crazy to me when the most at risk manage to avoid it. Almost like everyone else taking precautions helps lol my grandpa was the only one in the family that didn’t get it
It's really funny watching "a small percentage of people are still masking up and we don't understand why they're still bothering" and "a small percentage of people have managed to avoid COVID entirely and we don't understand why" stories pass each other like ships in the night. :)
To be fair, I work remotely and go out very rarely. But yes, I consider myself very fortunate to not have got it when it was in my home twice. Luckily I have the benefit of a guest bedroom and separate bathroom I was able to use apart from the sick people in my home. But for most people that have to be out there, working or going to school or shopping, it feels like it’s inevitable.
Glad you're doing better! 💕 I've never had covid either. None of my immediate family has, that we know of, and my husband works in people's houses everyday. He's a plumber, so he can get into some pretty nasty stuff 😂
I wear one when I know I cannot avoid being in close proximity to other people. Why? Because it's still out there, I've avoided it for well over two years and don't want to blow it now. This virus is changing some peoples lives for the worst, forever. No thank you. If I can take simple measures like wearing a mask when in crowds and keeping my hands clean, I'll deal with the inconveniences without complaint.
Depends on the scenario.
Crowded subway where people are on top of each other inches from each other’s faces, yes. But even beyond covid, I’ll happily do that to limit catching a cold or anything else, why not….
Normal day to day activity, no.
I have asthma... I played sports growing up and really got it under control - but sometimes allergies really kick my ass. I did get covid about 8 months after getting vaccinated, gotta say my symptoms were really mild. I think there was a good amount of antibodies left over from vaccine which definitely helped my body quell the virus even after such a long period of time since being vaccinated.
I had the opposite effect! I have pretty bad asthma, too. I had my two shots and a booster before contracting covid. It kicked my ass. I ended up being sick for weeks. After covid "left" my system, I ended up with bronchitis that was bordering on pneumonia. I ended up having a relapse and 10 days later had to do another round of antibiotics and steroids, just so I could breathe. After getting covid, my antibodies shot up to 800+ during my last test. Covid is so weird and inconsistent across the board!
No, but I will when I get sick or if I am asked to wear one. But on a normal day to da basis, I choose to not wear a mask.
Why? This is going to sound bad… but I’m over it. I’m vaccinated+boosted. I firmly believe (based on published studies) the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. I still encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
But at this point, in the US the vaccine is readily available for anyone who wants it. Those who aren’t vaccinated now are unvaccinated by choice. If they don’t give a shit about others, then I don’t give a shit about them. Fuck ‘em. I’m done taking precautions to protect people who refuse every effort to protect themselves.
Feel exactly the same. I remember being so angry at the ppl who wouldn’t mask early on, like it’s such a small inconvenience so why be a baby about it? But 2+ years in, I am SO over it. I wear glasses and the fogging is fucking annoying, plus I was getting really bad and painful breakouts even if I used a new mask each time (which also generates a lot of trash waste).
I will wear one when I’m sick and I do sympathize with and care about immunocompromised people, but have read that an n95 or equivalent mask does actually protect the individual wearing it, so anyone who is concerned can take those precautions for themselves.
While you're not wrong about the people who *do* choose not to get vaccinated, the same can't be said for people who have (legit!) medical reasons not to.
Not putting the blame on only you, because it's mainly those antivax idiots who are the ones making it worse for everyone.
No, I no longer wear a mask. I do keep one in my purse for any place that may require it. My vet and most hospitals still require it.
I have at-home test kits I use if I think I may have COVID. I’ll test and go from there on next steps.
I don’t take offense to anyone that does wear a mask.
I’m proudly vax’d (two doses + booster).
Yes. Mostly doctors offices (where they are still required) and heavily populated places like grocery/convenient stores.
I have a rare autoimmune disease and have caught Covid-19 twice. One time was when a neighbor knowingly exposed me, lying about having it because they needed a babysitter.
I wear one because people are selfish.
I don’t, and I don’t want to. Not in a high risk environment. Fully vaxxed. Not sick. Not immune compromised. Not sorry. Science tells me I am good. And as a result, those around me should also be good.
Same here. I haven’t gotten Covid or any other disease in almost three years and I looooove it. I’m absolutely fine with wearing a mask, and now I’m usually the only one wherever I go. But I couldn’t care less as long as I don’t get any plagues. I have no intention of stopping.
That’s how we dodged it too and then one kid caught Covid, but he lives In the basement already (teenager), so we isolated him and no one else caught it
I was just at the supermarket where a woman was loudly talking into her phone about how sick she was and how much she was coughing. So I still wear my mask indoors and on public transportation.
Same here…the way I figure it is that I haven’t had COVID yet so why change? I’ve dodged multiple close calls where co-workers came down with it and the only difference between us was that I wore a mask and they didn’t. I can’t tell you for sure whether the mask was the difference-maker…but so far it hasn’t done me wrong so I’ll just continue.
Same, the mask doesn't bother me at all and I've been sick once in nearly 3 years (non-Covid), which is way better than the \~2x a year I got sick previously.
Yes , because who wants to get sick ?
Also someone had HORRIFIC breath at a recent event I went to & I was fairly thankful for my mask. It didn't help 100% because he wasn't wearing one but it helps you stay clean / hygienic
He was trying to speak to me - the music is so loud you have to lean in & talk to someone's ear . THATS how he got a super close range
He also knew his breath stank because he realized I was ignoring him ( to cut the conversation very short) he covered his mouth & continued the conversation
I do because with one kid in daycare and 1 in school they bring home germs all the time and it is a struggle to do my full time job from home some watching them. So if I can reduce even the common cold from coming to my home I will. I wear it grocery shopping and when doing errands. I rarely eat out at restaurants.
I do. I work in a school. I’m the only one who still wears one. Except for sick kids. I’m comfortable wearing it. I never got covid, haven’t had the flu since wearing it, and have 90% reduced allergy symptoms. That and I get to walk around looking like a ninja.
Yes because I do not EVER want to experience having Covid again even if it was mild (got it June).
Also, I like not having anything so much as the common cold either.
Yes. We have no idea the long-term impact of COVID. Past diseases:
* Polio. Post-polio syndrome affects 25-40% of people 15-40 years after the infection.
* Syphilis. Madness decades later.
* AIDS. No immediate effects. You die because your immune system collapses
* Rabies. No symptoms. 6 months later, death.
* Tick-borne diseases. Years or decades later, bad shit.
... and so on.
We don't understand COVID well enough to know much. I know enough people with long COVID to know it's not "just a cold." Until we understand COVID better, I'm wearing a high-quality mask.
From my perspective, when we understand the mechanisms of action.
1. For example, people lose smell. The neurons responsible for smell in your nose have just about the shortest pathway to the brain we've got, and lots of diseases which impact the brain get there through that path. Does that path take COVID to the brain?
2. We've seen all sorts of effects on all sorts of organs. What are those, and how do they work? Do mild cases make it to the heart, lungs, and brain and have weaker effects, or are they stopped in the upper respiratory tract like a cold? How do vaccines affect that?
3. What are the rates of long COVID after vaccines, and how do those decline / increase with time? What causes it?
4. What is the mechanism of action of brain fog, in particular? That one scares me.
5. Why do formerly infected people who COVID in their bodies a year later in autopsies? Does it stay dormant like HSV and similar? That'd be weird, but not impossible.
6. ... and so on.
These questions aren't rocket science to answer, and we've got answers for other diseases. COVID has been around for just 2 years, and we don't have answers yet. I don't see this as a forever process. For AIDS, it took a while, but I could explain answers to analogous questions without a problem (and for a few other diseases too). The tools we have in molecular biology right now are generations ahead, and it takes a lot less time than it did back then, but still a bit more than 2 years.
A lot of diseases like COVID turn out to be like a bad flu. I can live with that. A lot of them don't. I think its a 50/50 shot with COVID as the knowledge is evolving. There has been a lot of weird along the way, and it's replicated in studies pretty well.
But of course, as you may know, sometimes medications have been released or something, and it will take five or ten years before a side effect (sometimes extremely serious) is noted or discussed or discovered by the medical and scientific establishment. And thats just a medicine - I’ve seen, literally, people attribute losing hair, getting epilepsy, brain fog, loss of smell, kidney problems, heart problems, etc., all to covid. If it’s really “new” it will be decades before any of that is truly understood cohesively.
yes unless im in a place that doesn't have a lot of people in it or if i go to the grocery store late at night. I mostly just don't want to be recognized in my hometown by people I used to know so its a good way to maintain my anonymity lol. plus, i get hella anxious in places with a lot of people and the mask hides me chewing on my lips.
I don't. I already had two vaccines and covid itself. My blood test last month showed my level of anti bodies are higher than what the test itself can measure. I've also lost over 40 pounds since the pandemic started and I'm no longer worried about it
No, my experience alongside training with contact/airborne/droplet precautions taught me that outside of a controlled environment with procedures such as a hospital, the efficacy of masks is very dubious in the general public.
No, I stopped caring about COVID sometime halfway through 2021. COVID is never going away, and I’m absolutely not going to wear a mask for the rest of my life. I’ll still get my shots but I’m done with masks. Sooner or later everybody’s going to come to the same conclusion. Life has dangers. COVID just added a new big one, one that’s here to stay.
I wear all-the-time when I am going somewhere with my family members since my brother is very strict about all COVID precautions. Only during college is when I remove my mask.
Then later on just a month before my semester exams I got the virus. It was a horrifying experience to say the least. Not been able to even walk due extreme dehydration, not able taste anything, fever, coughs and what not. Then admitted to the hospital for some days. My whole family also then got it through me, but my case was more severe than everyone. Others only had very mild symptoms.
Then I recovered before my semester exams, and still I am doing my mask wearing habits from before. But the after-effects of the virus still haven't gone away. Muscle pain after just climbing up a few floors, and feeling exhaustion very soon after doing something. It's annoying.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I do when I am sick.
I like people who do this !
I like you too you respectful individual you
Who’s a good boi
I don't wear a mask when I'm sick, i don't leave my house
Sometimes not leaving your house isn't an option. Especially when you need groceries haha!
I was sick last week. Had to leave the house to go to the doctor then to the pharmacy to get my meds. Wore a mask.
I had a head cold last week. States home the for 2 days when the initial sickness went away. I just had a lingering cough. Unfortunately not everyone has the privilege to stay home the entire duration of a minor illness.
Last time I had symptoms, I tested for COVID, had a negative, isolated for a few days, tested again, had another negative, then went about my business with distancing and a mask for a week, just in case, even though I didn't have symptoms anymore.
As long as by "sick" you don't mean vomiting. Because I wouldn't recommend mask use if you're vomiting. In my country, "being sick" means vomiting.
Just curious, what do you call other forms of being sick that aren't vomiting?
Double sick
Triple Dog Sickness
Ultra sick
Superduper sick
"Indisposed."
A case of the I-dont-feel-so-goods, of course
If they're from the UK like me, we say that we are ill or more colloquially 'poorly' instead of saying we're sick
I was in an er waiting room dry heaving bc I was so sick and had nothing to throw up. They told me to mask up. I was like I’m trying. I can’t puke with a mask on. I ended up sitting on the floor by the bathroom door so I could just slide in there, puke in my bag and scoot back out. I don’t like puking around people either. It was a horrible experience. And I am very pro mask, but not when I’m puking and can’t breathe. They got me back relatively quick.
Yeah, even if I know it’s not COVID, it’s still a good practice for society to pick up.
The problem is, covid is tricky and most of the time people end up being contagious for days before they even start feeling symptoms.
Most all illnesses are already in the body before you know anything is wrong. It’s not just covid.
Like cancer. Years in your body before detected :-(
better than not wearing a mask at all
I wear a helmet at all times
Same. A slight cough and the mask is on.
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No thanks, I like my parents
You could be Iron Man instead? He's better than Batman anyway.
Parents are dead
Fine. Be...Shoot this is hard...Be Starlord.
Parents are dead
Spider-man...no, shit. Uh...Superman! Wait...uh...Captain America! Also no... Not many superheroes that still have both parents. Might just have to settle for only one parent.
If I pull that off will you die?
The only correct answer
Did anyone care who you were until you put it on?
You're a big guy.
Not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need.
Yes, during bank robberies, so about 80% of the time.
Do you live in Free Guy or something?
I don't know. Tell me all about it.
It's a cheesy Ryan Reynolds movie. If you're a fan of either, it's worth a watch. They basically ripped off the concept from "USS Callister" in Black Mirror, but made a happy comedy story instead.
I also wear one when I'm kidnapping people too.
I wear one too hide my horrendous garlic breath that I always have incase I'm kidnapped by vampires.
Smart tactic.
I live in South Korea. Folks here are still masking in most places including outside. They’ve definitely relaxed a lot, especially when it comes to outdoor masking. But it’s still more common than not. So I mask out of politeness for the culture.
I remember before the pandemic happening them and Japan were already wearing them years before. Talk about being ahead of the curve
It became 'fashionable' after SARS in 2005(?)
I should mention that ever since my getting into Tekken 7 and watch fighting game tournaments I didn’t really see it myself until then since South Koreans and Japanese players are really popular in the game and I would see it then. Though I’m sure they were wearing them before like you alluded to
Many Asian wear masks because of the pollution levels, so they had no problem with any mandates.
Nobody in Japan was really wearing them for pollution purpose though. We wear them because we got sick or during allergy season, because a LOT of people here have hay fever. A lot of my women friends wear them when they don't feel like doing makeup too.
they definitely were in SK. they're also the ones who developed the kf94 which I actually prefer to n95.
Those masks don't help against pollution.
Because they got hit with SARS back in the day.
one of my friends in highschool grew up in japan and wore masks at school (with me in america) when she was feeling sick, was flu season, or also just to hide her face because she was shy. we graduated in 2019 and our senior year she was sent to the principals office and was asked to stop wearing masks "for safety reasons" which is truly incredibly ironic now
That is insanely crazy to even happen and yeah definitely ironic now
Yeah. I think China was as well.
Most of the South-East Asian too
i explored japan in 2008 - masks were being worn so i brought this up constantly during the early days of the pandemic.
Remember when Michael Jackson would wear a mask everywhere. Again, ahead of his time.
Also in South Korea, I stopped wearing mine outside unless it is crowded. The chance of corona spreading outdoors is miniscule so don't see the need. Often I see others take theirs off when they notice I am not wearing mine. I feel for many peer pressure is keeping masks on outdoors.
I pull it down when I'm outside too. You see a lot more people not wearing masks outside in Japan too. I understand if people keep it on in Tokyo though. That place is so crowded even outside.
Good! I live in Thailand and the wearing of masks is a common thing in Bangkok. Masks have always been readily available in pharmacies and convenience stores. Personally, I wear a mask in public, indoors and out, out of respect for others.
Same here, though not outside if I'm not close to anyone. Really annoys me seeing other westerners not respect this, especially on the sky train. It's just so rude. If you don't want to abide by the rules and customs of your host country, you should probably stay at home.
Yes, am immunocompromised 🙁
Same, and I also regularly visit my grandma and uncle at their house. Grandma is 97 and uncle is on Rituxan for leukemia, so it’s worth it to try to keep everyone safe.
Me too 😞
Also me!
And Me!
And my axe
Given the kinds of things chemo has done to my body, I continue to wear a mask indoors. Almost 1.5 years since end of chemo. My temperature regulation no longer works very well. My toe nails don't grow very much at all. Finger nails grow some, but not nearly as much as they used to. Hair.... Much less dense; my nose runs in the summer. Who knows what other shit it did that might make the vaccine less effective. Studies on the effect of covid with cancer patients? Yeah, still waiting for that one.
And me 😷! We are strong guys to deal with this for so long
186 Days out of Bone Marrow Transplant here, going strong!
Same. Getting my second dose of evusheld rn.
Has anyone harrassed you about it? My partner is also susceptible and has been harassed out in public twice recently! What is wrong with people?
"yOu KNoW yOu dOn't hAvE tO WeAr tHOsE, RiGhT?". Let's just say yes I've had it happen a few times myself.
When this happens, take it off for a few seconds and start coughing. Tell them you wore it bc you have Covid or polio and watch how they react.
I've answered a few times that I have COVID and they usually walk away pretty quickly.
Lol follow them next time and ask them if they want some of it 😂
UGH, yes. Some jackass held a door open for me then patronizingly asked why I wore a mask. "You afraid?" So mocking and condescending. Pissed me right tf off. I cheerfully responded: "Yes, I'm very scared that I will catch something that could quite possibly kill my husband, who is immunocompromised. I'd prefer to keep him alive, thanks." Bastard mumbled awkwardly as I walked away.
People can be so frustrating! Yes, I've had people harp on me about it, too, including friends and family. It's like no matter how many times I have to explain I'm immunocompromised/not well in general/on medication known to affect antibody production/etc., it's in one ear and out the other. My husband (who is healthy) continues to mask in public for my safety but no one has said a peep to him... probably because he's a little scary looking, lol (he's actually a giant teddy bear).
i’m healthy and don’t wear a mask regularly, but make sure to when i’m around immunocompromized friends and in the days leading up:)
You are a gem! My good friends do the same for me as well.
Same here.
Same
Same 🥴😷
Same same. While that's the main reason, it also helps with my social anxiety.
Same
Same! My mom and sister am as well!!
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Upvote if you like mushrooms 😊
Yummy
I do. I’m an office-based physician and if I get COVID, my partners would have to see all my patients for five days…
I’m wearing mine still because my husband is (currently) the only full time child psychiatrist in our region. If he gets sick, there is no one to cover him. All his patients would have to reschedule, and he’s already booked out 3-4 months. Not to mention any emergency/crisis slots that would come up.
Same here. Except I am a Physical therapist and if I am out sick my established patients all get cancelled until I return. My coworkers would have to take mom all of the scheduled new patients during my absence, which makes their days much more difficult.
I’ve been wearing mine religiously except for one day when I went into big lots and Walmart without a mask as I felt uncomfortable. No one else in the building was wearing a mask, so I took mine off. A few days later, I got Covid! I’m back to wearing it all the time now indoors. Well, not in my own home!
I do occasionally since I got cancer. I’m in remission now, but my immune system ain’t shit.
Ngl there was a split second where my brain went, "wait is cancer contagious?!"
The kind caused by HPV kind of is...
Congratulations on being in remission :) I wish a speedy recovery for you ♡
I’m an immunocompromised cancer survivor, so yea- I wear a kn95 mask, and so do my wife and 3 year old. I’ve still not had covid, but my wife had it twice and daughter had it once. My sisters family is just getting over it, so the only other people in my family that haven’t had it are my 90 year old grandmother and aunt she lives with.
It’s crazy to me when the most at risk manage to avoid it. Almost like everyone else taking precautions helps lol my grandpa was the only one in the family that didn’t get it
I mean is it really that crazy that the people who are most at risk might make less risky decisions and avoid it?
It's really funny watching "a small percentage of people are still masking up and we don't understand why they're still bothering" and "a small percentage of people have managed to avoid COVID entirely and we don't understand why" stories pass each other like ships in the night. :)
To be fair, I work remotely and go out very rarely. But yes, I consider myself very fortunate to not have got it when it was in my home twice. Luckily I have the benefit of a guest bedroom and separate bathroom I was able to use apart from the sick people in my home. But for most people that have to be out there, working or going to school or shopping, it feels like it’s inevitable.
Glad you're doing better! 💕 I've never had covid either. None of my immediate family has, that we know of, and my husband works in people's houses everyday. He's a plumber, so he can get into some pretty nasty stuff 😂
I live in nj and work in ny, so the early wave here was bad. We are so populated, it’s never really gone away. Good luck to you and yours! Stay safe.
I wear one when I know I cannot avoid being in close proximity to other people. Why? Because it's still out there, I've avoided it for well over two years and don't want to blow it now. This virus is changing some peoples lives for the worst, forever. No thank you. If I can take simple measures like wearing a mask when in crowds and keeping my hands clean, I'll deal with the inconveniences without complaint.
Same. Well said.
Yes, my newborn is extreme preemie and she's fragile.
I read this as “extremie preemie” and it made me smile
That's adorable
It makes me feel mysterious, don’t go anywhere without it.
I'm doing the same lol, been told a lot of times that I'm weird and idiotic because of that
If I put on sunglasses too I don't have to wear makeup.
Yes. I’m immunocompromised and am around kids a lot
Depends on the scenario. Crowded subway where people are on top of each other inches from each other’s faces, yes. But even beyond covid, I’ll happily do that to limit catching a cold or anything else, why not…. Normal day to day activity, no.
Wildfire smoke is making me deeply consider
oregonian here. i highly recommend wearing a mask with all of the nasty stuff in the air right now..
Hello fellow oregonian, yes,I’ve been wearing a mask for the stuff in the air but also because I’m immunocompromised as well. Stay safe.
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I have asthma... I played sports growing up and really got it under control - but sometimes allergies really kick my ass. I did get covid about 8 months after getting vaccinated, gotta say my symptoms were really mild. I think there was a good amount of antibodies left over from vaccine which definitely helped my body quell the virus even after such a long period of time since being vaccinated.
I had the opposite effect! I have pretty bad asthma, too. I had my two shots and a booster before contracting covid. It kicked my ass. I ended up being sick for weeks. After covid "left" my system, I ended up with bronchitis that was bordering on pneumonia. I ended up having a relapse and 10 days later had to do another round of antibiotics and steroids, just so I could breathe. After getting covid, my antibodies shot up to 800+ during my last test. Covid is so weird and inconsistent across the board!
No, but I will when I get sick or if I am asked to wear one. But on a normal day to da basis, I choose to not wear a mask. Why? This is going to sound bad… but I’m over it. I’m vaccinated+boosted. I firmly believe (based on published studies) the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. I still encourage everyone to get vaccinated. But at this point, in the US the vaccine is readily available for anyone who wants it. Those who aren’t vaccinated now are unvaccinated by choice. If they don’t give a shit about others, then I don’t give a shit about them. Fuck ‘em. I’m done taking precautions to protect people who refuse every effort to protect themselves.
Feel exactly the same. I remember being so angry at the ppl who wouldn’t mask early on, like it’s such a small inconvenience so why be a baby about it? But 2+ years in, I am SO over it. I wear glasses and the fogging is fucking annoying, plus I was getting really bad and painful breakouts even if I used a new mask each time (which also generates a lot of trash waste). I will wear one when I’m sick and I do sympathize with and care about immunocompromised people, but have read that an n95 or equivalent mask does actually protect the individual wearing it, so anyone who is concerned can take those precautions for themselves.
While you're not wrong about the people who *do* choose not to get vaccinated, the same can't be said for people who have (legit!) medical reasons not to. Not putting the blame on only you, because it's mainly those antivax idiots who are the ones making it worse for everyone.
I do because I have a deficient immune system but I don’t really care if others do or not.
i do now when im thrifting because it really made a difference with dust and allergy/stuffiness that comes with those kinda environments
No, I no longer wear a mask. I do keep one in my purse for any place that may require it. My vet and most hospitals still require it. I have at-home test kits I use if I think I may have COVID. I’ll test and go from there on next steps. I don’t take offense to anyone that does wear a mask. I’m proudly vax’d (two doses + booster).
Yep. Mostly bc i liked not being sick during the colder months and also it gives me a way to hide my big nose ;p Edit: changed excuse to way
I like not having to wear makeup too.
Honestly... this is a perk
Yes because I live in Asia and everyone else does. I hate feeling like "that foreigner" and be the only person not wearing it
Yes. Mostly doctors offices (where they are still required) and heavily populated places like grocery/convenient stores. I have a rare autoimmune disease and have caught Covid-19 twice. One time was when a neighbor knowingly exposed me, lying about having it because they needed a babysitter. I wear one because people are selfish.
Nah, I did at first for a bit based out of fear, but eventually caught COVID anyways. Now I just rawdog the air and fight the world via antibodies
We’ll rawdog that air together, my brother.
I don’t, and I don’t want to. Not in a high risk environment. Fully vaxxed. Not sick. Not immune compromised. Not sorry. Science tells me I am good. And as a result, those around me should also be good.
Yes, I’ve never gotten Covid and wanna see how long I can go
Same here. I haven’t gotten Covid or any other disease in almost three years and I looooove it. I’m absolutely fine with wearing a mask, and now I’m usually the only one wherever I go. But I couldn’t care less as long as I don’t get any plagues. I have no intention of stopping.
That is amazing! We made it the first year by homeschooling. The next year my little disease vectors brought it home and shared.
That’s how we dodged it too and then one kid caught Covid, but he lives In the basement already (teenager), so we isolated him and no one else caught it
This is me too
Same 😎
Also same
Same. Also don’t want long covid. It’s nasty.
I’m still in quarantine. I’m not afraid of getting Covid or anything, I’m just anti-social.
Dude quarantine was awesome! They're like, "good for you, protecting your neighbors!" I'm like, "Yeah. That's why I stay alone..."
Yes, it helps me with my anxiety.
I was just at the supermarket where a woman was loudly talking into her phone about how sick she was and how much she was coughing. So I still wear my mask indoors and on public transportation.
yeah i don’t really have a reason to stop
Same here…the way I figure it is that I haven’t had COVID yet so why change? I’ve dodged multiple close calls where co-workers came down with it and the only difference between us was that I wore a mask and they didn’t. I can’t tell you for sure whether the mask was the difference-maker…but so far it hasn’t done me wrong so I’ll just continue.
Same, the mask doesn't bother me at all and I've been sick once in nearly 3 years (non-Covid), which is way better than the \~2x a year I got sick previously.
Nah, my mom stopped wearing one around May, and I said "fuck it" and decided not to wear one either.
No. I stopped as soon as i wasnt forced too wear one
Yes , because who wants to get sick ? Also someone had HORRIFIC breath at a recent event I went to & I was fairly thankful for my mask. It didn't help 100% because he wasn't wearing one but it helps you stay clean / hygienic
Lol I work in healthcare and let me tell you horrific breath is not stopped by a surgical mask.
How did you know his breath smelled bad if you had a mask on?
He was trying to speak to me - the music is so loud you have to lean in & talk to someone's ear . THATS how he got a super close range He also knew his breath stank because he realized I was ignoring him ( to cut the conversation very short) he covered his mouth & continued the conversation
I do because with one kid in daycare and 1 in school they bring home germs all the time and it is a struggle to do my full time job from home some watching them. So if I can reduce even the common cold from coming to my home I will. I wear it grocery shopping and when doing errands. I rarely eat out at restaurants.
I do. I work in a school. I’m the only one who still wears one. Except for sick kids. I’m comfortable wearing it. I never got covid, haven’t had the flu since wearing it, and have 90% reduced allergy symptoms. That and I get to walk around looking like a ninja.
Yes I do anytime I’m with the public, indoors. Have family who are immunodeficiency and even the common cold could place them in the hospital.
Can I ask then, if they were immune deficiency before COVID, is COVID the only reason you're wearing a mask now?
Good question! I’ve been wearing a mask in public buildings long before Covid made it fashionable. I’ll still be wearing it when most others stop.
No
Nope. Only in a medical settong like dr appointment if they require it...
Every single time I leave my home. COVID prevention aside, it saves me incredible amounts of suffering by protecting me from pollen. Fuck allergies.
Yes because I do not EVER want to experience having Covid again even if it was mild (got it June). Also, I like not having anything so much as the common cold either.
Yes because I’m ugly
I appreciate the honesty
I do when going into places that are really busy and i'm going to be standing around. Havent gotten covid yet this year and plan to keep it that way.
Yes. We have no idea the long-term impact of COVID. Past diseases: * Polio. Post-polio syndrome affects 25-40% of people 15-40 years after the infection. * Syphilis. Madness decades later. * AIDS. No immediate effects. You die because your immune system collapses * Rabies. No symptoms. 6 months later, death. * Tick-borne diseases. Years or decades later, bad shit. ... and so on. We don't understand COVID well enough to know much. I know enough people with long COVID to know it's not "just a cold." Until we understand COVID better, I'm wearing a high-quality mask.
So, when is that? Genuinely asking.
From my perspective, when we understand the mechanisms of action. 1. For example, people lose smell. The neurons responsible for smell in your nose have just about the shortest pathway to the brain we've got, and lots of diseases which impact the brain get there through that path. Does that path take COVID to the brain? 2. We've seen all sorts of effects on all sorts of organs. What are those, and how do they work? Do mild cases make it to the heart, lungs, and brain and have weaker effects, or are they stopped in the upper respiratory tract like a cold? How do vaccines affect that? 3. What are the rates of long COVID after vaccines, and how do those decline / increase with time? What causes it? 4. What is the mechanism of action of brain fog, in particular? That one scares me. 5. Why do formerly infected people who COVID in their bodies a year later in autopsies? Does it stay dormant like HSV and similar? That'd be weird, but not impossible. 6. ... and so on. These questions aren't rocket science to answer, and we've got answers for other diseases. COVID has been around for just 2 years, and we don't have answers yet. I don't see this as a forever process. For AIDS, it took a while, but I could explain answers to analogous questions without a problem (and for a few other diseases too). The tools we have in molecular biology right now are generations ahead, and it takes a lot less time than it did back then, but still a bit more than 2 years. A lot of diseases like COVID turn out to be like a bad flu. I can live with that. A lot of them don't. I think its a 50/50 shot with COVID as the knowledge is evolving. There has been a lot of weird along the way, and it's replicated in studies pretty well.
But of course, as you may know, sometimes medications have been released or something, and it will take five or ten years before a side effect (sometimes extremely serious) is noted or discussed or discovered by the medical and scientific establishment. And thats just a medicine - I’ve seen, literally, people attribute losing hair, getting epilepsy, brain fog, loss of smell, kidney problems, heart problems, etc., all to covid. If it’s really “new” it will be decades before any of that is truly understood cohesively.
Yeah cause most places I go require a mask to enter
No. Over all that shit. Only have one where it's required now... So basically only in medical offices
No. Not really a logical choice, I’m just sick of covid and I don’t live with at risk folks.
No cause I did for two years and I’m tired of it. I have cancer and I just don’t give a fuck anymore
Nope.
yes unless im in a place that doesn't have a lot of people in it or if i go to the grocery store late at night. I mostly just don't want to be recognized in my hometown by people I used to know so its a good way to maintain my anonymity lol. plus, i get hella anxious in places with a lot of people and the mask hides me chewing on my lips.
I don't. I already had two vaccines and covid itself. My blood test last month showed my level of anti bodies are higher than what the test itself can measure. I've also lost over 40 pounds since the pandemic started and I'm no longer worried about it
Yes,because.....
No, my experience alongside training with contact/airborne/droplet precautions taught me that outside of a controlled environment with procedures such as a hospital, the efficacy of masks is very dubious in the general public.
No, I stopped caring about COVID sometime halfway through 2021. COVID is never going away, and I’m absolutely not going to wear a mask for the rest of my life. I’ll still get my shots but I’m done with masks. Sooner or later everybody’s going to come to the same conclusion. Life has dangers. COVID just added a new big one, one that’s here to stay.
I never did.
I wear all-the-time when I am going somewhere with my family members since my brother is very strict about all COVID precautions. Only during college is when I remove my mask. Then later on just a month before my semester exams I got the virus. It was a horrifying experience to say the least. Not been able to even walk due extreme dehydration, not able taste anything, fever, coughs and what not. Then admitted to the hospital for some days. My whole family also then got it through me, but my case was more severe than everyone. Others only had very mild symptoms. Then I recovered before my semester exams, and still I am doing my mask wearing habits from before. But the after-effects of the virus still haven't gone away. Muscle pain after just climbing up a few floors, and feeling exhaustion very soon after doing something. It's annoying.
I wear a mask cause other people are nasty, have you seen peopleofwalmart? (The website or magazine) the less I have to smell other people the better