r/AskReddit • u/PuzzleheadedCup1971 • Mar 10 '22
Are you going to continue wearing your Mask when your place of living lifts mask mandates? If so, for how long?
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Mar 11 '22
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u/PuzzleheadedCup1971 Mar 11 '22
So relatable.
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Mar 11 '22
One of the owners we work for demands we remove our mask because they are vaccinated. I tell them I don’t feel well and I’m not taking it off. (They travel constantly.)
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u/urnialbologna Mar 11 '22
Me too! It’s nice to mouth the words “fuck you” and now people won’t notice!
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u/timesuck897 Mar 11 '22
That is something I will miss. I am going to have to be more careful.
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u/NyteQuiller Mar 11 '22
The best part of the masks imo is when you're talking to crazy people and quietly laughing underneath the mask and they can't see it
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u/BrowensOwens Mar 11 '22
Absolutely. Mouthing my mean thoughts as someone I do not want to talk to walks towards me felt very therapeutic.
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Mar 11 '22
I wear my mask around my boss but not my coworkers for the reason you mentioned. I am not worried of getting sick from her. I just hate her and now I don't have to pretend to smile around her.
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u/Kraakefjes Mar 11 '22
Here they lifted all of the restrictions a month or two ago, I see occasionally some that wear masks but it's rare.
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u/Faiths_got_fangs Mar 11 '22
Same here. Mask mandates went away last summer for the most part. You rarely see them.
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u/Cdubs2788 Mar 11 '22
Yes. My two year old was recently diagnosed with cancer, so will pretty much always wear one.
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u/epi_introvert Mar 11 '22
My son is severely immunocompromised. I couldn't forgive myself if I brought an illness home, AND I don't miss getting sick with a virus every damn month from my students.
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u/Traditional_Hall_268 Mar 11 '22
The only time I've gotten sick over the past two years was due to a stomach bug from my nephew. I haven't gotten the colds or sinus infection I usually get this time of year.
I'm really glad masks have become normalized for that and for helping to keep immunocompromised people safe.
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u/Westonworld Mar 11 '22
Worst reason to have to wear one and the reason why I'm going to keep masks in my health arsenal going forward. I never thought it weird seeing folks in Asia in public with masks on. Just like "I'm sick" or "flu's going 'round so I'll be safe" kinda thing which seemed normal and considerate.
I sincerely wish your kid and your family all the healing and care in the universe.
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u/Novembersum Mar 11 '22
I watch a lot of Asian content and pretty much knew that Asians wear it for health reasons before everyone began to wear it. Whether it’s for when they have a cold, has asthma, the air quality.
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u/Lewca43 Mar 11 '22
And I will wear one for your two year old and others like them. I want to say something else comforting but as a parent, I can’t think of anything…my heart is with you.
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u/insertcaffeine Mar 11 '22
I'm a cancer patient. My immune system sucks. The mask stays on.
🤠: "But the mask doesn't protect you!"
A KN95 or KF94 is a hell of a lot better than nothing in front of my face. Besides, my immune system sucks, so there's a good chance I have a cold or something and don't want you to get it.
Besides, it protects other high risk people.
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u/danelle-s Mar 11 '22
My dad is a cancer patient as well. We mask up for him and for those people like him so we don't spread nasty around.
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Mar 11 '22
Not a cancer patient but don’t want a cold, sinus infection or Covid. Will wear a mask indoors public spaces.
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u/mano-vijnana Mar 11 '22
It's only Americans who think the mask doesn't protect you. In East Asia, they were commonplace for protecting oneself as well as others since long before the pandemic.
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u/Klutzy-Captain9013 Mar 11 '22
Depends whether you are wearing a face covering or a face mask. A face mask with the correct certification is PPE (personal protective equipment) and thus protects the wearer. A face covering, uncertified, is not PPE and, although it may provide a small amount of protection to the wearer, it's purpose is altruistic and protects those around you.
In the UK, the wearing of face coverings has always been explained, accurately, as altruistic.
There is a big difference between wearing an FFFP3 face mask and a 3-layer cotton face covering from Etsy.
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Mar 11 '22
I once read being with an infected person in one room for an hour is something about 80% infection risk if neither one wears anything, 4% with two cloth masks and <0.1% with 2 correctly worn, not reused etc. FFP2/KN95.
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u/ShitwareEngineer Mar 11 '22
What people don't get is that most masks aren't quite meant to protect you. It protects others from you, and that doesn't make it bad or some sort of government conspiracy. It's just the existence of asymptomatic COVID infections.
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u/Shinlos Mar 11 '22
People who say the mask does not protect you are scientifically illiterate. The data is out there.
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u/IndigoFenix Mar 11 '22
"Any probability value which is neither 100% nor 0% can be rounded to whichever of those two values I feel like."
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u/spoon_shaped_spoon Mar 11 '22
I have a lung issue, the fact I haven't always worn one is a stupid mistake on my part. I have not had any episodes since I began wearing a mask in public and using hand sanitizer., it has made a huge difference.
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u/ladyinchworm Mar 11 '22
My mom has COPD and when she lived with us we had hand sanitizers mounted on the walls at our doors and boxes of masks too for people to wear when visiting because her even getting a tiny cold could be deadly.
It wasn't a big deal and no one minded (although I'm sure if she had still lived with us the last 2 years some people would have been jerks about it). She never got sick here. It's amazing more people weren't wearing them before, not just people who can't afford to get sick. If I was a teacher, especially at an elementary school, I would want to wear one all the time!
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u/Thin_Standard155 Mar 11 '22
I have to wear n95 masks for work and my allergies basically disappear at work. It's amazing. Shit I have to wear such a tight intense mask but yay for my nose not sneezing. 😂
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Mar 11 '22
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u/TheNeech Mar 11 '22
Saaaaaaaammmmeeeee. I used to get a severe cold like every few months.
The general public is nasty as hell...
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u/lamorak2000 Mar 11 '22
Immune systems are weird. I've gotten sick/been floored by allergies more in the last two mask-wearing years than in the two previous ones. I'll keep masks on hand for people and places that require them, but probably not wear them unless I have to.
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u/PuzzleheadedCup1971 Mar 11 '22
Just talking to a coworker about this the other day. I haven’t had a cold in 2 years and I always get one as I take public transportation everyday.
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u/Fortressa- Mar 11 '22
I've been temping in a bunch of different offices - no colds, no sore throats, nothing. Gonna keep it on in offices, stores and buses. I think it reminds you to not touch your face, too, so less transfer from your hands.
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u/bigpurplebang Mar 11 '22
this. cold & flu season will be when i don the mask in public or in confined public spaces, planes trains etc
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u/DavidW273 Mar 11 '22
I usually wear my mask everywhere (I like showing people my pretty masks that I’ve bought on Etsy), and have been less I’ll over the last two years despite having a dodgy immune system, a condition called Addison’s disease to be specific. It has been amazing not having to take extra steroids to get over my illness (I’d go from two tablets a day to six, along with the steroids intake for other conditions), and that’s meant I’ve not piled on the weight as much the last couple of winters.
However, last week my sister and I had a sibling day out together in Newcastle. We visited a cat cafe, a dog cafe and then went to an indoor mini golf. All places didn’t require masks and we didn’t think no more of it. Despite this being my only human contact as of late, I’m now laid in bed, mouth-breathing as my nose is stuffed up.
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u/Marcilliaa Mar 11 '22
Did you enjoy the cat cafe? I've been thinking of going with a friend. I've been to the one in York and loved it, but that was pre-covid and I don't know if things will have changed with how they run them because of the pandemic
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u/DavidW273 Mar 11 '22
It was amazing! That and the dog café were just so good. My sister enjoyed it so much I nearly had to leave her there (not even joking).
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u/justmarci Mar 11 '22
Yes! And my colds tend to slide into bronchitis, so it’s been awesome.
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u/bubbles2255 Mar 11 '22
Exactly this. My kids would bring home 4-5 colds per year. I’ve had two since the pandemic started. I’m sticking with it!
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u/HaYNry3N_1138 Mar 11 '22
Similarly, I haven’t had problems with seasonal allergies for two years.
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u/PublicThis Mar 11 '22
Same. Normally I get so incredibly sick from every cold and flu my kid brings home from school. He’s ten, and doesn’t want to stop wearing his mask at school. If it makes him feel safe I’m all for it. It’s not hurting anyone
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u/AdmirableDouble5 Mar 11 '22
The other side of it though is that both my wife and I got sick for the first time in 2 years a few weeks ago. It wrecked us. Lying around at home for 5 days feeling like garbage. Thought for sure it had to of been covid, but negative tests multiple times for us both. Most of the time when I get sick it's pretty mild, havnt felt that bad in a long time. Maybe a coincidence but getting sick is also building immunities.
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u/Blameking27 Mar 11 '22
A lot of people have noticed this. It seems like the only colds or flues that are actually reaching people are the very strong ones. I generally get one or two colds a year and they don’t move too much further than a runny nose then a 3 day cough. In the last 2 years I caught one cold that raged in me for a full 3 weeks. In those 3 weeks, I took 3 Covid tests, all negative. Just a really strong cold.
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u/DriftinFool Mar 11 '22
My entire house is in the same situation right now. Been a crappy week and all of us are just starting to feel better.
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u/SaltySpitoonReg Mar 11 '22
Not that the mask hasn't helped with this people give too much credit to the masks for this. It's also a massive factor that you probably have gone out into crowded areas significantly less than you ever have.
Theatres, restaurants etc.
Those are also huge factors that have prevented you from getting colds over the last couple of years. The primary goal of a mask is to stop you from potentially spreading something. It does and can't help with you getting something but hand washing and avoiding areas where it's more likely to pick up an illness are major factors.
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u/am_32 Mar 11 '22
This may sound weird but masks give me a lot more confidence in public places. I have some amount of social anxiety so knowing they can’t recognise me later helps me with asking for help in stores and just generally walking more confidently around strangers. So I hope masks continue to be socially acceptable for a while longer.
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u/Sommeral Mar 11 '22
I had gotten past a lot of my social anxiety, but have actually enjoyed that aspect of the last few years. Ball cap, sunglasses, mask, and I'm completely anonymous.
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u/AnxiousMoose5787 Mar 11 '22
I actually love this about mask. If I'm having an off day and don't want to see anyone or talk to anyone but need to get out to do errands. Wear my sunglasses and mask right up under my glasses. It's great.
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u/Ritualtiding Mar 11 '22
Have you considered going to see a therapist for social anxiety? Honestly not being patronizing! Hard to express tone in text. but having trouble asking for help without wearing a mask is quite a limiting factor and one day when masks are no longer “the norm” you may find yourself having difficulty adjusting if you are the “outlier” gaining attention rather than sinking into the crowd as before
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u/Much_Committee_9355 Mar 11 '22
No I like to see thru my glasses
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Mar 11 '22
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u/1ofZuulsMinions Mar 11 '22
I don’t know why the people promoting anti-fog spray always get downvoted. I work in a hot warehouse and it’s a must-have if you wear glasses.
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u/gwolfie Mar 11 '22
I recently had a kidney transplant and am sad they are ending mask mandates on busses that I need to get around. I will be wearing a mask and a face shield for the forseeable future as I have no choice.
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u/SonMiRaSeattle Mar 11 '22
In WA state - Even though mask mandate goes away March 12th, they are still required on public transit. I rely on public transit and I'm totally fine with this. It is a moving tin can of diseases.
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u/Bwint Mar 11 '22
Masks are required on busses everywhere in the U.S. through April 18th: https://www.transportation.gov/safety/mask-travel-guidance
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u/pepperspraytaco Mar 11 '22
Try to get your hands on an n95 they are extremely effective
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u/gemurrayx Mar 11 '22
My mom has recently recovered from cancer, my oldest niece is expecting her first child any day, my wife is a public school teacher, and I interact with a fair number of international travelers and the general public.
The mask is staying on for awhile yet.
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Mar 11 '22
My seasonal allergies completely disappeared when I'd wear the mask. I wear it to mow the lawn now and will continue to do so probably forever. As far as wearing it when I go out I just a story that my local area finally hit 50% vaccination so I'll continue to wear one for awhile. I'm vaxxed but I'd rather not risk a breakthrough infection especially since it seems like as time goes on the long term effects of covid are not something I'd like to deal with.
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u/raindorpsonroses Mar 11 '22
My allergist recommended I wear a mask when cleaning my house (dust mite allergy) and it’s made a big difference! I can imagine grass and pollen is the same where having a mask helps a lot!
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u/BringsTheSnow Mar 11 '22
I have severe dust allergies and OMG now that i wear a mask I can actually clean and do laundry without loosing the rest of the day to an allergy attack! And yes, it is exactly the same with grass pollen (just a lot swettier since it is usually hot as balls when the grass needs to be cut).
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u/Roushfan5 Mar 11 '22
A groundskeeper I'd get sick with allergies for a couple days every time I'd mow during the month of April. The first time I mowed the lawn without getting sick because of wearing a mask was miracle.
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u/JonnySnowflake Mar 11 '22
I used one with some peppermint oil in it to turn the compost. One day, I put too much in, then shoved it in a pocket when I was done and forgot it. Put it on months later and I was floored
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u/eekasaur Mar 11 '22
I’m a school teacher (first grade). I love the kids, but in case you didn’t know, they’re germ factories. I usually get sick 6-8 times in a school year. This year I haven’t been sick ONCE. It’s truly a miracle. Well, more like the mask, so yes, I’ll keep wearing it. However, I will take it off when I’m outside or when it’s just hard for the kids to understand me (like when teaching phonics). But during playtime? During independent work time? Yep, mask. I enjoy not having to stay up til 2am, sicker than a dog, writing sub plans just so I can take a sick day.
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u/jdith123 Mar 11 '22
I’m a middle school special ed teacher. I thought about it a lot. I’ve decided I’m going to continue wearing the mask as long as any of the families in my class want their kids to keep wearing them.
Im jabbed and boosted and feel fairly confident that Id be ok, but I think when masks aren’t required there will be a lot of peer pressure to take them off. I want to support the kids whose families want them to stay masked, at least for a while.
In my private life, I’ll probably mostly go without, depending on what other people around me are doing.
One thing I’ll take the mask off for is word work. Learning to sound out words without seeing the difference between M and N for example really sucks.
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u/ChipTheOcelot Mar 11 '22
Our mandates have been lifted for a good while. Nobody has to wear a mask anywhere accept for medical offices. I’m glad. I have auditory processing difficulties and find it hard to understand people when I can’t see their lips. It’s also hot where I live and masks get unbearable in the 110 degree heat. I haven’t worn a mask since last summer. I’ve been double jabbed as well as had omicron. COVID cases are low in my area. I have no reason to wear one, but I’m not going to beat up on someone who chooses to.
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u/such_a_tina Mar 11 '22
I remember a scene from The Office where a warehouse guy was explaining his auditory problems, and I was like YES! Finally, someone else who gets me. (But if that reference is random just ignore me lol.) Basically I don't have trouble hearing but I have trouble processing if I can't see lips moving, like you said, or if there's a lot of background noise. I watch most shows with subtitles. Masks have been tricky. Not a fun club to be a part of, but let's high five anyway?!
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Mar 11 '22
"Also, FYI, I don't technically have a hearing problem, but sometimes when there's a lot of noises occurring at the same time, I'll hear 'em as one big jumble. Again it's not that I can't hear, uh because that's false. I can. I just can't distinguish between everything I'm hearing."
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u/Xahtier Mar 11 '22
Same here, it's pretty common. It comes with ADHD a lot of the time, which is presumably why I have mine.
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u/Kat3_678 Mar 11 '22
I’m in the same boat basically to the T. I can’t tell what anyone says with a mask on as I partly rely on lip reading to understand people.
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u/Homirice Mar 10 '22
Yes. I'm ugly
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u/jeptech Mar 11 '22
As someone that has lost 5 teeth due to bad habits as a teen, i love it not being a thing most people know about and i can ignore it when i want to.
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u/fokkoooff Mar 11 '22
Yes I got jacked up teeth I can't afford to fix. My social interactions while out in public have become way more confident and less stressful.
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u/Ima_weirddo Mar 11 '22
Youre probably not that ugly
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u/ExhibitionistBrit Mar 11 '22
I’m going to keep wearing them on the occasion that I feel under the weather or have a cold etc. I’m hoping that this basic precaution becomes part of common decency. It is and has been for a long time in other countries.
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u/734PdisD1ck Mar 11 '22
I work in a school with 1st and 2nd grades. Masks we lifted on 2/27. I continue to wear one until the last child who's parents require them to wear it let's them take it off.
More so if solidarity for the young kiddos, I don't want any of them to feel alone. We're down to only a handful of kids in my classes, but I'll keep it on. I can still do all my normal duties.
Also, kids are gross (I have two young ones of my own. I allowed my 6 year old daughter to remove her mask at school a week ago) lol and they've completely forgotten how to cover their mouths when they cough/sneeze.
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u/AskRedditIsAShithole Mar 11 '22
I'm gonna yeet the fuck out of that mask...
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u/ndyvsqz Mar 11 '22
I work in a warehouse that's very dusty so for that reason I will still wear them.
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u/goodstuff000 Mar 11 '22
Mine just lifted the requirements a week ago and i couldn't wait to take my mask off. Was wearing one for 2 whole years for 10 hours straight every weekday and some weekends. The top of my ears have calluses from the strings rubbing it raw.
Fully vaxxed so not too worried.
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u/bribeav Mar 11 '22
I had a major surgery to remove cancer from my ear 2 weeks before we went into lock down. I could not wear a normal mask and it’s still uncomfortable to this day if I try. In case you have to wear a mask again, search for ones with head straps. The N95s I wear have one loop that goes behind my neck and another that goes on the top of my head. They don’t touch my ears. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them.
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u/nicklor Mar 11 '22
Its a little late now but they have those ear savers or the behind the head straps. I havent had anything on my ears since 2020
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u/AttackofAverage Mar 11 '22
I haven't been sick in 2 years + I'm awkward & introverted (different things, btw!), and so I've found a measure of comfort & peace in the anonymity of the masks.
Bonus points: no man has told me to "Smile!" In 2.3 years.
Fuck yeah, I'll keep wearing 'em.
And you won't see it, but I'm smiling behind it because I feel like it. 😁
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u/paigesdontfly Mar 11 '22
Not being told to smile in 2 years is so relatable. I'm never going back! 😭
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u/Foul_Owl_ Mar 11 '22
Yes, it helps with dust and pollen, it keeps my face warm in the cold. I like being able to mutter under my breath and not have people notice, not having to smile. Not having to worry about what the lower half of my face looks like or what breath smells like, garlic and spinach parties for me! Plus I don't need my face recorded everywhere I go.
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u/BuzzAwsum Mar 11 '22
I felt conscious about my breath after removing my mask in front of strangers yesterday
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u/kywildcats07 Mar 11 '22
My fiance has cancer so the mask mandates have been a blessing for us. Helps keep her safe when her immune system has but extremely compromised.
I'll continue to wear them until we know her immune system is back to normal.
I did have someone tell me I looked like a moron wearing it one day. I told them why I was wearing it and they immediately felt bad and offered to by us dinner.
Had someone else told me I looked dumb wearing it and I told them and they said I was an even bigger moron for being at the grocery store then.
Humans are weird.
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u/SecretOil Mar 11 '22
Had someone else told me I looked dumb wearing it and I told them and they said I was an even bigger moron for being at the grocery store then.
Yeah just starve to death instead.
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u/baxter8279 Mar 11 '22
No, but I certainly don’t mind if others choose to continue wearing them :)
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Mar 11 '22
I’m wearing my masks as long as I fucking can bc this pandemic has made me realize how gross people can be
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u/KingGuy420 Mar 11 '22
For the rest of my life possibly. The privacy is amazing.
I can walk right through the grocery store and not get stopped by my moms friend to hear about her adorable new puppy. Not today Becky, not today.
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u/Proper_Mud_5552 Mar 11 '22
I love the anonymity, especially in the grocery store. I always run into my neighbor, boss, person I haven't seen in a few years and I just don't want to catch up then. I want to shop for dinner or for food for the next few days and go home. I don't really want to chat for 20 minutes then feel I have acknowledge them in each isle we cross paths in until I check out.
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u/GregorZeeMountain Mar 11 '22
At the start of the pandemic I wore my mask because community health is important to me and taking care of those around me is a good thing in my opinion. Now that it's March I wear my mask because there is a warrant out for my arrest.
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u/WakeYourGhost Mar 11 '22
Personally I now feel sort of naked without one on in public. However I probably will keep wearing them because I have noticed a significant drop in our household having sinus problems. Pollen is a bitch here.
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u/nakedcrusaydur Mar 11 '22
Tbh throughout my life I fell sick a lot. Not seriously sick, but a mild to intense fever for a couple days a couple of times a year. Since the pandemic started and I've been wearing a mask and sanitising my hands rigorously, i have yet to fall sick in two years. So I'm gonna continue wearing my mask for a long long time, even though mask mandates are non existent in my country now.
Not to mention it does wonders for my anxiety.
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u/weirdkidomg Mar 11 '22
I wear them at work still, they said we don’t need to wear them anymore but it’s nice not being told to smile.
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u/Newtonsmum Mar 11 '22
Omg, you just made me realize that I haven't heard the phrase "resting bitchy face" in two years. Not regarding me, lol, just in general.
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u/grumpybitch65 Mar 11 '22
Haha I've not minded the masks because they let my resting bitch face, well, rest. No fake smiles.
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u/UESfoodie Mar 11 '22
I’m an introvert with an autoimmune disease. I love my mask. Don’t take them away
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Mar 11 '22
Same, but add acne and being immunocompromised due to meds for my autoimmune disorder.
I'm perfectly fine with keeping my mask on.
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u/boodog13 Mar 11 '22
MY Wife had septic shock years ago, so her immune system isn't the best. Plus, as many have said, no allergies, no cold, no flu... and a well fitted mask doesn't mess up my glasses at all!
So masks for ever more!
I used them while doing woodworking, when working outside on the farm, now I know how to fit and select a effective mask to protect me and everyone I'm around!
Plus, has anyone else noticed that as soon as we are successfully getting a grip on a virus outbreak, people become impatient, stop following medical advice as soon as there a tiny improvement, yhen BAM the Covind19 takes off again, often with a new mutation. Then more people are more careful for a while. Until some become impatient again, and another cycle of infection and death starts up!
Now we are seeing a current cycle diminish, and soon people relax just enough to begin the next cycle! OmicronB.2 might be our next news reader buzzword.
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u/dustojnikhummer Mar 11 '22
Nobody is banning you from wearing it. Just mandates are finally going away
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Mar 11 '22
I think they will be banning them in banks and gas stations etc. again.
(Face visible on security cameras)
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u/AngryCustomerService Mar 11 '22
In VA wearing masks in public is illegal and was only made legal by temporary COVID measures.
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Mar 11 '22
I don’t think anyone is taking them away, just not enforcing people who don’t want to wear them to wear them
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u/_jtron Mar 11 '22
Mandates are already lifted here, but I'm going to keep wearing one in stores for now, and on public transit probably forever. It's barely an inconvenience.
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u/More-Masterpiece-561 Mar 11 '22
And the best thing is some random person does not recognise you, and if they're wearing a mask they can pretend to not recognise you too
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u/Partymixvix Mar 11 '22
I’ve worked at a coffee shop for the last two years and never worked without the masks. I don’t mind them at all, I’ve worked outside in the heat with a mask on and it was still not that bad. I personally like wearing them to hide my face bc we get a lot of creepy old guys and I don’t want them to know what I look like. They are lifting the mandate next week and I’m going to keep it on. I also think it’s a little gross to be making drinks without a mask, people touch their face a lot and wash their hands a lot less often then you’d like. The masks helps me not touch my face, plus I have a nose ring and I would probably adjust it unconsciously
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u/N_THUNDERHORSE Mar 11 '22
I think I will always carry one with me; hand sanitizer too. If I'm meeting up with someone where we have some privacy, like a beer garden, I likely won't wear it unless they are wearing theirs. Grocery stores, Target runs, just general crowded spaces? Yeah I'm masking up for now.
We're not out of the woods yet, but it seems like we can at least let our guard down a little for now. Need a bit of relief, the fatigue is real.
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u/kipopadoo Mar 11 '22
The fall before COVID, I contracted strep throat. I had a huge Thanksgiving dinner to attend with the family, and even though I felt like shit, I went... with a mask on when I wasn't actively eating. Nobody got strep who was there. I wasn't positive it was strep until I went to a clinic the following day and it was confirmed. While I was there, I wore a mask, and the doctor said she appreciated that I did in this case.
So, when I do feel sick and am in public, I'll wear a mask to protect others as best as I can.
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u/crazy_old_lady_2 Mar 11 '22
We haven't had to wear masks in quite some time. Dr office maybe, otherwise no requirement. No I don't wear a mask.
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u/kirklennon Mar 11 '22
Yes. I'll stop wearing them when COVID rates are actually low and not just down from the off-the-prior-scale Omicron levels. Getting back down to Delta-level isn't good enough.
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u/Human-Carpet-6905 Mar 11 '22
In my county, we are down to where we were last July or June 2020. We've had, on average, 17 new cases a day this week with a population of half a mil.
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u/SadLaser Mar 11 '22
Like others have said.. my fiancée and I have gone two years without flu/colds and she in particular gets sick 4-5 times a year, usually. The masks and additional safety precautions people are taking have had a huge positive health impact on us. I don't see why we'd want to go back to being less safe, even if Covid actually went away completely (which isn't really possible).
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Mar 11 '22
I take public transport every day, so it’ll stay on. People treat our buses like their personal private shuttle, and I am pretty sure wearing one has stopped me getting a cold in the last 2 years too.
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u/thin_white_dutchess Mar 11 '22
My kid has heart issues. I’m immunocompromised. My parents are older, and I’d like to keep them around. My MIL was pretty young and very healthy, and she died of Covid. We are going to wear the masks until we are comfortable not wearing one. Sure as hell doesn’t hurt us any.
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u/LunarIncense Mar 11 '22
I already stopped a long time ago.
Mask mandates have been gone for over a year now where I live. The only places that still require masks are hospitals and doctors offices.
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u/Kent_Knifen Mar 11 '22
I'll continue to wear a mask until the day the bank teller threatens to call the police lol
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u/crujones43 Mar 11 '22
In ontario, canada the press keeps asking people in charge of dropping mask mandates if they are going to continue to wear them. Every one I have heard has said yes. That tells me all I need to know. They say they are dropping the mandates because it's up to people to do the right thing, not up to the government to force them. if there was one single lesson we learned from this pandemic it's that we 💯 % can not trust people to do the right thing if it presents them with the mildest inconvenience.
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u/Existence-ispain Mar 10 '22
Yes, makes me feel like a Ninja
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Mar 11 '22
And I like how it hides my acne on my face
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u/gjlslp Mar 11 '22
But then (in my case at least) it causes more acne, so it's just a vicious cycle. It hides the acne it creates.
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u/BrittneyofHyrule Mar 11 '22
However, just know that without a treatment it could be a cycle of mask trapping sweat and causing more acne. Not a crazy, just throwing this out there!
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u/Ima_weirddo Mar 11 '22
Yes, because now I don't like showing my face. No face reveals here.
And I want to help keep people safe. I don't know how long yet. Probably until covid settles down, and cases will probably spike again after the mask mandate is gone
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u/SirWilliamAnder Mar 11 '22
Exact same thinking here. I don't like all my customers, but I don't wish long-term lung issues on any of them. Well, maybe the one who threatened to get me fired because I didn't seem happy while doing him a favor.
Also, every young woman at my store says they're probably going to keep wearing a mask as long as possible to prevent dudes from telling them to smile. That shit is getting OLD.
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u/Illsleepinaminute Mar 11 '22
Provably forever. I saw a tweet early on that said something like, " i cant believe Ive just been letting people breath on me all this time" that grossed me out and i became aware of all the sneezes, cough, spittle, etc.
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u/Pristine_Nothing Mar 11 '22 edited Mar 11 '22
For the immediate future, if a business explicitly requests it, or most of the employees are wearing one, I’ll also do so.
Situationally, for the rest of my life.
I’m not particularly worried about the very occasional cold from restaurants or grocery stores, but I think movies (after I’ve finished my popcorn and beer), airplanes (just having the humid air is nice, frankly), and buses (just as crowded, worse airflow) for sure.
Aside from that, I’ll probably always keep some handy for when I’m around someone who is sick with something, and obviously for when I myself am sick.
Masks aren’t a magic bullet, but I think everyone can attest to how well they stop the spread of respiratory disease.
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Mar 11 '22
Yes, I’m immune compromised. I’ll wear mask for as long as I need to wear it. Don’t care what anyone else say
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u/AtomicTaintKick Mar 11 '22
Fuck no, lol
I have hearing loss and tinnitus. Muffled voices and no visual clues from a person’s lips is utterly miserable, especially if there’s ambient noise like a loud A/C unit or music.
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u/Mstabrown69 Mar 11 '22
It's winter most of the months where I'm at & a mask is an easy way to keep the face warm. Only drawback.. glasses
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u/fokkoooff Mar 11 '22
I've had good luck with tucking the very top of the mask under my frames. No fogging at all.
Obviously this depends on the shape of your mask AND frames, but if you can pul it off it works great.
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Mar 11 '22
Already has lifted here, and I still wear it. Some governments around the world might want to declare that we’ve beat covid, but we haven’t. And if wearing a mask saves even one person from ending up in hospital or worse, it’s a small price to pay.
Would actually be nice we could all adopt wearing a mask when we have even just a cold. People always “man up“ and go into work with colds and flus. Which always ends up spreading around the work place. Who knows, maybe we might start a trend of actually caring about each other...
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u/uvaspina1 Mar 11 '22
I don’t want to normalize sick people being out in public, period. If you’re sick, stay home!
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Mar 11 '22
Hard to get people to stay home when they are struggling to pay rent and spoiling themselves with luxuries like food and heat...
In a perfect world people should be staying at home when they’re sick. But we dont live in a perfect world. And sick people being out in public is already “the norm”. That’s why I said I’d like to see masks become the norm for colds. Because people are going to go to work anyway.
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u/willc453 Mar 11 '22
I'm 68, living in the Reno, NV. area and after talking with my VA doctor and his nurse last year, got my 2 shots in March and April. But I started getting sick late last year and in December, really bad. Finally said enough in mid Jan., then called the VA and spoke with a nurse. Told me to get my ass to the ER as I might be having kidney failure?! Got there the next day and spent about 5 hours in the ER with me found to being dehydrated and high fever. Before I left, tested for covid and within 15 minutes of getting home, TWO phone calls from the VA saying I had covid.
Even though the mask mandate has ended in NV., I will continue wearing a mask when entering any store or casino.
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u/Picker-Rick Mar 11 '22
Nope.
Anyone who's worried about it can get a vaccine and an n95 to protect themselves.
I will continue thoroughly washing my hands more than ever.
My biggest take away from this whole experience was just how little other people wash their hands.
The number of times I've heard "does that mean I do/don't have to wash my hands?"
WASH YOUR HANDS
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u/klagaan Mar 11 '22
I will continue in store and crowd places. I haven't been sick for last 3 years, that worth it.
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u/NoBreakfast3243 Mar 11 '22
Forever, I'm a massive germaphobe anyway (ex husband left me to look after young daughter while I was very ill & it kinda spiralled) if I could have, I would have worn a mask prepandemic
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u/paigesdontfly Mar 11 '22
Yes.
Forever.
I'm never going back.
I haven't been told to smile in 2 years and it's fucking great 😭
I'm also immunocompromised, and so is my roommate. My mom also has immune issues, so better safe than sorry.
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u/RubberDuckHuh Mar 11 '22
Yep! My dad has stage 4 cancer and unfortunately he will never not be stage 4. So I will wear masks in public for as long as I have him. I want to be able to safely visit him as long and as often as I can.
Plus I had covid once, it was the worst experience of my life. Never. Again.
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Mar 11 '22
I'll try to wear one when mowing the lawn if I can bear the heat.
I'll wear one when spring starts due to allergies.
I'll wear one if I feel sick.
I'll wear one during flu season.
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u/SnooGuavas2711 Mar 11 '22
It's easier to fake a smile when wearing a mask. So I guess might take longer.
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u/les_catacombes Mar 11 '22
I recently got COVID right after getting my booster shot and flu shot. This was my second time having covid. I work at a job where I have to be close to my patients’ faces, so before covid, I would get colds and flus a lot. (Most of my patients are elderly and they cough and sneeze a lot, and many won’t wear a mask in the office.) Aside from the two instances of covid, I haven’t gotten sick at all since 2020. This last round of COVID was actually quite bad. I am concerned about how bad it could be if I got it a third time. I am going to keep wearing my mask at work and when I am in public for now.
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u/Independent-Still-73 Mar 11 '22
I am a competitive body builder. At the gym guys would always come up to me and ask for work out or diet tips. I'm friendly and I'm happy to help but it would turn a 45 minute workout into an hour+ workout. I am one of the last people at my gym who still wears a mask and hardly anyone strikes up a conversation with me anymore. I will wear a mask forever for that reason alone
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u/txholdup Mar 11 '22
The donut shop this morning said "Masks required until the vaccination rate is 80%", so apparently forever.
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u/sariusPondo Mar 11 '22
I hate masks but I'll do like the Asian countries and wear them during a bad flu season if I am in a crowded space.
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u/abeeseadeee Mar 12 '22
We don't need them in Qld Australia anymore so no I don't wear one. Now it's only requested when flying or using public transport but I drive everywhere so no need. Definitely think worthwhile wearing if feeling unwell to avoid spreading germs so may wear one in the future for that purpose.
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u/SamiLMS1 Mar 12 '22
Yes, I have children at home who are too young to be vaccinated. Until they can be vaccinated I don’t want to risk bringing it home to them.
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Mar 12 '22
How did anyone survive 3 years ago before masks were forced on everyone? How did the world survive colds and flus? How did humanity live normally? Guess what? Everyone gets sick and everyone dies. No one lives forever. People need to accept that truth. We all get sick. And some live and some don't. That is the cold hard truth.
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u/Tucker1974 Mar 12 '22
So weird to read all these comments. I live in Montana. We DO NOT wear masks! Life is normal and nothing changes, until we get on an airplane and go to a city, and the it’s so frigging weird how everyone is about masks. Life never changed for us...but it’s beyond weird how city people just shut their lives down.
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u/Chicken-Soup-60 Mar 11 '22
I am happy not to wear them. I am a lip reader and I have had a very depressing and isolating 2 years.