Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Increasingly, masks represent people who are suffering from unreasonable fear.
Ironically not for me. I haven't been vaccinated and I wear them because, I kind of like them.
I truly think they have helped keep me from colds and other nasties and they are a nose cozy.
Today I went walking around at the track and when I got to one side, the wind was blowing up my nose and I put the mask on... perfect. No more dry nose.
Pro-vaxxer but anti-masker here (a rare breed?). Taking the vaccine is both reasonable self-protection and due participation in the social-contract. Masks on the other hand are by my reckoning both uncomfortable and degrading.
To the OP's point, if one is vaccinated then one's odds of sustaining severe covid symptoms are greatly reduced, even if one has the misfortune to be in close-quarters with unmasked, unvaccinated and potentially contagious people. An internal arming of one's immune system is a far surer defense, than the wrapping of one's mouth by a piece of cloth. We should be grateful that modern medicine accords us the capacity to thus defend ourselves against the ravages of nature. We should, by my contention, be just as incensed that a purblind insistence on decorum and theatrical comportment with fashion, continues to place on us restrictions and impositions, that are redundant and obsolete.
I was very happy to see that our county of 130,000 only had 2 covid cases in the last week. That's very positive news. We have about 35% vaccinated and masks have not been required for a long time. No worries.
As we are out in public we see lots of people with no mask. We can't know which ones are vaccinated or which ones are still in the "no mask no way" group. It seems our risk is greater now than when everyone wore mask (except the "no maskers.")
What are your experiences and thoughts. Thanks.
As a healthcare worker I would err on the side of caution if I were you. The Delta variant is beginning to surge now and it's more dangerous than the others. Better safe than sorry.
As a healthcare worker I would err on the side of caution if I were you. The Delta variant is beginning to surge now and it's more dangerous than the others. Better safe than sorry.
I think you are right, it's not going to be over until it is...if..and..when. I have continued covering up when in public though we were told we could go without. I've seen that the majority of people are still wearing them, also. I have concerns and this continues being confusing for many, as we were once told we were "protecting others from ourselves". Then, after vaccinated, still feeling uncertain about being around others. If one goes without, we don't know if they are vaccinated or not.
I saw a sign when entering one market recently, stating that "those vaccinated can go without", but we do not know if one unvaccinated is just going without. Others may question those vaccinated without a mask. Sheesh.
It seems it could come down to "being tattooed" with a mark to differentiate one from the other...though that would be a bit Sci-Fi, I suppose. (Then the symbol would have to be official, others trying to replicate....having it always be shown, having a reader outside all establishments that would allow one to enter with...
Okay, I'll stop now.
If you still wear a mask, you have to wear it correctly. Many people deliberately have their noses uncovered, this is the same as not wearing masks.
Also, masks are less effective than before because of the higher transmission rate of the Delta variant. You will need face shields and protective clothings if paranoid. We still see vaccinated crew and passengers with these on international flights.
1. The vaccines are not 100% effective - no vaccines are. But these are very, very good, even against the variants emerging.
2. Being vaccinated does not mean you cannot carry the virus and spread it to others who are not able to get vaccinated (age, medical conditions, etc.)
I agree! You can still contract and carry the virus to others.
As we are out in public we see lots of people with no mask. We can't know which ones are vaccinated or which ones are still in the "no mask no way" group. It seems our risk is greater now than when everyone wore mask (except the "no maskers.")
What are your experiences and thoughts. Thanks.
We can't know who's vaccinated and who's not. You have to decide what risk you'll take assuming you've gotten the vaccine, whether you want to continue masking or not. I've seen a lot of adults with kids and no mask. I know the kids have not been vaccinated because they're too young to have gotten one, so in that case, I assume the parents aren't vaccinated either. I've seen many people posting they're against masking for kids, I also know they haven't been vaccinated either.
If you're vaccinated, I believe it's a 10% or 15% chance the vaccine is not protecting you. See the variant tracker so you know what variants are in your state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom
I'm still wearing a mask. One of my kids can't get fully vaccinated, so we're all still taking precautions. She and I have an immune disorder, so it makes sense for us to be extra careful.
The way I see it, we can't control what anyone else does, only our own actions. So if we're concerned, we need to keep wearing masks and social distancing as much as possible. It should be possible now to get some better masks than the disposables or the homemade ones we've all been using for the past year.
We have immune issues too, along with allergies to meds and fillers. We're not getting vaccinated unless we feel we have to due to those variants. Those are what scare me.
I've found an allergist that will test me for the ingredient that causes a reaction in J&J vaccine, but I'm not going to get it unless I really have to. I have enough issues with med and filler allergies that with my luck, I'll be allergic to multiple ingredients and may only be able to get the vaccine once
Quote:
Originally Posted by WoodburyWoody
1. The vaccines are not 100% effective - no vaccines are. But these are very, very good, even against the variants emerging.
2. Being vaccinated does not mean you cannot carry the virus and spread it to others who are not able to get vaccinated (age, medical conditions, etc.)
Agree, there are a percent of people that are not fully protected by the vaccine. Everyone has to make up their own mind on how protected they are with whatever vaccine they did get.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohio_peasant
Pro-vaxxer but anti-masker here (a rare breed?). Taking the vaccine is both reasonable self-protection and due participation in the social-contract. Masks on the other hand are by my reckoning both uncomfortable and degrading.
To the OP's point, if one is vaccinated then one's odds of sustaining severe covid symptoms are greatly reduced, even if one has the misfortune to be in close-quarters with unmasked, unvaccinated and potentially contagious people. An internal arming of one's immune system is a far surer defense, than the wrapping of one's mouth by a piece of cloth. We should be grateful that modern medicine accords us the capacity to thus defend ourselves against the ravages of nature. We should, by my contention, be just as incensed that a purblind insistence on decorum and theatrical comportment with fashion, continues to place on us restrictions and impositions, that are redundant and obsolete.
I honestly don't know if masks help. They have helped to stop me from picking up stuff while out shopping and around people. I normally pick up a stomach bug in the Spring but have not these last 2 seasons since masking started. Could also be due to disinfecting my hands, cane and car door handles in the first 8 months.
I honestly don't know but am happy to not have been sick
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarciKS
As a healthcare worker I would err on the side of caution if I were you. The Delta variant is beginning to surge now and it's more dangerous than the others. Better safe than sorry.
I agree, I worry about the variants. Here is a variant tracker that I've been using to keep track of where they are. I suggest everyone save the link or remember to Google variant tracker, it comes right up. Thankfully not many in NJ yet.
I'm not vaccinated due to allergies to vaccine ingredients. I learned the hard way with getting the shingles vaccine. Almost immediately, I could feel my gums, the roof of my mouth, then throat start to get numb. Thankfully I knew what that meant and that I had to get Benadryl.
I only go out when I really have to, make sure I disinfect my hands after every store. I made wipes with paper towels and Lysol lemon kitchen cleaner. It's worked for me since March 2020.
I'm in NJ, my GP told me that there's a pretty decent herd immunity here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
