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I'm not ridiculing anyone for wearing a mask. If you want to go for it. I already said that on this thread. There's a difference between wearing a mask and living your life in fear. Plenty of people are barely living their lives these days.
I don't see anyone in my family or community "barely living their lives" or "living their lives in fear". Maybe 1 out of 10 wear masks - I don't because the Covid hospitalizations in my area are still 5X lower than at the peak, which suggests that vaccines and boosters (we have both) are indeed doing their job at preventing serious disease. If that goes up significantly, which could happen with some future variant, I may start masking again. Point is - follow the data and use it to make smart decisions.
One thing I've noticed...sometimes when I take off my mask somewhere I notice how many smells there are. Perfumes, petroleum products, body odor.
I don't wear a mask all the time, but if I randomly feel like a place is overcrowded with potential vectors, I mask up. Definitely not superior thinking, but that's me.
Maybe nothing can keep you entirely safe, but masks probably help some.
I got Covid while staying home (and already triple vaxxed); hubby did a curbside grocery pickup (wearing an N95 mask), and we both got sick. Omicron, so contagious!
I hate masks. It didn't help that the first time I wore one, it was slapped on my face when I went to Urgent Care. I had a panic attack and it took me a long while to get used to wearing masks. I'm OK with wearing them now, but if I don't have to, I won't.
I'm not too worried. I've been vaccinated twice and had a booster. And to give you an idea of how many places I go, my life didn't change at all when covid came along. I'm pretty much a homebody. The only places I go are to the library, the store, and unfortunately, the ER and Urgent Care on occasion.
Yes, those 2-3 weeks a lot of people stayed home 2.5 years ago were harrowing. Couldn't even get a haircut. I may never recover.
I will never forget my wife and me having a conversation about whether or not it would be ok to drive to an ATM. I don't remember why we needed cash but I do remember driving by Home Depot and it being completely slammed. Mostly in the landscaping area.
Speaking of haircuts, Michiganders were coming to Indiana to get haircuts and buy stuff they needed. One billboard owner named their governor Indiana's Businessperson of the Year. https://www.wxyz.com/news/heres-why-...on-of-the-year
To be sure, California and Michigan were a couple of the worst offenders, at least in the US. Any lockdown believers still left would do well to read about Australia and New Zealand.
Speaking of haircuts, Michiganders were coming to Indiana to get haircuts and buy stuff they needed. One billboard owner named their governor Indiana's Businessperson of the Year. https://www.wxyz.com/news/heres-why-...on-of-the-year
I had planned on still masking by now but I'm not.
They don't bother me at all, it's just that I'm completely unvaccinated & probably need the regular exposure to maintain the immunity from my January infection. If I get sick again I'll treat it the same way as last time. The biggest problem is staying in isolation for 5 days when you fine by day 3 but it's the responsible thing to do, since the vaccinated are just succumbing to it over & over. An even bigger problem, will be if all those vaccinated cases contribute to a variant developing with increased severity but what's done has been done.
I had planned on still masking by now but I'm not.
They don't bother me at all, it's just that I'm completely unvaccinated & probably need the regular exposure to maintain the immunity from my January infection.
That's...bold.
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If I get sick again I'll treat it the same way as last time.
But will it treat you the same?
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An even bigger problem, will be if all those vaccinated cases contribute to a variant developing with increased severity but what's done has been done.
Masks will likely be a permanent part of my life from now on. I have autoimmune disease that is treated with immunosuppressants, and while I knew I needed to be very careful, I played kind of fast and loose with precautions prior to Covid. Now, I think I understand better why I cannot continue to take risks even with infections most people consider no big deal.
We wear masks at grocery stores and other populated stores. We also wear them at the symphony and theater where there are 3-4 thousand people
Plus where we are required to wear them, Drs, etc.
A minor inconvienience
Re: sports arenas & live performing arts theatres specifically, very sadly, I'm afraid those are places I'll probably never return to again in my life. Masks or not, vaxxed or not, I can't just sit there that closely to people for 2+ hrs because those seats are EXTREMELY close to each other & I'm probably not going to wear a face shield for that long either. Thank God I got to go to a good amount of musicals, tennis matches, ice shows, ballet, etc. when I did! Sigh!
Movie theatres are different. I can still go on a non-crowded Mon or something at opening time when no one's really in there & could switch seats.
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Originally Posted by BJfromVA
I just finished reading this entire thread. I see some good points for both sides.
As for myself, I will continue to wear mine when out in public. I do it not only for others, but for myself. If you chose not to, then you do you. I won't question you about your choice and please don't question me about mine.
Remember, when this first started, There was a shortage of mask, so we were told not to go out and buy them unless you worked in the medical field. Places were shut-down because the hospitals had too many people getting sick and the workers were over worked.
Thanks for taking the time to read this thread through. Right, we all should want to protect OURSELVES mainly. Ourselves are the priority. Sure, we like to protect others too, but mainly ourselves.
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Masks or not, vaxxed or not, I can't just sit there that closely to people for 2+ hrs because those seats are EXTREMELY close to each other & I'm probably not going to wear a face shield for that long either. Thank God I got to go to a good amount of musicals, tennis matches, ice shows, ballet, etc. when I did! Sigh!