[MJY10101]

Originally Posted by Mrprez

I don't think there is one universal reason. Different strokes for different folks. Might have something to do with the mixed messages since this whole thing started. Don't wear a mask to masks will save your life. Which is it?

Go with the science instead of the politics!

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by cathiehines

Also, you're told not to touch your face. I see people constantly picking up items on shelves that have been touched by others and then adjusting the mask as their glasses are fogging up or they are having difficulty breathing. Unless you have an N95 mask, these other disposable and designer cloth masks are pretty much useless. Plus, there are differing medical opinions about the masks. Fauci is a joke, changing his advice everytime the wind blows. Such a glory hound.

Fauci has been saving lives for 40 years in government. But, advice to NOT wear a mask has killed thousands of Americans. And why? To please Russia? To raise prices on PPEs and ventilators? And the DPA could have saved more lives. Please rethink.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by kendi

The people I talk to that don’t wear masks are not selfish in character nor is their decision not to wear one selfish. It’s really not appropriate to make a general statement like that about non mask wearers.

And those people need to take a sledge hammer to ALL speed bumps and rip out ALL seat belts. And NOT pay ANY taxes no more FOREVER!

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by psoccermom

People need to stop being so judgmental. I can't wear a mask because of a panic disorder. If I feel like I can't breathe it will trigger a panic attack. If you see me without a mask it is not because I don't care about you or am being discourteous, it's because of a medical condition. If you feel your mask is protecting you then you should have no issue with me. I keep my distance from you and I wash my hands all the time. Don't talk to me to cause me to expel droplets. I am trying to live my life as safely as I can without spreading germs. Please show respect for others, who can't for medical reasons, wear a mask. (FYI- according to the ADA you can't ask people with medical conditions to prove it. It's illegal)

A face shield would help. Should be less panic. Or somehow get a Doctor to get you full Surgical PPEs with gown etc. and a breathing tank for your back. Otherwise stay home until vaccines are developed. Problem solved.

[Madelaine Amee]

Walmart yesterday. Only three old men not wearing face covering. One looked like he was on his last legs. One was a Mr. No Neck and strutted his stuff through the store almost as if he was daring someone to say something and one in a motorized invalid chair .................... No wonder more women outlive men.

It was busy with long lines for check out, so three idiots was not too bad.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

.........My experience has been that younger people are the ones that don't wear a mask when they go into a grocery store or other buildings.

That is my experience too. The younger ones wear their bare face like a badge of honor and are so proud of the fact that they look invincible. To me, it just shows their ignorance of the fact that they can be spreading the virus and not even know it. These people seem to be ignorant of the fact that presymptomatic and asymptomatic transmission is a huge problem with this virus which is why the virus is spreading like wildfire. They seem to be ignorant to the fact that a cloth or surgical mask will block the droplets that contain the virus. Either these people are ignorant of these facts or they are just defiant. Take your pick. Either one is not a good look.

I would like to add that I do not believe any of the statistics that are "out there". I just don't. I've been reading about people that were not actually tested (they left before their test was actually performed) and they received their positive results a few days later. There is something seriously wrong with the test data reporting.

What I'm seeing is the health care professionals being stressed to their limits in hot spot cities. I'm seeing refrigerated trucks filling up with dead bodies. I don't ever recall hearing about all these trucks holding dead bodies during the worst flu season. It is getting scary out there and we need to do something and it needs to be done now.

Wear the mask and slow the spread. Keep your distance and don't touch your face when your hands are not freshly washed.

[queasy27]

Originally Posted by merrymini

I do not believe that the masks are only to protect others from yourself. When people have chemo and are immune compromised, they wear masks To protect themselves from others and their germs.

Thank you! That experience as a patient is why I never understood the original advice that only infected people needed to wear masks. What scientific principle states that mitigating the passage of droplets only works one way?

Sometimes surgical/medical staff wear masks to help protect patients from their possible germs and sometimes patients wear them to improve their own chances of not catching something. Both ways!

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

You know this is the age of the internet - and word processing is pretty easy to do. And people have Photoshop or similar programs. And that not all people who shop at these stores are unskilled seniors who don't know how easy it is to make up a fake letterhead of a non-existent doctor and scrawl some ink on the bottom as a pretend signature. They could even make a fake "medical exception card" and laminate it with clear packing tape, so they can re-use it without having to reprint it.

You can make a fake letter in 5-10 minutes, depending on how fast you type.

I'm sure you are right about this but......there must be SOMETHING that can be considered a legitimate letter. How about getting a notarized letter with a raised seal? That might be a possibility.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Tblue

I may be sorry I put my 2 cents in here. I wore a mask for 38 years, it does not make me a “mask expert” but I do know just a little about them. To be the most effective you need a proper fit, around the nose and sides, sometimes tape is needed for a proper seal around the nose. It seems common knowledge masks do not protect the wearer because the virus is so much smaller than the fiber in a medical grade mask, but maybe not the N95 mask. Many say wear the mask to protect others. It is also common knowledge that to spread the virus you generally need have to have symptoms, coughing, congestion, fever and such. In todays world if you have symptoms you just need to stay home. However if you do have symptoms and cough the mask will catch the moisture and maybe stop some of the virus attached to the moisture, a good thing. But how much of the virus is just coughed out thru the mask fibers or an improper fit that is not attached to moisture? But yes it should stop some of the spread. However when I see people wearing masks in the store they are fiddling with them, so now the virus is on your hands. Next issue is when you get back in your car and take the mask off and place it in the console you have contaminated your hands again and the inside of your car. What if you just drove with the mask on and went home, as soon as you walk in the house off comes the mask and you generally put it on the counter. Again you contaminated your hands and your counter top. So yes, masks will stop some of the spread if you have symptoms and are around people but any good from the mask is un-done or even reversed in my opinion by not properly sealing the mask, fiddling with the mask, removing the mask and likely contaminating your hands and the inside of your car or home counter top. Many will reuse the contaminated mask. Just my thoughts, if you have symptoms stay home, wash you hands and keep them away from your face as we were advise early on. I do not wear a mask, unless the store requires one, I slip on a new mask as I enter making sure I have as good as seal as possible, it’s not that difficult. I try not to fiddle with it and remove it in such a way as not to contaminate my hands best I can, and throw the mask away. I have a small spray alcohol bottle in the car and spray my hand. If I had symptoms and had to use a mask I would do the same thing but dispose of the mask in a sealed plastic sandwich bag.

It has been stated many times by our experts (CDC, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Birx, etc.) that there most certainly is asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission of this virus. That is the difficult part of the mitigation process.

As for "fiddling with the mask", it actually prevents a person from touching their mouth and nose when properly wearing the mask. Fiddle away, just don't touch your nose and mouth or your eyes.

When you get the virus on your hands, which is very very possible when out and about in the real world, just DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE, specifically your nose, eyes and mouth. Four months in to this pandemic, I would hope most adult minded people have trained themselves to not touch their face with their bare hands. You can use the collar or any part of your shirt to scratch an itch on your face. It really is that easy to do.

I gave up very early on worrying about contaminating the car interior and car door handles. The virus is out there......EVERYWHERE!!! Just don't touch your face with unwashed hands. It is THAT simple. Really.

When I'm in a public building, besides a mask, I always wear eyeglasses, whether regular glasses or sun glasses. That gives me a bit of protection from the virus getting in my eyes. They certainly aren't 100% but are better than not wearing anything shielding my eyes. Not sure I will ever get to the point when I will wear a face shield in public but nothing is written in stone at this point.

Stay safe out there.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by jet10s

because the science does not prove anything about wearing cotton rags on your face -- and I will not wear one -- and that is that -- shop will be on-line

What science have you been reading? You seem extremely uninformed. Google it. You will find MANY MANY articles and YouTube demonstrations how cloth masks absolutely do minimize the amount of droplet laden virus that is expelled when someone breathes, speaks, sings, yells, coughs and sneezes. There are even videos of black light demonstrations of how droplets and aerosols are blocked from getting into the atmosphere.

Google it. Educate yourself!!!

[asianthree]

Am with more than 100 people who are exposed to Covid, more than 12 hours a day.

Even with a 95, plus surgical mask, plus full face shield,
And two gowns 2 hats, boots and double glove, who are healthy get virus, recover, and go right back to the same.

Most do not feel they are heroes, that distinction is for those who serve and protect. We are just doing a job.

Does a mask make me feel safe ....NO

Watching those who Wear masks, but incorrectly makes me think they should have saved that mask for those who really need it.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by nick demis

If you believe that if everyone wares a mask, it will curb the virus in 8 weeks, I have a bridge to sell you in New York City

The key word being EVERYONE. Seriously, if everyone wore a mask in public for eight weeks, this virus would be waving a white flag desperately searching for hosts. No hosts???? Virus burns itself out. Buh bye Covid-19.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Annie66

I know this video will not change many minds, but it reinforces the value of masks.

Sask Masks - Experiment results from a Mask vs. No Mask...

EXCELLENT demonstration of how masks block droplets. I've seen this same demonstration done by an NBC correspondent with the same exact results.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

I'm sure you are right about this but......there must be SOMETHING that can be considered a legitimate letter. How about getting a notarized letter with a raised seal? That might be a possibility.

Well sure, one person has that, and lets all her friends and family use it when THEY decide to go to a store that requires masks. Are you expecting all employees to check IDs now too, to make sure that the letter-holder really is the person whose name appears on the letter?

We're talking about stores here, with minimum-wage or low-wage employees who are hired to bag your groceries, stock shelves, and take your money at the checkout counter.

Now you want us to be the mask police and bouncers, on the same pay rate.

We're already pretty busy doing everything we can to ensure that you all stay healthy. How about - have everyone who enters the store without a mask, sign a document holding them personally financially responsible if ANYONE gets sick that day.

That would be worth my stopping what I'm doing to check your ID and your notarized statement from the doctor.

[jbrown132]

Originally Posted by Jeff5115

Whenever I enter a commercial building I put on a mask. There are many people who still refuse to wear a mask in this situation. I am curious why someone would refuse to wear a mask? I am not criticizing anyone for not wearing a mask just wondering why they prefer not to?

I think part of the reason is there is so much conflicting information out there. The latest information coming out is that masks are not that effective. Stopping the virus from going through the mask is like using a chain link fence to stop a flee. Their saying right now the most effective way to avoid getting the virus is constant hand washing.