To Mask or not to two - Mask Megathread cont.

It's a healthcare setting, of course masks should be kept.

In case you haven't noticed the past two years, it's because people are selfish. That's your answer.

Another deflection. It's still advised for healthcare and public transport as well. I didn't ask or say anything about airports.

And there's nothing stopping her or her husband continuing to wear masks now.

However, it's a choice and of questionable real value at that (as proven by the surging - thankfully mild in the majority - cases over the Christmas/New Year period), and others are likewise free to decide not to do so. Either way, it's not something to be putting all your hopes on if you are actually vulnerable.

That's democracy for you. Again, restrictions and mask wearing were to address a threat to public health (whether they got the balance of risk vs cost right is another discussion but likely one that'll be played out in time), not people's anxieties

Pre-2020 on a previous round of chemo she isolated at home.

We don't entirely put faith in masks, she's isolating bar essential healthcare visits. Prior to every hospital visit (there are lots) she has to take an LFT (as does every single other patient in the hospital), and if staying in overnight they do a PCR before she can be moved to the room (as do every other overnight patient). Every single person in the hospital wears masks. All the staff in the pharmacy wear masks. All the staff in her GP's wear masks.

As we all know, vulnerable people are most susceptible. Vulnerable people have to go to hospitals, GP's and pharmacies, they have no choice (except maybe pharmacies where someone can go for them (but I have to take the same precautions as my wife to keep her safe).

Don't forget that it's not just my wife. Every few weeks she spends an entire day on a chemo ward getting treatment. Every single person on the ward that day is extremely vulnerable - and as cancer affects people of all ages, genders, races, nationalities indescriminately, the ward has kids, old people, young people, don't think it's just old people that are vulnerable, everyone who is currently immunosuppressed is.

What the f**k is so difficult about masking up for 5 mins in pharmacy?

So, I now have reminded you of the rules. I'm not sure who you think you are but I do not want any medical advice from you. Don't go bo hoo others are doing it, like you just did, not to me they are not and anyway that it not an excuse.

As to your inferral that I'm "dumping random articles in an attempt to suggest that we should all be concerned" well that's just pure hyperbol.

When I post it's "dumping" but when you post it's "posting"! One cannot help draw the proximity of the word dumping to rubbish. It's a mask thread. If you find mask articles to be rubbish I can't help you. Some posters have been very grateful and some excellent conversations have ensued. You on the other hand seem fixated to deflect nearly any and all conversations away from the articles onto your favourite themes, "it's all over" "what did you do before 2020" "not a threat" etc.

I contribute to this thread with a depth of articles none, so in that sense "random" but they all have one thing in common, all mask related.

You are forming an unhealthy habit of psychoanalysing me in public on this thread under the guise of "curious", something I am not comfortable with.

It's easy to wear a mask for a quick pop into the shop or pharmacy without raising one's concern levels, you should try it.

Ten times more than you did obviously 👍🏽

Obviously.. bye.

Your disdain for masks is blatantly crude and boring.

Hate to burst your "as I've said all along" but I and many others do not "mask up" for feelings, I/we mask up because it is the logical thing to do.

Your limiting expectations now, LOL.

I've a friend who thinks nothing of being in a packed pub (maskless throughout) from 7 in the evening to closing time on a Saturday night - but who then deems it prudent to wear his cloth mask while popping into his local centra on the Sunday to grab some milk. He will also use his mask outside when at GAA matches but then discard it altogether to visit the local pub afterwards. I've softly queried him on this a couple of times and his only response was that the mask keeps him safer. Behaviour and a line of thinking that defies any sort of logic whatsoever.