Should you wear a mask when you go outside or go shopping?

[Lencoboy]

I am surprised by the position of people who claim that the mandatory wearing of a protective medical mask infringes on their rights or something similar.

I suppose a lot of it depends on the situation and its context.

At my day centre we still have to wear masks in the meantime (until further notice) and I have no issue with it, but over the past 3 weeks or so I've mostly ceased wearing masks in indoor public places (in shops, on the train, bus, etc), but I never stay in shops any longer than I really need to and I still tend to keep as far apart from others as possible whilst on the train or bus anyway, and pretty much always have done, pandemic or not, as I've always felt a little uncomfortable around strangers period.

Although I don't in any way wish to tempt fate, up until now I've been fine, plus I don't want to be living my life in fear of Covid (and other viruses/bugs, and 'hazards' in general) forever more.

[Catkins]

I think mask wearing is completely personal choice now. It doesn't bother me if people wear them or not. I work in a healthcare setting and still have to wear one at work, so do the patients that enter the health centre.

I don't wear one anywhere else anymore. Perhaps that is irresponsible? Maybe, but, I still do a LFT twice a week because of work and I have recently developed a concern that while everyone else is now being exposed to all the normal every day bugs that we wouldn't have been in the slightest bit concerned about pre-covid I'm still spending my working days masked. I do think my immune responses will be missing out if I'd continued to wear a mask everywhere. Maybe I've just made that up in my head to make me feel better about not wearing a mask, possibly, but catching Covid when I wore a mask everywhere anyway has also affected my views on mask wearing too.

[Lencoboy]

I think mask wearing is completely personal choice now. It doesn't bother me if people wear them or not. I work in a healthcare setting and still have to wear one at work, so do the patients that enter the health centre.

I don't wear one anywhere else anymore. Perhaps that is irresponsible? Maybe, but, I still do a LFT twice a week because of work and I have recently developed a concern that while everyone else is now being exposed to all the normal every day bugs that we wouldn't have been in the slightest bit concerned about pre-covid I'm still spending my working days masked. I do think my immune responses will be missing out if I'd continued to wear a mask everywhere. Maybe I've just made that up in my head to make me feel better about not wearing a mask, possibly, but catching Covid when I wore a mask everywhere anyway has also affected my views on mask wearing too.

Catkins, I wouldn't worry too much about being judged by others for not wearing a mask in places/situations other than your work, as since February it's no longer been compulsory to wear them, unless individual establishments insist on people doing so, which I guess is a bit like people smoking indoors before the 2007 ban.

As for how Covid variants play out over the coming months/years obviously still remains to be seen, but at least in the meantime, with Omicron (of all its iterations) being the least lethal so far, it's now reasonable to start doing most things again the way we were before March 2020, and building so-called 'herd immunity' at the same time, not only to Covid but the various other viruses and bugs in circulation that we previously never really gave as much as a second thought to pre-pandemic.

Of course, everyone still has a choice as to whether or not they still continue to wear masks, social distance, or even self-lockdown if they so insist, as it's a free country.

[Pamplemousse]

A lot of Covid protocols are being eased at one workplace from Monday, but something I'm pleased to note is that you can now get a lanyard that asks people to keep their distance from you. I may just get one.

[Lencoboy]

A lot of Covid protocols are being eased at one workplace from Monday, but something I'm pleased to note is that you can now get a lanyard that asks people to keep their distance from you. I may just get one.

Fair enough PM, especially if the wearing of said lanyards at work gives you and others greater peace of mind, plus is a sensible and realistic compromise IMO.

But on the other hand (unless there's strokes of bad luck in due course, Covid-wise), I think now is a good time to people and places to start phasing out Covid-related protocols, which for the most part, no longer serve any real purpose.

[pulisa]

They serve a real purpose in health care settings though.

[Lencoboy]

They serve a real purpose in health care settings though.

My bad Pulisa.

BTW, we still wear masks and have our temperatures taken twice-daily at my day centre, but the LFTs were ditched for good the other week, which were very hodge-podge as they were forever flip-flopping between doing them once a week one minute, then the next having them daily, then back to just once a week again, ad infinitum, as Staffs CC seemed incapable of making their minds up a lot of the time, plus have always been notorious for arbitrarily chopping and changing things ever since I can remember.

[ErinKC]

I'm on the east coast of the US - masks aren't mandatory anywhere anymore (except typically doctors offices still requiring them) but I've continued to wear a KN95 into stores and my 2nd grader still wears hers at school. I'm also in school and kept wearing mine through the end of the year as cases began to rise again. I was in class with several Covid positive people and didn't catch it, so I felt it was helping. I work in an office with 2 other people and we don't wear masks in there. That's really the only indoor place I don't mask. Where I live I'd say about 1/3 of people are wearing masks in indoor spaces.

I'd also note that the WHO study is from February 2020 before pretty much anything was known about Covid.

[Lolalee1]

I still wear a face shield and mask when out and about.Type A flu is rampant in Aus and having long Covid I will keep my masks on,it’s amazing how many people ask why I wear masks.

[Lencoboy]

I'd also note that the WHO study is from February 2020 before pretty much anything was known about Covid.

Obviously rather out-of-date now then?