Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stopped a month ago, but have a cold so am wearing one until the cold passes (yes I tested for covid).

Thank you for doing that. Have noticed a lot of the few unmasked ppl visibly ill lately (wiping noses, hacking cough) and I appreciate your respectful gesture during this bizarre time.

It's the normal, reasonable thing to do. The binary pro-mask anti-mask thing is idiotic. Are you sick? Wear a mask if you have to go out. Are you feeling 100% healthy and well? Don't wear a mask. Do you have pollen allergies and are sniffly, but know it's allergies because you've experienced identical symptoms for the past 30 springs? Don't wear a mask. Do your allergy symptoms seem a little weird suddenly? Might be considerate to wear a mask until you figure it out.

Being able to assess situations is what normal, reasonable people do. Being pro or anti mask as an ideology is truly bizarre.

100% agree. Appreciate your sensible post.

OP just doesn't want to be the only one not wearing a mask. She feels judged, so she comes on here and judges others as a way of trying to make herself feel better. So lame. Grow up, OP.

Never. I don't care how you feel about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stopped a month ago, but have a cold so am wearing one until the cold passes (yes I tested for covid).

Thank you for doing that. Have noticed a lot of the few unmasked ppl visibly ill lately (wiping noses, hacking cough) and I appreciate your respectful gesture during this bizarre time.

It's the normal, reasonable thing to do. The binary pro-mask anti-mask thing is idiotic. Are you sick? Wear a mask if you have to go out. Are you feeling 100% healthy and well? Don't wear a mask. Do you have pollen allergies and are sniffly, but know it's allergies because you've experienced identical symptoms for the past 30 springs? Don't wear a mask. Do your allergy symptoms seem a little weird suddenly? Might be considerate to wear a mask until you figure it out.

Being able to assess situations is what normal, reasonable people do. Being pro or anti mask as an ideology is truly bizarre.

I wear a mask when I'm in a crowded public indoor space with people who I don't know for sure are vaccinated. In my office, where we're required to be vaccinated and boosted, I usually take my mask off. Anywhere else indoors, I wear one, even though I feel fine and/or have identical allergy symptoms from every spring. Wouldn't say it's an ideology, but the cost to me of wearing a mask while I'm in a store for 20 minutes is extremely low, and the benefit (I probably won't give anyone covid) is pretty high.

Given that you you probably won’t give anyone Covid even if you don’t wear a mask, I don't see how that’s a benefit of mask wearing.

Since I don't find wearing a mask for a short trip into a store to be a burden at all, preventing even the smallest chance of giving someone else covid is enough of a benefit to justify it for me. Public policymakers and others are welcome to make different choices, obviously. But even if there's no benefit to me, why would anyone else care? Doesn't harm anyone if I'm wearing a mask.

I already have. I live in DC where it's not mandated anymore and I'm vaccinated so I see no need.

I couldn’t care less about masking in public indoor essential non social settings like a supermarket, a doctors office, transit or a commuter train. I think it’s a nice means of protection- not just from covid, but I’m positive I got the worst flu of my life getting coughed on in the NYC subway- and protects more vulnerable people doing essential activities. In non essential social activities like dining museums etc (or even in person work) I’m not entirely comfortable unmasking in public. I basically choose what activities and people I’m willing to tolerate some risk for- ie went out for my birthday, went on vaca with my spouse and ate indoors, but not ready to resume that regularly yet and have no problem with people who do.

Only if required or requested.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stopped a month ago, but have a cold so am wearing one until the cold passes (yes I tested for covid).

Thank you for doing that. Have noticed a lot of the few unmasked ppl visibly ill lately (wiping noses, hacking cough) and I appreciate your respectful gesture during this bizarre time.

It's the normal, reasonable thing to do. The binary pro-mask anti-mask thing is idiotic. Are you sick? Wear a mask if you have to go out. Are you feeling 100% healthy and well? Don't wear a mask. Do you have pollen allergies and are sniffly, but know it's allergies because you've experienced identical symptoms for the past 30 springs? Don't wear a mask. Do your allergy symptoms seem a little weird suddenly? Might be considerate to wear a mask until you figure it out.

Being able to assess situations is what normal, reasonable people do. Being pro or anti mask as an ideology is truly bizarre.

I wear a mask when I'm in a crowded public indoor space with people who I don't know for sure are vaccinated. In my office, where we're required to be vaccinated and boosted, I usually take my mask off. Anywhere else indoors, I wear one, even though I feel fine and/or have identical allergy symptoms from every spring. Wouldn't say it's an ideology, but the cost to me of wearing a mask while I'm in a store for 20 minutes is extremely low, and the benefit (I probably won't give anyone covid) is pretty high.

Given that you you probably won’t give anyone Covid even if you don’t wear a mask, I don't see how that’s a benefit of mask wearing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stopped a month ago, but have a cold so am wearing one until the cold passes (yes I tested for covid).

Thank you for doing that. Have noticed a lot of the few unmasked ppl visibly ill lately (wiping noses, hacking cough) and I appreciate your respectful gesture during this bizarre time.

It's the normal, reasonable thing to do. The binary pro-mask anti-mask thing is idiotic. Are you sick? Wear a mask if you have to go out. Are you feeling 100% healthy and well? Don't wear a mask. Do you have pollen allergies and are sniffly, but know it's allergies because you've experienced identical symptoms for the past 30 springs? Don't wear a mask. Do your allergy symptoms seem a little weird suddenly? Might be considerate to wear a mask until you figure it out.

Being able to assess situations is what normal, reasonable people do. Being pro or anti mask as an ideology is truly bizarre.

I wear a mask when I'm in a crowded public indoor space with people who I don't know for sure are vaccinated. In my office, where we're required to be vaccinated and boosted, I usually take my mask off. Anywhere else indoors, I wear one, even though I feel fine and/or have identical allergy symptoms from every spring. Wouldn't say it's an ideology, but the cost to me of wearing a mask while I'm in a store for 20 minutes is extremely low, and the benefit (I probably won't give anyone covid) is pretty high.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that people have home tests the government doesn't really know how many people have covid.

Actually they do know COVID rates in the municipalities submitting wastewater data. The CDC has the data available online. It’s been in the news for a couple of weeks now that cases are going up in 28 cities according to wastewater data.

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance

I get that this is probably off topic, but does CDC not have data scientists? They couldn't have bothered to standardize the data in the table? I can't tell if they just don't care about professional appearances? Or if they genuinely believe this is a quality product.

I am not wearing a mask anymore. And I have to say that while I really didn't think about wearing a mask that much, I just did it, not that I'm not I find that I'm over it.

I will mask back up as required/requested, but I am sure not missing it.

I also do not in any begrudge anyone that continues to mask. The one thing I find sort of weird is that I distinctly recall with Omicron it was highly recommended to get N-95s or KN-95s and it finally came out that cloth masks don't do much. So I am kind of surprised that I see so many people wearing cloth masks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stopped a month ago, but have a cold so am wearing one until the cold passes (yes I tested for covid).

Thank you for doing that. Have noticed a lot of the few unmasked ppl visibly ill lately (wiping noses, hacking cough) and I appreciate your respectful gesture during this bizarre time.

It's the normal, reasonable thing to do. The binary pro-mask anti-mask thing is idiotic. Are you sick? Wear a mask if you have to go out. Are you feeling 100% healthy and well? Don't wear a mask. Do you have pollen allergies and are sniffly, but know it's allergies because you've experienced identical symptoms for the past 30 springs? Don't wear a mask. Do your allergy symptoms seem a little weird suddenly? Might be considerate to wear a mask until you figure it out.

Being able to assess situations is what normal, reasonable people do. Being pro or anti mask as an ideology is truly bizarre.

I'm wearing masks outside again because the pollen is off the charts. Sue me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that people have home tests the government doesn't really know how many people have covid.

Actually they do know COVID rates in the municipalities submitting wastewater data. The CDC has the data available online. It’s been in the news for a couple of weeks now that cases are going up in 28 cities according to wastewater data.

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance

Sounds like a stupid time to take off masks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 6. All except the little one are vaxxed. DW and I will continue masking in stores as long as our youngest isn't vaccinated.

Going to stores is an awfully low-risk activity. What do you during activities that involve higher-risk exposures, such as family gatherings, daycare, and school? Work might be another another, depending on what you do.

Most maskers aren't being logical about masking. They won't wear masks around visiting family or close friends because we all know, deep inside, you don't get COVID from family and friends. But a stranger at a supermarket who is 20 feet away from you? Get out the biohazard suits!

It's human psychology. We build artificial barriers and assumptions and beliefs in our minds because it's the only way we feel we have a grip on the situation and a sense of control. Most of it is ultimately false, of course, just as wearing flimsy cloth masks for nearly two years was just theatre, but it made you *feel good*.

And in the DMV it's also heavily tied to virtue signaling, even if it is subconsciously done.

LOL. You act like the anti-maskers aren't signaling their views by their bravado and cries of "but my rights." Ok, Jan.

No, just following science.

Does the science say masks are harmful?

people (on both sides) who say this cherry pick the "science" so that it syncs up with their sentiments.

Following CDC guidance is cherry-picking? Ok.

PP here. Am not referring to CDC (although that's arguable given their lousy track record the past 2 years). What I'm referring to is "science" showing certain data points from 1-2 studies which supports one POV but if you look at other studies, they paint a different picture. Contrary to what people want to believe "following the science" with regard to covid is very difficult to do.