I still wear a mask, do you?

[sheshe2]

Mass. reports 10,250 cases and 42 deaths over 6 days, as 7-day average jumps above 8%

Link to tweet

That is just the cases that are reported. With home testing, the numbers are higher.

Fact is I wear them to be safe and keep others safe as well.

[Hekate]

1. I sure do

[Mr.Bill]

2. My wife and I still wear ours.

Even if we're the only ones in the building wearing them.

[Trueblue1968]

3. MY SPOUSE & I WEAR MASKS.

[Another Jackalope]

4. With BA.5 coming on? Of course!

How stupid do I look?

[yonder]

6. Yep.

All the time inside public places, elsewhere, not as much.

[FM123]

7. Yes.

And I am kind of surprised by how many other folks I see wearing masks out in public considering I live in DeSatan's Florida....

[rogue emissary]

8. Never stopped.

I work in retail and with a lot of customers new to the country.

If COVID was eradicated yesterday, I'd still wear a mask.

I haven't had a cold or flu in the last three years.

[strongermessage]

9. Yes

[onecaliberal]

10. Yes.

[Yonnie3]

11. Yes

KN95 or N95 mask any time I am indoors other than at home. No one comes in our house.

[GP6971]

12. Yes.

[electric_blue68]

13. Never stopped

[EnergizedLib]

14. I've never stopped

And frankly, I care not a lick if people don’t like it.

[MerryHolidays]

15. I wear a mask and will continue to do so, maybe for the rest of my life.

I used to wonder why folks in Japan etc wore masks years ago. I don't anymore.

[ariadne0614]

16. yes n/t

[Biophilic]

17. Yes

[Nevilledog]

18. I do.

My hubby and I had to go get a CPAP machine for him today. We walk into the medical equipment place to find out how to use it. The tech said we didn't have to wear masks, but she did cuz it was required although she wouldn't if it was up to her.

I was just shocked that she would have that position when her job is working with people who have breathing problems. I just gave her my polite response, "I don't find it difficult to do the bare minimum to protect other members of our community." She just blinked a couple times and then continued on with training.

People are just assholes.

[yardwork]

19. Yes.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

20. Yes indeedy!

[Totally Tunsie]

21. Yes - never stopped.

Sadly, I'm one of very few in my area, and rarely see them on others.

[XanaDUer2]

22. Thank God I'm out of my public facing job

And at home all the time. I stopped mask wearing except in doctors' offices. I'll start wearing again with this new variant.

I do not want even an asymptomatic case

[Torchlight]

23. Unless I'm at home, in the car or in alone in my office at work, mask is always on.

Safety first is our obligation as responsible citizens.

Regardless, wearing a mask is easier, simpler and a helluva lot more convenient than the simple-minded who assert 'virtue signaling' would have us to believe.

[lamp_shade]

24. You betcha

[niyad]

25. Never stopped, even though I am severely claustrophobic, and it is HOT here.

Several of my friends, all vaxxed and boosted, and not in encounters with each other, have tested positive in the last two weeks.

[eleny]

26. Yes

[Jirel]

27. Sometimes.

Any time I’m getting medical or personal services, or dealing with a sick client, absolutely. Otherwise, if I go out to eat it’s outside only in an uncrowded restaurant. I don’t go to movies or crowded venues. It feels somewhat pointless to be masked at all times when I do shows unmasked with a group of rigorously disciplined people, but no matter how you slice it we WILL be unmasked as safely as possible around the public. Getting on a plane or something? No chance Even with the best mask.

[Greybnk48]

28. Yes. I mask indoors in the public. I'm double vaxxed and double boosted.

I'm also not a fucking idiot (thanks mom and dad).

[SickOfTheOnePct]

29. No

Unless it’s required by whatever place I’m going into.

[USALiberal]

46. lol, ok

[beaglelover]

51. Same.

[RobinA]

137. Same Here

I have to at work so I do. Otherwise, no. Maybe in a huge inside crowd. And at the doctor's and hairstylist - all required. It was required on my Lufthansa flight home from Norway. Where a person in a mask gave me in a mask COVID. That didn't really affect my mask wearing, which is on a must-do basis. Not that I have any thoughts about people who do. To each his own.

[chowder66]

30. Sure do!

[mcar]

31. I've varied, but have traveled

from FL to DC, Boston, and NE Pennsy in the last few weeks. I for sure wore N95s in all airports, planes, shuttles. But I've been erratic otherwise.

Today, I just ordered new N95s - we've only got a few left. I'm starting to wear them again in grocery stores, etc.

[ashredux]

32. Yes...wear the damn mask 😷

[MarineCombatEngineer]

33. I never stopped wearing my mask in public,

it's just common sense.

[sheshe2]

55. Good for you!

[William769]

34. Yes I do and I still got COVID last month!

[sheshe2]

49. Oh no!

We you sick for long, Bill?

[William769]

64. 3 day hospital stay because of my kidney disease.

I was sick for about 12 days but nothing life threatening.

COVID is so rampant in S.W. Florida (especially Lee County).

I am back to even having groceries home delivered.

[sheshe2]

102. Damn.

Please stay safe.

[William769]

106. You too.

[liberal_mama]

114. What kind of mask were you wearing?

[William769]

117. I don't know.

I got them from my doctor's office.

[sheshe2]

121. N95 is the best one.

You can actually get them now since Jared is no longer in charge of PPE, he sold that to the highest bidders.

My niece, ICU nurse had to wear a heavy yellow slicker for 18 hour shifts after COVID was finally recognized as an epidemic and trumph ad already cashed in on PPE.

[William769]

134. I know it wasn't a N95

Now I have the KN95 masks. I don't know what else I can do.

[sheshe2]

139. My eyesight stinks...

It is KN95. Sorry about that.

[William769]

140. Not a problem.

[Lasher]

35. Yes, but I'm having second thoughts.

Here in WV, except for doctors' offices, everywhere I go it's like there's no such thing as COVID. I'm getting tired of protecting everybody from myself, when they are unwilling to do the same for me.

[AleksS]

39. I hear you. It's frustrating.

[Lasher]

48. My dentist has two employees who refuse to wear a mask.

This same dentist had to cancel my last appointment because he has COVID. They have had to shut down the office before because of COVID outbreaks. As far as I know those two are still working there. I guess I will find another dentist after I get my implant done.

[AleksS]

36. Yes, but I'm usually the only one

I’m usually the only one wearing one.

We flew to NYC last weekend. Our family were the only masked people on 4 full flights. And we looked to be the only masked people in a broadway theater.

Doing shopping today, I didn’t see a single other mask.

People are just unwilling to bear even the mildest inconvenience to help their community/fellow people.

[indigovalley]

37. Always when out and about (and at work)

I have an autoimmune disorder so don't need long term COVID on top of it. Doesn't bother me at all to be masked but very few here in SE Minnesota are wearing masks these days.

[Deuxcents]

38. Yes. Never stopped

[area51]

87. +1 n/t

[maxsolomon]

40. Mostly no.

Exceptions: grocery stores, public transportation, restaurant carry out.

So far so good.

[sinkingfeeling]

41. Yes.

[Wild blueberry]

42. Yes

When I was an exchange student in Tokyo (1971-2) everyone wore masks in the winter flu season, out of respect for each other. I've never forgotten the simple, sensible public health measure.

[sheshe2]

116. "out of respect for each other"

This.

[Skittles]

43. yes

because I CARE

[NullTuples]

44. Yes, but we also still avoid going where other people are as much as possible.

For the last ~2.5 years, we've avoided anywhere that might be risky.

Grocery store (at 7:30 am after it's been closed overnight & when there are only a handful of workers)
Hospital/Pharmacy (both of which still follow strict guidelines)
The occasional other store if it can't be avoided, but even then we plan the time & if it looks sketchy we do without.

No shows, no parties, no social events, no dining at restaurants, no visiting except for one relative who is also careful.

Fully vaxxed & boosted.

Nobody in our family has caught it yet.

Granted, we're a family of introverts, so it's not exactly been a hardship. For us, spending time in busy places is like being alone for highly social people. Likewise, staying home or visiting places with few if any people is like going to a busy party for neurotypicals.

[Stuart G]

45. Yes, whenever I am with other people, or I go to the store. It ain't that hard to wear one. Continue

Reading: I have had pneumonia, that one is very hard to get over. It sucks more than you know.

[cutroot]

47. I went to the hospital pharmacy today. They do not let you in the hospital without one

[DownriverDem]

50. Most of the time

Whenever I go into a store for sure.

[SheltieLover]

52. Since Feb, 2020.

[TNNurse]

53. I wear one in stores and other indoor public places.

I feel comradery with those wearing masks and superior to those who do not.

I fought much harder to get over cancer than wearing a mask has been.

I will admit it was easier in cold weather. it has been miserable in the heat.

[ancianita]

54. I'm in Florida, so YES.

Surprisingly I do see people wearing masks where I grocery shop, and when I see them I know they're informed about the B.5 variant, so there's also that.

[PXR-5]

56. Yep

[barbtries]

57. I do and have no plans to stop.

I like not getting sick. All the better if I can protect others in the event i unknowingly have it.

[calimary]

58. Yep! EVERY time we go out. Even if it's only to a drive-thru.

We’re older. We take no chances.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

59. I still wear my mask when i am out in public

[MerryBlooms]

60. Yes. I had to take someone to the barber and no one in the

Small shop was masked, other than me. Even the guy I took refuses to mask now, unless it's a medical facility. As folks were chatting, turned out there was a caregiver there with a 95 y/o guy, both unmasked. Super red county, so I wasn't surprised, but I'm always disappointed.

[Evolve Dammit]

61. Yep. Went to event tonight. Family was one of the few masking(less than 5%). They don't care at all.

[ecstatic]

62. Yes, when visiting my hair stylist.

But that's about it. Mentally, I've moved on due to a ton of other stressful situations.

[Stinky The Clown]

63. Yes

[DippyDem]

65. Yep! I never stopped wearing masks all year round.

[Warpy]

66. Out in public, yeah, you bet

I had the original disease in 3/20 and a breakthrough case that, while a pallid imitation of the origianl, was still unpleasant.

Don't want it again.

Cases here have dropped a hair since last week, but it's still >300/100,000. Do. Not. Want.

Everybody I know is vaxxed. It's the morons I don't know that scare me and always will.

[Going to Canada]

67. Yup!

We are back in the soup!

[Auggie]

68. Yes. I caught COVID anyway.

From a family member. Very mild. Still will wear a mask.

[Going to Canada]

69. I never stopped.

Vaccinated, boosted2x. Always wear mask and sanitize. Never had Covid. Lost three high school friends.The only people sick that I know are non maskers, non vaccinated, not boosted! Also, Merrick Garland should always be given a LOUD MICROPHONE. 📢📢📣📣📢📢

[drumpfsucks]

70. Yup!!

Better half and I both mask up everywhere!
Have to.
Not many in Maricopa County, AZ seem to care.... (yet?)

[BlueTsunami2018]

71. Not consistently.

I wear it on public transportation and in stores but I don’t wear it at work and I’ve gone to several concerts and haven’t donned one.

I’ve still never contracted Covid, as far as I know.

I’m willing to take some risks but I’m not fully committed to completely going back to pre pandemic life.

[MyMission]

72. Yes, I still wear a mask. Thanks for asking.

I'm so glad I never stopped, and I'm taking this opportunity to vent and share.

I work part-time in a store (Tuesday thru Thursday) with owners, a husband and wife (R and B) and there are 2 part-time coworkers (M and S). All of them had stopped wearing masks, but I've continued to wear mine. And I told R, when he asked months ago about taking down the protective barrier in front of the register, that I would not be comfortable working without it, and his wife agreed with me so they left it up.

So last week S was congested, had been sick over weekend, and wore a mask at work. I didn't ask if she'd been tested, she said it was just a cold. Then Wednesday M called to say she'd tested positive. S got tested on Thursday, her day off, along with her husband who'd started to have cold symptoms too. This Tuesday she was telling me her granddaughters other grandma had covid, after she and her husband did. I hadn't known she'd had it until then. Husband lost his sense of smell, had body aches. She worked, thinking it was a cold, wearing a cloth mask, and did not quarantine. The bosses started wearing masks again, but have not gotten tested, although R has been congested for 2 weeks. I asked, felt I needed to plant that idea. B said R's symptoms were due to allergies, started before the other 2 got covid, and I said we can't assume it's not covid and should get tested if there are cold or allergy symptoms. And I ordered 8 free tests from USPS at that time, letting bosses know. I have not had symptoms, but I could be a carrier.

I wear a mask from double motivation to protect myself and others.

I'm now off for 4 days. Had my second booster 2 months ago, so still have better protection. I don't go out or socialize, except I attend religious services on the weekend, sit in the mask only section.

I was upset that I didn't find out about S until this Tuesday. I wear a good quality mask, often with a kn95 filter. But several times I've been exposed and made sure to wear a kn95 for 5 days.
I didn't do that this past weekend, because I don't work with M so wasn't exposed to her. Wearing a 3 ply or double mask is my idea of being reckless.

I'm just so frustrated and angry at people's behavior. Masks AND vaccines are the best defense.
I really believe that the CDC and health officials don't want to encourage masks because they think it's more important to get vaccinated, and encouraging masks to prevent covid would discourage folks from getting vaccines. Both are needed to stay safe and healthy. If they told people to wear them, most people would, but they push vaccines and send mild and mixed or unclear messages on masks. CDC suggests you contact your MD if unsure about wearing a mask. Why can't they just say "when in doubt, wear a mask"?

Biden now has it, Fauci had it last month. so many are testing positive, so many are walking around with it and not testing. They stopped wearing masks. I won't make that mistake.

[jcgoldie]

73. no

...

[perdita9]

74. I've started wearing a mask again

I had a REALLY bad cold in June. It wasn't COVID, thank goodness, but it knocked me off my feet for 3 weeks. My doctor told me he was seeing a lot of non-COVID viruses in the area.

I'm wearing a mask because I'm worried about getting sick again. That cold was nasty!

[AllaN01Bear]

75. si. all shots ( 4) plus mild case of covid in jan this year.

[blueinredohio]

76. Yep!

[c-rational]

77. Yes.

[Siwsan]

78. Absolutely

I just bought another box.

[TygrBright]

79. Have since March 2020. n/t

[Treefrog]

80. Wow, we're in a minority.

Watching the hearings and very few masks to be seen.

Same at correspondents' dinner. Few and far between.

Puzzling.

[RockCreek]

81. Yes. Around everyone except my husband.

And he does the same.
Anywhere indoors, and in crowded outdoor settings.

[Tikki]

82. YES ..Senior with a Senior hubby who had a heart attack March 2020..

Masks for however long we want…maybe forever.

Tikki

[JoeOtterbein]

83. Yes!

Everywhere!

[ChazII]

84. Yes, n/t

[Silver Gaia]

85. Yes! YES!! YES!!!

We never stopped wearing them!

[MontanaMama]

86. Absolutely.

It is my best defense along with shots and boosters. I had Covid in January and I was really sick. I do not want to take it for a ride again.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

88. My Boston friend said President Biden was just in MA

You are very smart to mask up! Not that covid would be horrible, but they are learning so much more about the negative after effects. I made a silent pledge to not get it.

[betsuni]

127. OMG, Biden's spreading Covid in MA!

Is this the new conspiracy theory?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

153. That story never evoked that responses in my mind??

[Midwestern Democrat]

89. No - I fully respect the rights of others to continue masking, but I quit wearing one when my

city lifted the mask mandate. The only time I've worn a mask since was when I got COVID and followed the COVID protocols - five days of shelter in place followed by five days of masking outside the house.

[USALiberal]

92. Based on what??

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

90. Sometimes, not very often.

I'm in Santa Fe, NM, and this state kept a mask requirement a lot longer than most. When I'm out anywhere, I'd say about half of the people I see are masked, and I think that percentage has gone up recently.

Next month I'll be at one of my science fiction things in Albuquerque, and I just got an email from them that masks will be required. At other recent s-f things masks were likewise either required or very strongly encouraged. What's nice about the science fiction world is that the people in it are very science oriented.

[Orrex]

91. Hell yes.

My job takes me into customer's houses for hours at a time. Perhaps 1 in 50 customers wears a mask while I'm there.

I work in western PA, east OH, and parts of WV, and in all of these areas covid is mostly just a hoax to take away our freedom or something.

[helpisontheway]

93. Yes! I don't care how many people stare at me. This lady got on my nerves

yesterday. I was in the pharmacy line so that I could get my booster shot. A few people in the line stared at us. Then one last coughed several times without covering her mouth. Then some stranger standing behind her was like two ft from her and did not flinch. If you don’t want to wear a mask..fine! But cover your darn mouth if you cough. Simple manners..

[mgardener]

94. We do too

We were the only ones in the grocery store the other day. I didn't care.
I did not wear a mask in a meeting, and I worried for days afterward.
Not again.
Our cases are rising and we had a death.
Small county in upstate NY.

HD does not count home tests, so who knows how many cases there really are?

[Tarc]

95. No, have not done so since the mandates were dropped locally

except for the few places where they are still required, such as a visit to the doctor's office and once when visiting my child's college campus.

I generally keep up with social distancing.

[appleannie1]

96. I still wear a mask & the other day I noticed a few other people wearing one.

[jO456]

97. When ever i am in public, as i am not a maskhole

[piddyprints]

98. I never stopped.

Today I took one of my cats to the vet, and no one in the place had a mask on except for me.

[Calculating]

99. No

I'm not wearing a mask for the rest of my life, which is how long COVID will be around and then some. I've already recovered from it and it was like a minor cold

[Rebl2]

100. Yes I do

So does my husband. We are fully vaccinated and haven’t had Covid.

[sakabatou]

101. Yep, whenever I go indoors or crowded places.

[MLAA]

103. Yes indeed, I never stopped.

Husband is up there in years and has COPD. Not willing to take any risk that could harm this wonderful man.

[pazzyanne]

104. Yes! nt

[catbyte]

105. Yep.

And I wash my hands, even after getting the mail.

[JT45242]

107. Everywhere I don't know everyone is vaxxed

I have one small group.

Still no waiting in restaurants.

[Cheezoholic]

108. Big N95 (I have a big beard) whenever indoors in public, stores etc.

and I wrote with a sharpie on it

"Not wearing this? Be glad you can't read my lips!"

[PhoenixRisingAgain]

126. Pardon me, but...

I am new here and I'm not trying to be pedantic but I have to wonder has anyone told you about getting a proper seal? I don't know of any way to achieve a proper seal with an especially bushy beard. If you're confident in your ability to do so then great. Also, at work we were told not to write upon, crease or in any way modify our mask due to a risk of loss of efficacy. I know it'd be a lot to ask to get you to shave a prizewinning beard but...it could save your life or the life of someone you care about if you get it...

[llashram]

135. I wear a mask

everywhere. I have a beard I keep trimmed. Not real close but close enough to not spoil my love of hair.

[relayerbob]

109. Absolutely. Not even a debate about it

[MurrayDelph]

110. I still wear a mask in public for three reasons:

1. I don't know if you have it and don't want to get it from you
2. No one can be 100% sure they don't have it and I don't want to give it TO you
3. I don't want anyone assuming I'm a Republican

[sheshe2]

111. Great reasons!!!

[MinisterPathos]

112. Nope

Never bothered to wear one. Aint going to start.

[Shrek]

113. Not since last Thanksgiving

No plans to restart.

[liberal_mama]

115. I never stopped wearing them because I'm immune compromised and I live in a county in New York that

always has some sort of Covid spread going on.

[Ace Rothstein]

118. Only when in a medical facility.

I can't remember the last time I wore one elsewhere.

[usedtobedemgurl]

119. I am, but....

I am going for a sleep study next month. Not sure if I will be able to keep it on for 12–13 hours straight, let alone sleep with it on. This has me quite worried

[krawhitham]

120. Yes

[dweller]

122. 😷

yep, that’s me



✌🏻

[PlutosHeart]

123. I wear one

And am in Frump area where no one else does. I maybe see 1 other person when I run errands for grocery.
I caretake my partner so getting sick is not an option.

[GoodRaisin]

124. Yes. Never stopped.

And still covid free.

[betsuni]

125. Always. I have nightmares that I'm in the States and inside somewhere, like an elevator

or room and realize with horror that nobody's wearing a mask and I'm not either. Wake up panicked. Relieved I'm in a normal country where masks aren't political. Haven't caught a cold or flu or even a day where you think you're coming down with something, for years.

[sheshe2]

145. I hear ya, betsuni.

The US can indeed be a nightmare. I am like you, not sick for years only a few off days after the shots, which is a small price to pay.

Ha! I caught the movie Contagion on Netflix...it was exactly what happened here. The movie was made in 2011. We knew it was coming.

[Violet_Crumble]

128. I stopped wearing one once the mandates ended, but now...

Hi sheshe

Here in Australia I'm back to working from home till end of August (yay!), though just like wearing a mask we're being given a choice of going into the office or WFH.

If you've seen the covid map of the world on the NYT homepage, Australia is dark red and most people I know have got it recently. I care for my elderly dad who has lung cancer and is severely immuno-compromised, so I started wearing a mask again when I go into shopping centres and other public indoor spaces. We're being urged to wear masks, but it doesn't look like mask mandates are going to happen. Most people at my local shopping centre were wearing masks this morning, but I noticed not many of the supermarket staff were.

Are you wearing a cloth mask or one of the N95 ones? I've got two boxes left of some other heavy duty respiratory masks back from the bushfires a few years ago but did a bit of googling and they're not very good when it comes to covid

[sheshe2]

144. Just now on CNN

They showed a US map and it is 99% blood red.

Like you I was caring for a 92 year old for the 2 1/2 years of COVID, so my sister and I were very careful since we were around her 24/7. We have had some get together time, close family and we all test before we meet. I am retired so I don't have to worry about work, glad you can work from home.

I was doing cloth masks up until the last 8 months and switched to the KN95 that they say is better. A lot of people here are still masking when they are out and about.

Stay safe.

[catrose]

129. Yes!

[Kaleva]

130. No

[Liberal In Texas]

131. In the Never Stopped camp.

The only one time was when the infection rate very low locally and met with friends at a restaurant.

[TheBeam19]

132. Yes. No plans to stop. I don't mind the mask at all.

[Solomon]

133. Yes. Never stopped wearing it and I don't think I ever will given how

healthy I have been since wearing one.

[Control-Z]

136. I do.

I got a breast cancer diagnose during the first COVID shutdown in California, March 2020. Received aggressive treatment for a year and a half. It was terrifying. My husband brought COVID home to me during my chemo treatment. Had to stop chemo once I was diagnosed with COVID and pneumonia. Returned to treatment after about 6 weeks.

I never stopped protecting myself. Coincidentally, my grandbaby gave me COVID again just 2 weeks ago - was sick as a dog. I finally got a negative test this week.

[RobinA]

138. Been There, Somewhat

I was diagnosed in 12/19, had surgery 1/20. First day I could drive again was the day everything shut down. I was lucky not to have to do chemo, which I consider the only blessing of this entire mess. Made it through radiation and I don't consider myself immunocompromised. I did get COVID a month ago, but it was a mild cold. It's been a hellish 2 1/2 years.

[Control-Z]

142. Radiation sucked so bad.

Chemo was my first step. It was pretty awful - it took all day to infuse all the impossibly expensive poison I needed. I was still sick from one treatment when I had to go back for another. The surgery was pretty easy. But the radiation, Monday through Friday, for weeks and weeks - for some reason I really hated it.

Really, the worst part was the loneliness, though. No one was allowed to come with me to any of my treatments or tests/scans - except for the oncologist's office. They seemed to understand the need to have a loved one along to receive the kind of info they deliver.

I don't feel like I've fully recovered yet. There were no support groups for the longest time. When zoom started up I was just too deep in the sick. Now I worry about every oncologist's appointment. I especially worry about the 6 week break in chemo I had to take. Like the cancer grew back during that time or something. I'm not sure when the worrying stops.

[Catherine Vincent]

141. Yes, I do

I never stopped wearing a mask while out in public.

[Emrys]

143. I'm in Scotland. Yes, I do.

Disappointingly, whenever I'm in a supermarket or shop (just about the only time I'm among people nowadays apart from close friends), I'm in a minority of close to one. Scotland had done pretty well in accepting the strictures imposed during the early stages of the pandemic, but now that clear official advice is lacking, people seem to have assumed it's all over, and COVID is "just something we have to live with".

Well, yeah. I live with it by masking up and trying to maintain at least a degree of social distancing when I'm among people in close quarters. It's not a big inconvenience. It may theoretically protect those around me more than it does me, but at least I'm doing all I can.

I had a disturbing experience in the supermarket the other week. It was a Sunday afternoon, and the place was packed, with queue at every checkout. I was trying to figure out which queue to join when a young checkout woman said she was about to open another station, so I should go ahead and start loading my stuff up on the conveyer.

I'd only just started when what I can only fairly describe as an old biddy (i.e. noticeably older than me) sidled in right up close to me and started putting her shopping on the conveyer. I told her she needed to allow me more room. She ignored me. Then she asked me to hand her a "next customer" divider, so I did so, in the hope we could stake out acceptable territory between my shopping and hers and her and me. Nope. She plonked it down hard up against my shopping. I hadn't managed to load up half my trolleyload yet, so I told her again she needed to give me more room. She said dismissively, "Oh just push it all along."

I didn't want to start a scene in the queue in a crowded supermarket, not least because I could see the young checkout woman's head was starting to hang as I'm sure the last thing she needed was a fuss at the beginning of her shift, so I just focused on loading the rest of my stuff on the conveyer belt and getting out of there as soon as possible.

I was just cashing up, when the old biddy called across to me with an infuriatingly sickly smile, "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" That finally did it. If a scene she wanted, a scene she was going to have.

I called over to her, quite loudly, I guess, "You need to keep your distance. My wife has COVID right now."

This was true. My wife had been suffering from it for a week. When she first tested positive, I assumed it was inevitable I'd get it too. I'd been LFT testing myself every morning all week, but somehow the precautions we took (distancing, good ventilation, basic hygiene) worked, and I never caught it.

Once I said that, the old biddy went, "Oh, oh," and scuttled to the very far end of the conveyer belt (where I'd have preferred her to be all along) and huddled up to a guy in the queue behind her, looking at me like I'd just announced I had the Black Death.

I was just muttering to myself along the lines of "Oh, now you're seeing the value of social distancing" when the guy behind her (I'm not sure if they were related or not, but they were pretty close physically) called over, "Thanks for coming out and giving it to us all."

My response: "When did you last test negative?"

He replied a bit sheepishly, "Erm, maybe a month ago."

I pointed to myself: "This morning. This. Morning."

I finished up packing and got out of there amid a somewhat shocked and embarrassed silence.

I was the only person in a supermarket full of around 200 people who was wearing a mask or seemed to give a damn about social distancing when the stats were showing that around 1 in 20 people were infected.

If I'd been infected by that over-familar old biddy after the week of stringent precautions and daily suspense my wife and I had just put ourselves through, I'd have been livid. The old biddy was obviously oblivious to that possibility and was only concerned for herself when I made the risks all too vivid for her.

I hope she and the guy who called over to me may have learned something, but I doubt it.

[Celerity]

146. No.

[Patton French]

147. It depends

More often than not.

[ForgedCrank]

148. No, I haven't

worn one in a very long time other than the waiting room at my dentist.
There are still signs on doors everywhere, but I haven't seen a person out in public wearing a mask in ages. Even in the doctors offices no one is masked anymore.

[sheshe2]

149. That is why the map they showed on CNN...

tonight is blood red, "no one is masked anymore."

Actually some of us still do.

[LAS14]

150. Yes, N95s. nt

[Iggo]

151. Never stopped.

[Ms. Toad]

152. Yes -

Last edited Sat Jul 23, 2022, 01:13 AM - Edit history (1)

Well over 90% of the time I'm inside with anyone outside of my family.

I'm currently in an acting workshop - wearing my mask except when I'm on stage. I'm the only one doing so (out of about 50 of us).

When I'm with my elderly mother who cannot hear I don't wear a mask, since she needs the lip-read assist.

On the rare occasion when we eat out, I wear my mask except when actively eating.

[ShazzieB]

154. I stopped wearing one regularly when the mask mandate was lifted in Illinois.

Yes, I know, I'm a very bad girl! 😳

I keep telling myself to start doing it again, because I feel like I should. But in a state where EVERYONE was masking religiously for so long and hardly anyone is now, it's hard to convince myself to get with the program again. *sigh*

On a practical note, the biggest problem I have with masks is that they make my nose itch, anywhere from just a little to unbearably. If anyone has any hints on how to prevent that, I'd find it a lot easier to get back in line.

[sheshe2]

155. I wear a KN95 when I go out.

It really doesn't bother me. Perhaps some cream would help?

I still do it, to protect me and others since they say vaxed people may not have symptoms and can still spread it. Close family get togethers, we test and visit unmasked. On the bright side other than allergies I haven't been sick with a cold for 2 years.

Do what is best for you, Shazzie.

[ShazzieB]

156. I have KN95s, too.

They make my nose itch as much as the others, lol.

I think I will try putting on some kind of cream going forward. As it is, I almost always have to pull my mask down at some point(s) to scratch it, which keeps it from doing as much good as it should.