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In reply to the discussion: I still wear a mask, do you? [View all]MyMission
(1,854 posts)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.