Are you wearing a mask? Thoughts on them?

[genoolli]

There seems to be so much conflicting info on masks. Are you wearing one? Why or why not? What kind are you wearing, if you are?

[AnxiousNoMore]

stormpower I see lots of people purposelessly wearing masks improperly, sometimes just covering their mouth. I live in an area that often has smoke from forest fires putting the air quality index in the unhealthy range for up to a month in the summers, so this week bought an N 95 and some N 99 filters online so I can go outside with less worries. I plan to use them for indoor Covid protection too but I do curbside shopping whenever possible and rarely enter buildings  and so won't need it much for Covid.

[stormpower]

I am wearing a mask, I use both a home made cloth mask and disposable non-surgical masks. It is mandatory here now in all public indoor places. I have a very compromised immune system, so I do worry about who is around me, if they are wearing a mask, or if they are being worn properly. I was on a public transit bus yesterday and someone got on, sat close to me, was not wearing his mask properly and was continuously coughing and not coughing into his sleeve.  I was really annoyed at this but I didn't say anything for fear of the backlash I might receive. Seems everyone has their own opinion on wearing the masks. Personally I don't know if wearing them totally prevents catching Covid, but I am sure that they do help.

[SeizureAdvocate]

I have a mask. But in the past the mask make me extra hot and i cough and gag and feel lightheaded.

I guess i will see if that is the case this weekend when i leave the house for groceries. The only time i get to leave the house.

[AnnieBrooke]

Early in the pandemic, if people around where I live saw someone wearing a mask, they automatically thought the person was sick. People wearing masks got frowned on and avoided. Now people wear them to signal "I care about the health of my fellow humans," and in about a week, masks have moved from scary to reassuring. (Apparently this is more like the attitude in Asia, where due to MERS and SARS, they long ago made the cultural shift to mask-wearing being a positive signal.) I'm glad they announced that people should wear them even if they are not as effective as N95 masks, because it really will afford a certain amount of protection, and people will be able to do a little more outside of the home without being quite so worried. I haven't even been willing to go to the grocery store any more, even though their delivery timelines are a week out, and now I feel like I could at least go buy milk. Besides, I've gotten to see two great videos on YouTube about how to put a pair of men's legged underpants on your head and make a tidy little mask. Worth the price of admission!

[Paxiled]

Just wondering, are these underpants that have been worn or ones that haven't been worn.  I mean, well, you know.

[AnnieBrooke]

One woman on a video artlessly (in a cute British accent) mentioned that you should be sure to use ones that have been washed. Glad she pointed it out.

[Paxiled]

My wife and I were avoiding them because that was the official advice, that they didn't work for healthy people, only for the sick, and to leave them for the health professionals.  Then they changed the advice and my wife ordered some and they haven't arrived yet.  Don't like the idea, but I guess we're going to wear whatever she ordered online to the grocery store.  Don't go anywhere else anymore, though, no place to go, and you don't need them to exercise outdoors as there's plenty of room to avoid others.  It seems that since so many who have it are completely asymptomatic we may be spreading it without knowing it.  So I guess it's masks for all now.

[Paxiled]

By the way, has any0ne other than me thought about the fact that it's spring and we're all going to be sneezing like crazy for a while?

[xltjim]

I slept with my window open for the first time this year.  Yup... Sneezing like crazy today.    I made a couple masks out of bandannas.  Just something simple and will wear them when I go to the grocery store but not if I am taking a walk in the neighborhood.

[auntiejessi]

Oh yes, I've already been sneezing like crazy. It will be interesting to see how this goes with the masks, right?

[AnnieBrooke]

I've been sleeping with my cat, having sent my husband and son to the family's farm. Now I'm snotty in the mornings. But it's really fun to sleep with the cat.

[Paxiled]

The weeds that make up my "lawn" are ready for mowing, and folks, that means one sneeze for every couple of minutes until June.  I know it's all in my yard, but there's a front yard, too, and when you're working in the yard with gloves on you can't always blow your nose as often as you need to.  I mention it because they keep saying don't touch your face, but you can't blow your nose if you don't and if you don't blow your nose it isn't a pretty picture.  And I can't see wearing a mask around here to work in the yard or exercise outdoors, it gets pretty hot and humid and gamey quick.  I hope I don't get arrested.

[auntiejessi]

Well, you don't need a mask if you aren't around other people. Unless you're having a yard work party with others you aren't quarantining with, you don't need a mask then.

You might not take this seriously, and I'm sure you were just kidding, but for some of us who are higher risk, we have no choice.  

[AnnieBrooke]

Amazon reports that its allergy and cold remedy sales are up some insane number, like nineteen thousand percent. Probably people not wanting to sneeze in their masks (or out of them and get run out of town on a rail).

[AnnieBrooke]

Where did you get a mask with flamingos? Sounds cute!

[auntiejessi]

I've only been out for doctor's appointments, but I'm wearing them.

Specialmom is right - wearing them correctly is vital.

This has a decent video about how to wear one. It's pretty specific to the certain mask they have, but you can generalize it for yours.

https://www.nationaljewish.org/patients-visitors/patient-info/important-updates/coronavirus-information-and-resources/health-tips/how-to-put-on-a-surgical-mask

[Rachelsilbaugh8301]

Yes because I have tons of problems including a brain tumor and heart problems

[specialmom]

I have masks.  Some cloth ones.  I haven't been out yet to test them.  I got one for each of my kids and husband too.  We'll have to discuss proper usage of it because so many touch the ties/elastic and are basically touching their face messing with the mask!  But I think we'll see more and more of it.  Hard habit to get into for me though. I got a shark one, a space one, one with skeletons on it and one with pink flamingos.  Ha, handing them out based on personality in the house was fun!