COVID-19 Face covering question

[roadcycler]

When I was working I use to have to where a N95 mask for multiple hours a day, I had asthma so it was difficult and exhausting but not undue able. People with severe respiratory disease ( mod to severe COPD, lung fibrosis eg cycstic fibrosis, atelctasis etc. ) would be the type of people that wearing a mask for any length of time would be problematic and would be justifiable not to wear a mask. But for the rest of us think of others and how they may be affected. As one fellow on CNN said " please stop saying this will cull the weak as I am over 60 and one of them"

[Pugsy]

As one fellow on CNN said " please stop saying this will cull the weak as I am over 60 and one of them"

I think maybe it should be changed to say "this will cull the stupid" at least that is what I tell my husband...even just tonight.
I am over 60 but I sure as hell am not stupid. I say it half in jest and half with a belief that probably isn't very Christian, I am ashamed to say, but it's how I feel.
I feel bad about saying it because it won't cull the stupid...it will cull the innocents that the stupid people end up giving the virus to. It will cull everyone but the one person who probably should be culled. Sort of like a drunk driver who walks away from the car wreck that he is the only survivor. I figure if they want to kill themselves...who cares but when they kill me or my family or some innocent person's family member young or old....then that is what riles me up about stupid people.

I am all wound up on my political soapbox tonight and I didn't even listen to our "illustrious...cough cough" leader tonight. The bits and pieces I am hearing and reading are winding me up. Think I will go see if I have a Valium hidden somewhere so I can get some sort of sleep tonight.

And in case anyone wonders.....I am probably 95% science based with only 5 % devoted to actual politics in terms of my personal beliefs.

[jnk...]

I played an outdoor performance this weekend at which the audience stayed 6 ft. apart from one another and the band kept 12 ft. apart from one another and 20 ft. away from the audience. Since it was outdoors, no masks were worn by anyone except by the band during setup and teardown, since it would've been easy to get too close by accident then. Safe? I don't know. We did our best to be.

[Pugsy]

Safe? I don't know. We did our best to be.

Probably fairly safe. If I had been there I probably wouldn't have worn a mask as long as I was a safe distance away from people I didn't know. I would have kept my mask close just in case something happened that got me in maybe a situation where people were too close for comfort and I couldn't get out.

All we can do is our best or try to do our best. What pisses me off is when people won't even try.
I am not going to totally stop my life but I will do the best I can or at least try....to keep me and mine safe.
Most of it is common sense but unfortunately that seems to be in short supply again.

[babydinosnoreless]

When I was working I use to have to where a N95 mask for multiple hours a day, I had asthma so it was difficult and exhausting but not undue able. People with severe respiratory disease ( mod to severe COPD, lung fibrosis eg cycstic fibrosis, atelctasis etc. ) would be the type of people that wearing a mask for any length of time would be problematic and would be justifiable not to wear a mask. But for the rest of us think of others and how they may be affected. As one fellow on CNN said " please stop saying this will cull the weak as I am over 60 and one of them"

I have asthma and claustrophobia and I manage to wear a mask. Its not fun, and I will sometimes have to go into an empty isle at the store and lift it off of one ear catch a few breaths of air and then put it quickly back down. I know if someone sees me on the security cams or what ever they are probably laughing their behind off because I'm doing it wrong and touching my face but hey we can only do what we can. I figure its better than getting judged for not wearing one. Or passing out from lack of air or pure terror because I feel like I'm suffocating.

People are so mean right now its frightening. I was at the doctors office the other day when one guy started yelling at another guy for sitting next to his wife. He insisted that there be a chair between them like the signs said even tho they live in the same house. The poor girl behind the desk had to run to go get her manager.

If this hateful judgement is the "new normal" a world where tearing down history is ok well then I'm just freaking glad I'm old.

[chunkyfrog]

The bullfrog and I wear our DIY leather masks any place there are people--with or without masks.
We are getting used to looking like characters out of Mad Max.
Some people gripe that masks take away their individuality--ours do nothing of the sort.
As for difficulty with airflow, we chose our filter material very carefully.
Most commercially made masks restrict airflow too much for comfort.
Soft fabric masks tend to cling to the face and pick up sweat, impeding airflow even more.

[lrob123]

What I tell people who say they can't breathe with a mask on or are claustrophobic is to just put the mask over your mouth and not your nose. Many types of masks will stay up that way, e.g. most ones with elastic around the ear if the elastic is not too long. Then if someone walks very close to you, just pull the mask up over your nose for a few seconds if you can, and just try to stay further away from others. As long as you are outside and 10 feet away from other people, just wear the mask down around your neck. Don't go to places like movie theaters if you cannot wear your mask correctly over your nose, it wouldn't be right.

My elderly relative who is 88 years old says she cannot breathe with a mask but I don't think she really has breathing problems (she is able to play tennis), but who knows, I'm not 88 and not her so I cannot judge. It might be claustrophobia or psychological. She won't be sitting at a movie theater, she just goes briefly into the drugstore, garden store or hardware store for a few minutes, so I think the mask just over the mouth is OK. At least it will help with the droplets spread when speaking or coughing, and is half helpful during a sneeze. Obviously you shouldn't be going out if sick, but I sneeze just due to pollen allergies or sudden bright sunlight.

I think if you have the mask just over your mouth but not over your nose, most people won't say anything to criticize, but if they do, either pull it up if you can or explain the breathing issue or claustrophobia or just walk away from them. I think most people will appreciate that you are at least trying your best and you do care about the health of other people, and you are obviously not one of the selfish, science-denying, or childishly defiant people who think being asked to wear a mask is tyranny or it is a political statement, or you are an insecure male who think wearing a mask is weak or unmanly.

I suggest wearing a light paper dust mask, since that is thinner and easier to breathe through than the double or triple ply cotton masks that are better for Covid-19 protection. Or get a fabric mask made of stretch material such as Lycra (which again is not as good for Covid protection as woven cotton but better than nothing).

Or instead of a mask, you could try wearing a plastic shield like the TrueHero shield https://trueheroshield.com/ . On TV, I noticed they were giving those out at the Coronapalooza Death Rally in Tulsa last night, and they actually don't look dumb if you wear them under a baseball cap.

[zonker]

If this hateful judgement is the "new normal" a world where tearing down history is ok well then I'm just freaking glad I'm old.

after world war two, people were "tearing down history" all over germany.

and yet, we all know who adolph hitler was.

to quote forum friend jnk...

just sayin'

[chunkyfrog]

Some masks have no wire clip to hold the top over the nose.
Some could be using pipe cleaners or a bread tie--completely useless.
I have told many people that an ordinary bobby pin, shaped with 2 pair of pliers, is perfect.
Bobby pins are also plentiful.
I thought out of the box--and very few know of the "new box".
Sometimes the bobby pin hint is enough to get nose revealers to cover it up.
Because I honestly believe they are just cheating.

[lrob123]

If this hateful judgement is the "new normal" a world where tearing down history is ok well then I'm just freaking glad I'm old.

after world war two, people were "tearing down history" all over germany.
and yet, we all know who adolph hitler was.

I'm getting old and not too happy that I'm living to see the beginning of the climate change disaster and possibly the end of the great American experiment in democracy, but I'm very glad to be alive to see us finally take down those confederate statues and flags, and hopefully change the name of those military bases. It is long overdue. I often considered moving to a Southern state, but what stopped me is seeing those confederate flags and statues, they are like a slap in the face to many people.

[lrob123]

Sometimes the bobby pin hint is enough to get nose revealers to cover it up.
Because I honestly believe they are just cheating.

If a person is 'of a certain age', I don't assume they are cheating, possibly just forgetful or have breathing issues.

Every time I visit my elderly dad, he has his mask either around his neck or just over his mouth, I have to remind him to lift it over his nose. I wouldn't say anything to correct a stranger (of any age) because I don't know their situation, but my dad and I feel free to give advice to each other. I'm happy that he does seem to at least get out the mask and have it around his neck when I tell him I'm coming over. He is trying his best, but many elderly people are just forgetful. I gave some other elderly relatives each a N95 mask to wear in cases where they have to go to the doctor's office or something, but they don't remember which type of mask to wear and when and why (fabric versus N95), or whether they should wear a mask when just going for a walk outside, it is all so confusing for them and they mistakenly end up doing the exact opposite of what is recommended.

[palerider]

When I was working I use to have to where a N95 mask for multiple hours a day, I had asthma so it was difficult and exhausting but not undue able. People with severe respiratory disease ( mod to severe COPD, lung fibrosis eg cycstic fibrosis, atelctasis etc. ) would be the type of people that wearing a mask for any length of time would be problematic and would be justifiable not to wear a mask.

People don't need to wear a N95 mask to help curb the spread, just a bandanna over their mask and nose will greatly reduce the chance that THEY will infect someone else, but it won't restrict their breathing applicably.

[babydinosnoreless]

If this hateful judgement is the "new normal" a world where tearing down history is ok well then I'm just freaking glad I'm old.

after world war two, people were "tearing down history" all over germany.

and yet, we all know who adolph hitler was.

to quote forum friend jnk...

just sayin'

Apples to oranges fallacy Zonker. Germany didn't tear down historical statues. They torn down statues that were placed by the Nazis and were torn down in the aftermath of the Nazis defeat. Tearing down statues of historical significance is more like what the IS did in Palmyra and Hatra. Our statues were not placed by Lee during the civl war. They were erected many years after the fact, long after reconstruction.

Francis Scott Key wrote the song which became our nation anthem. It had nothing to do with the civil war but was about our revolutionary war. His statue was toppled. This is destroying America and what we are. The good the bad and the ugly.

I may have white skin but my DNA also says I have African in me. I imagine by now most of us are mutts with mixed DNA. My godparent were black. They sheltered us during the riots in the 60's when our neighborhood became a battle ground. I imagine they are rolling in their graves right now. They believed in peace and peaceful protests and abhorred violence. I too abhor the violence and am quit sad that some are glorifying and reveling in these extremists acts.

[palerider]

If this hateful judgement is the "new normal" a world where tearing down history is ok well then I'm just freaking glad I'm old.

What you seem to fail to understand is that there is a difference between the facts of history, and glorifying despicable behavior.

Tearing down monuments glorifying atrocities, can any sane person actually be opposed to that?

All those statues should be put in a "history of shame" park.

[chunkyfrog]

FYI: Francis Scott Key was a slave owner.
His song is impossible for average people to sing.
What song did we sing after 9-11?
America the Beautiful.
Time to change the national anthem.
It has been discussed before--what better time than now?