What % of people will want masks forever?

I think that your "wearing a mask is better than getting the flu" may be a bit simplistic. It is true that one day of wearing a mask is preferable to one day with the flu. The problem is that the number of days for each condition do not at all match up.

I never wore a mask pre-COVID. I got the flu perhaps once every 12 years or so. With the flu, I am significantly uncomfortable/impacted with symptoms for about 10 days. So, over the course of 12 years the total time with the flu is 10 days.

Assuming that I could have prevented the flu by wearing a mask during flu season would mean that I would need to wear a mask for 180 days each year. Over 12 years this would be 2160 days of mask wearing.

So, 2160 days of mask wearing vs 10 days with the flu. Is a day with the flu 216 times worse than a day wearing a mask? I am not so sure.

Bad Wigins wrote:

CircusClowns wrote:

Nobody, Absolutely nobody wants to wear a mask. But, until things are safer you've been asked to help out and do so.

Why do you want to believe in the danger?

Why do you want to believe a mask will protect you? Didn't they tell you the opposite just a few months ago?

Do you dare jump down the rabbit-hole of self-reflection to find out if you're acting on reason or emotion?

Bad Wigins remember when you said the US would have 2600 total cases?

Never post again please. You contribute nothing.

dunes runner wrote:

Obvi wrote:

Better vaccines may be developed over time.

So far they've kept getting worse, so don't hold your breath (but keep wearing your mask).

So, you want to double down on nonsense, huh? There has not even been a single vaccine targeting COVID that has been put into production and mass use. As such, it is entirely nonsensical to talk about them "getting worse".

Further, vaccines in general have improved over time, not gotten worse.

So, you are spouting nonsense to try to support an argument that, as I correctly pointed out, does not hold water.

Good job!

I think you are the one oversimplifying. No one is talking about wearing a mask everywhere and all day. No one is suggesting people wear masks in their back yards or when they are out on a hike. Have you never been on a crowded subway with people next to you sneezing and coughing and wished people were wearing masks? Maybe you only need to wear a mask for an hour when you are on public transportation or in the airport/on a plane.

Was Galen Rupp living his life in fear when he wore a mask while running? Of course not, and wearing a mask is a simple precaution in situations when and where it makes sense.

Instead of a mask I just wear a Tshirt that says, Go Away Covid!! and on the back it says, We're All In This Together.

The front keeps the covid away, the back is my virtue signal to my fellow citizens. It helps them feel safe.

Coach Jeff ROC wrote:

You want an answer based on experience?

Since Sars (when was that?) I think I have seen at least one person wearing a mask in public everyday in Taipei. It is suggested to do that when you feel sick but have to be out in public places. A small minority, but enough that I have seen a mask everyday.

Currently, I'd say 100% of people wear masks on public transportation. It's mandatory. 0% of those wearing masks complain out loud. 80% everywhere else. In other words, 20% of people choose not to use masks when given a choice. Yeah, that's my anecdotal evidence and I'm sticking to it. We have had no local transmission Covid cases for the past several months. We have road races. We have large scale public events. We're right next to China. 7 people in TOTAL have died.

8 if you include the tourist industry.

Agree. The last two pandemics in the last 12 years, more and more people have voluntarily changed their behavior due to these tests. Even before covid19 became political, the trend was continuing.

*fears not tests

How many anti-mask dipwads would be okay the surgeons operating on them with no mask? I masks don’t do anything so why bother. Insurance charges $100 for masks ...why not save some$$$?

Liberals want masks, smoking bans, and abortion up to and including the third trimester.

We already won the smoking ban argument and it’s awesome going to bars, concerts (when we could) without smokers is better.

Masks could easily be like seatbelts ...wear them when necessary (like in a car or plane) but America is too stupid for such nuance

Agreed wrote:

kibitzer wrote:

So you haven't spent much time in East Asia, eh?

Clearly Primo Numbero Uno has never been to Asia before. Anyone who has spent more than a layover in an East Asian country is accustom to seeing masks. When I was in Taiwan in 2018 they even sold masks front an center at 7-11. My experience was the same in Japan and Korea. See this article from 2014, long before the current pandemic about Asia's use of masks:

https://qz.com/299003/a-quick-history-of-why-asians-wear-surgical-masks-in-public/

Hahahahhahahahahah so what?

Ever heard of this concept called the freedom to choose?

They can totally wear a mask...if they choose.

But when it is mandated by a frightened governor, that is weak and evil.

If you are afraid of dying, stay the f home. Do not even open a window. Do not open the door. Do not frequent the grocery store.

I am concerned about all the people who advocate for mandated mask wearing. I am concerned for their mental health

Partially fair point. My math did indeed make simplifications, which you correctly pointed out. Still, the "wearing a mask is not as bad as having the flu" remains an oversimplification for the reasons that I pointed out. So, my main point was correct.

I think masks will be required on public transportation, flying etc forever now. In many cases they are choices (you don't have to ride the bus you could bicycle, you don't have to fly to Florida for vacation). There are easy ways to enforce (gates, tickets, etc) and are the biggest ways things can spread around the world quickly as people travel.

Grocery store, indoor shopping will be 40-50% will wear it. Little impact, for a short duration indoors, they have pre-existing conditions or are elderly and realize cost/benefit ration means it doesn't hurt.

Large stadium events, will take a long time before they aren't required. (5-10 years). Not because of science but because of fear of lawyer litigation.

Outdoor exercise should be .1%, high school cross country should not be wearing masks at all.

That kind of black-and-white thinking is simply idiotic. The whole idea is to mitigate risk. That’s why people wear seatbelts but still drive (and don’t drink and drive), that’s why bicyclists wear helmets, that’s why we have handrails , etc . it’s not to live in fear but to continue living.

You aren’t concerned about anybody but trolling.

RSTUV Anon wrote:

We already won the smoking ban argument and it’s awesome going to bars, concerts (when we could) without smokers is better.

To be fair, it is awesome for you. If you like to have a cigarette with your beer and conversation, it really stung. Smoking is certainly not healthy, but please try to view these things from others' POV as well. Bars and music venues had the opportunity to be smoke free all the while. They chose not to.

FWIW, my perspective aligns with yours, but I try to be aware of when my preferences might be clouding my judgment. I bet the majority of Americans thinks runners and cyclists should be banned from roads due to safety, liability, and aggravation, but we certainly would not want that.

SonicandTrails wrote:

wearing a mask is better than getting the flu, just objectively speaking..

Umm, absolutely not. If you told me right now I could get the worst flu of my life and then I wouldn’t have to wear a mask anymore, I would be ECSTATIC. I honestly would probably weep with joy.

SO ODD wrote:

There are so many things wrong with your post. I am not even going to try. I think the best way to answer is to say that Americans have a fundamentally different view of life. We don't believe in living in fear and covering our faces. We will take some risks.

I am wearing a mask when outside of my house, but I am not going to do this forever. Your comments on women and k-pop are very odd and borderline sexist.

I remember the good old days when people though nobody would wear seatbelts. After all americans like their freedom to be thrown to safety. Turns out a good chunk of americans aren't idiots and will change their habits over time.

Bullet_Proof wrote:

Hahahahhahahahahah so what?

Ever heard of this concept called the freedom to choose?

They can totally wear a mask...if they choose.

But when it is mandated by a frightened governor, that is weak and evil.

If you are afraid of dying, stay the f home. Do not even open a window. Do not open the door. Do not frequent the grocery store.

I am concerned about all the people who advocate for mandated mask wearing. I am concerned for their mental health

Definitely. Of course freedom isn't free. It would be fair to charge nonMask wears a 10k/year tax to cover the added health care costs from their choices right? After all they sure wouldn't want someone to have to support them and then the choices they make. That would be a big limit on their freedom....

The more likely outcome is probably that stores will just not let you in. Appeasing the 5% of sociopaths just isn't worth the risk of alienating the other 95% of customers.

I think I have worn underwear ever day that i have gone outside for. pretty much my whole life. Hasn't bothered me yet.

Maybe I am just wearing the wrong mask but seriously wearing a suit and tie is more uncomfortable than a mask. People do that constantly for hours at time. It is crazy how big of babies some people are about tiny changes.