This has been discussed but I feel like it deserves its own topic. Especially after this NYT article.
As I mentioned in other threads, I will wear a mask if asked to or if required to. Other than that, I’m done with wearing a mask outside, and I will be done wearing it inside when I hit 2 weeks post #2. Reason being, the vaccine accomplishes the task the mask was intended for, and it does a much better job.
I recently had vision correction surgery. So, for me, wearing a mask after the vaccine is like wearing my glasses after my surgery.
My state is dropping the mask mandate 5/29. I will likely drop mask wearing at that point unless (a) the business requires it, or (b) I’m somewhere indoor with my kids that aren’t vaxxed yet [12 year old got dose 1 today] and wear it to encourage them.
I’ve said elsewhere that I hope (but don’t expect) the practice of wearing masks while under the weather will be retained in the US, and I’m willing to do what I can to make that happen.
My state drops its mask mandate Wednesday. I plan to abide by the rules (governmental or business), as well as following the herd. While I am somewhat militant in my views on masking online…IRL I don’t want to be the outlier.
That’s something I’ve thought a lot about. Will I wear a mask when I have a cold or no? The thing is, in the “new normal” I have a choice. I can do a week of WFH and get curbside pickup, rather than wear a mask going out. If there was some crowded event I didn’t want to cancel, then yah, I’d probably wear a mask.
But, in general, wearing a mask is an artifact of the COVID pandemic that I’m ready to be in the rearview.
Probably until the pandemic is over or gets to a manageable level. I’m fully vaccinated but I don’t want to be giving the unvaccinated the message that it’s okay for them to not be wearing one.
Depends on the situation. I am going on an outdoor camping trip with vaccinated friends and we won’t be masked. If I go to the communal bathroom I’ll be masked, and I’m sure for at least a few months I’ll be masked at stores, etc. Plus anytime I feel ill and go into public, indefinitely.
I skipped the mask yesterday in my first stop at a store after the mandates were dropped. I maintained distance while in line to check out though, as did most of the others who were also not masked.
I went to a social event with 30 other people yesterday. We all wore masks. I wouldn’t have gone had there not been a mask mandate in effect, however. After my husband is vaccinated I will be less worried about that sort of event, but for now, I would like to play it safe.
I will say, however, that that was the first time I felt that wearing a mask interfered with the event. With my family, it’s never really changed the social dynamics. But with a bunch of people I know slightly, it did. People were more hesitant to approach me and engage with me, because they couldn’t see my mouth, I think. I was also wearing a re-useable respirator, which restricts the movement of my face more than a simple cloth mask would have. So that might have been a factor. It’s harder to smeyel in my respirator.
Honestly, I find eyes are expressive than mouths. (except for lip reading, of course.) I can tell when my sister is exasperated, or my brother is satisfied, or my mom is worried, while they are wearing masks.
I’ll probably still wear a mask in stores and such for quite a while - if for no other reason than to make someone who should be wearing a mask marginally more comfortable doing so. Wearing a mask really doesn’t bother me all that much.
I don’t see why anyone would keep wearing a mask to protect against Covid 19 after getting a vaccine that is 94% effective at stopping Covid 19 and knowing that over half the country has the same vaccine. For the J&J people maybe, but I certainly wouldn’t.
I will wear my mask when it is socially or legally required and not at any other time.
For those saying they’d wear it to prevent the flu or common cold. I get that. Though I don’t understand what’s changed from before when people didn’t do that.