To Mask or not to two - Mask Megathread cont.

I came across another news piece of the lifting of restrictions on the 22nd. It pretty much said face masks are to remain in three settings: healthcare settings, retail and public transport.

Still no mention of other settings like large workplaces that aren't in healthcare or retail.

I can mix with people in shops or on public transport but I can go into work and don't have to wear a face mask.

The legislation for general emergency powers - which still underpins the rules for face masks - was extended in June and doesn’t expire until November.

Likely to come up again in coming weeks so as to extend(11th hour) masks rule over winter. One eye on UK reintroducing masks. When made optional burning desire not to have to reintroduce.

If I was hazarding a guess, not one that I'd endorse, masks could become optional in retail from January 9th and public transport and essential shops from March.

Healthcare settings to remain masked till May.

Masks have been and continue to be a Fiasco.

They have very much gone silent on workplaces that do not have a public facing role. Has the Return to Work Safely Protocol been updated?

The original was very poorly written, it's all about sneeze guards and tissues. Employers had to have masks in the workplace(incase someone got sick) but nobody had to wear them.

The biggest lighting bolt from the May8th publication was the announcement that Covid-19 is spread through speaking. The HSE operated coughing and sneezing as the sole modes of transmission from March through to August. In this regard, this publication was ahead of it's time by 3 months, plus some. The modes of transmission that the HSE updated to included talking loud, singing and shouting.

Speaking is still to be announced as a mode of transmission.

The best expert study out there is real life actually. After about 2 years of this we clearly see that in a truly catastrophic global pandemic with a Black Plague, Ebola or Spanish Flu level of lethality, nobody would have be compelled to wear a mask, stay off the streets or queue up for a vaccine.

The evidence suggests that all types of face coverings are, to some extent, effective in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in both healthcare and public, community settings – this is through a combination of source control and protection to the wearer (high confidence)

No buddy, about 2 years is quite correct as there is more and more evidence emerging that China suppressed information about covid and that first cases began to appear around october 2019.

@Donald Trump AGS of course.

Public transport

To enforce the regulations on the wearing of face coverings on public transport, a ‘relevant person' (public transport operator such as a bus driver or train driver) must first ask an individual to wear a face covering. If the individual refuses, then the relevant person can ask them to leave the public transport or not to get on the public transport. The relevant person can then call the Gardaí for assistance if required.

The masks people have on are filthy. People don't replace them or clean them.

This is surely a concern to mask fans?

Filthy masks are disgusting. And that's what in shops and buses now.

Filthy people are disgusting and have been with us before and after covid.

We are better off with them masked than not.

Really?

Some people haven't changed their masks for months. They wear them so as not to create a drama but they don't actually care.

Surely this is disgusting. I think we could end masks being worn in shops and supermarkets.

How do you know? And how do you know they are filthy? Have you checked them for live viruses? Do you inspect masks before people put them on?

I assume you disinfect your car keys, wallet etc after every shopping trip? Fair play. There are sone filthy people who forget to do that. Imagine touching never washed things while shopping.

You probably shouldnt start thinking about all the disguesting non mask related things filthy people are capable of. You may not sleep at night.

Not washing their hands and touching everything you touch. Google norovirus for the craic.

Wearing gloves in winter they never wash and touching everything.

Trigger warning alert: Wearing scarves and snoods in winter all winter. Imagine all the times you should have been faux horrorified pre covid

Sneezing and coughing without covering their mouths / nose or reusing a filthy hankie.

Filthy air.

Given that choice, bring on the masks.

Well I agree with you. Tell that to the mask advocates. They see masks as the only solution.

**

I'm a frequent mask wearer work, publictransport, shops etc.. I have plenty of masks so only wear once then wash at 60degrees, iron and spray with lemongrass and cedarwood mist. Rinse repeat week to week. My current bugbear is closed windows on the buses but should probably bring that to the ventilation thread. Think I'm going to be wearing masks going foward as I dont find them burdensome and prefer the smell of lemongrass to the public transport smells.