Will you continue to wear your mask when they are optional?

You do what you want DLink, I'll do what I want. Whatever makes you happy. Why are you asking me questions about what you should do? I didn't ask you any questions and I don't have answers for you.

If they actually worked I’d be all be for them. Evident logic (especially from omicron) tells us they are as useful as chocolate teapots. Time to forget about masks and their imaginary virtues

"Evident Logic" coming from where? There have been plenty of studies which prove that masks are very effective at limiting the transmission of Covid through the air.

The amount of times I've forgotten mine and had to back to get one. No more of that from Monday!

Happy this announcement came today because I was getting really fed up with them and was considering just not complying to wear them in the supermarket particularly any longer, but no need for that now.

I have an immunocompromised person in the house so i will be wearing a mask for the foreseeable future. I understand younger people in particular not wanting to wear the masks anymore and healthy people who don't have sick relatives. A lot of people are not going to wear the masks now thats unavoidable. All i would ask of those people is to recognize that people who are still wearing them are likely doing it to protect themselves or an ill relative. So just give them a bit of consideration.

I answered no because I won't wear them in crowded places, but I will probably grab one when I'm going to the doctors' from now on.

Not because of covid necessarily, but because I've caught a cold more than once sitting in a doctor's waiting room for routine blood tests. It makes sense to me to mitigate against the sort of droplet-borne infections that land people at the doc's.

I suppose one good thing to come out of all this, if I must grudgingly admit it, is that immunocompromised people who are at risk from more than just covid will be more able to, or less self-conscious about, wearing high-quality N95-type masks to attend concerts and so on.

As for other people, I couldn't care a jot whether they wear three masks or none. Whatever makes them feel better as long as they're leaving me alone.

We’ve had strict mask mandates for a long time in Ireland in almost all areas- our Covid cases are repeatedly amongst the highest in the world. Do you honestly think if they, ahem, “worked” that would be the case. Any proper peer reviewed study I’ve seen had shown them for what they are- an extremely marginal benefit and that’s if worn 100% and medical standard. Masks are dead and come Monday you’ll see very few bothered wasting their time with them

You're misrepresenting what I said even after I clarified. Is that all you've got, deliberately misreading posts?

But Ireland has consistently had the highest case load in the world- oddly these “lifesavers” have done fcuk all really bar “reassure” a bunch of paranoid hypochondriacs. I’ve no problem with paranoid hypochondriacs continuing to wear them if it makes them feel better but the time for mandating this rubbish onto normal people is well passed. I’d suggest to these people they stay home if they are they that “frightened”.

It really does worry me how many people on this thread seem to think that there's still some sort of deadly virus out there as though it was still early 2020.

Equally worrying are those who are now apparently afraid of previously common illnesses like a winter cold.

As I've said before, if nothing else it demonstrates the massive psychological damage that's been caused by 2 years of constant coverage and analysis in this country.

If only that was as easy to remove as the masks next week.

Oh sure let them at it- so long as any mandates are gone etc I really couldn’t give a hoot if these nutters want to wear ten useless face “masks” 24/7. Come Monday it’s nothing to do with me thankfully

But condoms actually work in almost all cases. Unlike the hocus pocus “feel good” effect of face “masks”. Using this analogy to support face masks doesn’t resonate with me as we’ve seen time and again how useless they are.

Plenty of other countries have (/had) mask mandates on the same level as Ireland. I don't see how our higher cases per capita have anything to do with how well masks work? They're two different statistics. Could you link any of the peer reviewed studies which claims that masks have "an extremely marginal benefit"? From what I can see almost all papers are saying that they have quite the impact.

One I've found; "Nonmedical masks have been effective in reducing transmission of respiratory viruses; and places and time periods where mask usage is required or widespread have shown substantially lower community transmission." DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014564118

I'm sure most reasonable people will tolerate you not wearing a mask, but to claim that they don't work is just plain stupid.

Try reading it again. I'll wear my mask to protect you if you can be arsed to help yourself.

I am happy to do my bit to help others but if you're gonna be a perennial scrounger who coasts along off the back of others, with no consideration for anyone else, then I won't bother my arse putting myself out for you.

Surely ya can understand that if you are convinced along the lines of the oul' chocolate teapot geniii that masks do no good then you're not going to have any problem with that.

So it's a "look at me and how considerate I am" virtue-signalling kind of thing?

Fair enough. Each to their own. I would suggest keeping your "scrounger" thoughts to yourself though as although a bizarre and out of place analogy, it probably would conflict with the idea of being "better" than such people that seems so important.

That pretty much sums up the pro mask cult , yes.

Not at all. I don't expect anyone to wear a mask for me, never have, and don't see any value in them beyond as a visible reminder of the "crisis" and placebo for some.

Your analogy to welfare "scroungers" is completely misplaced as I said

I actually used to work with an ignorant prick who would do that. I'd say he was borderline autistic. The type of fella who would make himself come into the office even if dying, and then would make sure to go around talking to everyone and (it seemed like) make himself cough and splutter more than necessary so that people could see he was coming into the office and working hard even when he was ill!

He was an ignorant dickhead, but yes, he actually used to do that!

If you are telling me that you have only ever met well mannered people who cover their coughs properly then I'd say you're in a 0.01% isolated bubble who hasn't met very many people, or else spoofing. Likely the latter

Anyway, if you're a believer in not wearing masks (I don't know whether you are or not) then why would you want the fella to make the effort to cover his cough? A mask is covering your cough. Why is he an ape, yet a person who won't wear a mask a hero?

So you don't see the the value or the need . That's fine .

But unfortunately some others do see the value and some others do need to wear them,whether it upsets you or not.

Its not your business really . Don't wear one . Do wear one . But please move on..and let others do as they see fit without your judgement .

In fairness, I'm not the one getting upset or angry at randomers for not agreeing with or validating my "civic responsibility" - that would be the good Mr Trump I suggest.

On one hand I don't care what anyone chooses to do, but on the other though I am concerned by attitudes and unwarranted concerns that manifest themselves in attitudes like I've referenced, because they will indirectly still affect me when I meet them.

Such people have been living in "concern" for so long now that it seems they are really going to struggle with returning to a properly normal lifestyle.

I guess it all depends on how afraid one is of covid in the first place and how threatened they feel by being out and about in normal society.

By all means, continue to show your "manners" as you see fit, but part of having good manners is recognising and accepting that not everyone will or needs to share your thoughts on the subject - and that doesn't make them a "scrounger" or you "better" than them either.

Just as you want to feel free to wear your mask without insult or comment, so too are the rest of us free not to and to expect the same consideration.

So you don't understand that there are vulnerable people who are at risk still if they get it ?

My son is vaxxed three times now . He still contracted Omicron. I am bloody glad he didn't get Delta . We hope he will be able to fight off any further infections . His treatment was delayed for a month while he was recovering and he still has to get a fourth vax , as do myself my husband and another son .

Want to ditch masks believe me , but I have to wear them in some situations in case I bring an infection home . I also have to wear them all day at work .

I understand you don't have to wear them and you don't like them ,neither do I . But it's not fair to berate people for their continuing concern, or joke about it .

It is a genuine continuing issue for a good many people. Immunocompromised people cannot control this and an infectious virus that is still at quite high levels in the community is frightening if you are in that situation .

Yes , Omicron is less serious thankfully , and vaccinations have most certainly reduced serious disease but it does require ones body to be able to mount some sort of defence , which these people cannot.

As I said before we really do not care what others do or say now . We will be avoiding crowds and wearing fully protective masks incrowded places, including shops and public transport . We will be looking out for son and family , and that is all. No fear , no hiding , just what we consider sensible precautions for our own particular circumstances.