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Originally Posted by nffc
All fair points but let's not forget that the primary clinical function of mask wearing (if this is true) is to catch virus coming out of the mask wearer and not to actually protect them from others (though this effect may be there to a lesser degree).
Of course, this does work best if people who continue to do this have good masks and use them properly i.e. disposable masks being single use (throw it away when you take it off) and work around the nose and mouth. Not wearing them outdoors especially when it's raining because a wet mask doesn't work... All things which you see people who are still wearing masks doing.
Respiratory viruses and CEV people existed before covid and before we started wearing masks. For the relatively small amount of people in this category, it's not really reasonable to suggest generally wearing one, even though this means that you don't know that the person sat next to you at the theatre or in the queue behind you for the checkout isn't CEV, and that you can't really take precautions for them.
It'd be interesting to see why those who are still wearing masks (in general, such as in shops, in the street, sat at bus stops, as opposed to those in healthcare settings or protecting CEV people who they are actively caring for) are still doing so, I would guess a fair amount of them probably think that it stops them from getting covid, or that they are still scared to go out without one because of the government messaging in the past, or something along those lines. Because if you think about it, aside from the possibility of asymptomatic infection, there isn't really a great deal of point in people who are not ill wearing anything to protect them from spreading a virus, and even then thinking that a piece of cloth as opposed to a KN95 or FFP2 mask would have any discernible effect at all, or at very most a minor one. And really, the best advice to those people is to stay home until you're better. Even if they have a cold and not covid for example, that is still unpleasant for most people and might be severe for those with other conditions.
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You are incorrect. Use of N95/FFP2 masks significantly reduces the risk of infection to the mask wearer - see:
https://www.mpg.de/17916867/coronavi...isk-protection. You are conflating the (incorrect) choice of mask type with the purpose of wearing one.
If you want to mitigate the risk of catching Covid while infections levels are still high then wear a mask but wear the right type. It is a personal choice after all. I personally do not wear one when out unless I visit higher risk locations but I have no problem with others wearing one.
I suppose there are weirdos out there who get kicks for insulting people which may choose to wear one but I'd hope most of us are more tolerant.