I still wear a mask when going out to stores because I'm immunocompromised due to a kidney transplant. It's ultimately up to me to protect myself from others but what bothers me most lately are people who either laugh or think I'm stupid for still wearing a mask. Some even go as far as to call me out and shame me for it. Can people just mind their own business? I'm not trying to get them to wear a mask so why are they so fixated on me taking mine off?

I want to share my experience as a disabled person, because I think it's very easy to simply not notice our non-existance:

I don't exist anymore. I'm a hermit. It's been years since I've done anything in public. I go to the rheumatologist, I go to a lab to get blood tests, and once a year I get an x-ray to make sure I don't have TB. I don't do anything else. There's about a two week period where being outside isn't some unbearably high or low temperature that exacerbates my condition.

Please care about covid. Just, please. Do it for people like me if that helps you, but mostly do it for yourself. This virus can make you like me and it's miserable (I was sick before Covid, but Covid is known to trigger autoimmune conditions which are the primary cause of my suffering).

But fuck it, let's all just return to the office anyways. Amirite? SMH

Our track record dealing with covid shows us that our approach was largely unsuccessful. Masking must be enforced, not suggested. This is the only effective solution.

The lesson I'm learning is that we should have worn masks during "flu season" all along. In crowded and poorly ventilated spaces at least. It's a cheap and easy measure and I don't know what the BFD is with masks.

I didn't know lemmy was full of anti maskers. Wear a mask ffs. You should have kn95s or n95s. They work and prevent all sorts of illness. Even a regular mask works better than nothing. They did plenty of studies.

covid or no covid, its not the worse thing to wear masks and stay safe!

Wear a Mask. Get vaccinated. Stop spreading misinformation

Since the anti-mask/vax comments seem to be flooding in, figured I'd make my opinion known too... as obnoxiously as I can, because apparently that's how it's done

it’s interesting to see how common it is for people in NYC to still wear them sometimes, especially when on the subway (the air is shitty, so it makes sense).

I doubt it will be much of a problem here, except for those who always refused. yeah, it sucks, but it’s a lot better than getting sick— or dying.

Zero chance anyone does this

scientists warn

Fucking nothing will be done, then.

Wait, you all weren't wearing masks still?

Give a shit about your fellow humans and yourself.

There was a moment in my life where I was optimistic about masks. I pictured a cyberpunk future we didn't get sick as much and had a cool new fashion accessory we could have fun with. It is wild how capitlaism couldn't even resist the power of covid

This post made me realize how completely ignorant to covid I’ve become lately… I had to check the date to see if it was current or years old.

Love being immunocompromised knowing I am just meat for the capitalist grinder

I got a bunch of KN95 masks and P100 filters half off at a value store recently, its so cool being the only person not getting covid every 6 months

spoiler

Unless the strain is killing a sizable amount of people getting it it'll be hard to get people to wear masks en masse again.

BuT wHaT aBoUt the ecoNoMy??!!

I mean, we didn't handle any of this well the first time. That goes for most places on the planet. I'm sure we won't handle it well if it really does go south again.

I keep wearing N95s. Haven't gotten COVID yet and not feeling like playing the Long COVID roulette. I don't work 9-5 in an office so I don't even have to wear a mask for very long periods of time. Buses, stores require it, but there's plenty to do outside anyway. Patios are fine. Need to take a leak? Put the mask on. No one from my circle has caught it yet. Honestly this protocol isn't that bad.

Haven't left my house without wearing a mask ever since the ride started. Also never caught the virus. At the rate we're going, I'm going to wear them for the rest of my life. I don't mind.

Cloth masks were always supposed to be a stopgap measure until vaccines or increased N95 production was available.

People will not mask up again, and quite frankly, shouldn't have to, especially if they're not going to use ones that are actually effective.

The pharma companies jacked up the price of the vaccines knowing future waves were coming and yearly boosters would be necessary.

My point is: whether you think people should mask up again or not, it's just not going to happen, but the actual paths forward, either mandatory vaccinations or at least cheap and readily accessed shots for the willing won't happen either without government intervention.