New Mask Exemption Regime

[Olive]

[Removed:Rule 2H]  Fortunately more and more people seem to be leaving them off.  I haven't worn one in weeks, despite having been to Countdown, KMart, Farmers and several other such places in that time.  All of the staff I've dealt with have been pleasant and friendly (and more than one pulled their mask down below their nose, knowing that I'm not going to mind or dob them in).  I still get a few glares from the Magoo types, but I just ignore them or give them a smile.  I've only ever had one person approach me and go off at me, and I just laughed at them and went back to minding my own businesses.  [Removed:Rule 2G] 

You seem to have fallen massively for disinformation.  Your behaviour is selfish and stupid, putting not only yourself but others at risk.

[Lilith7]

Even if they're 'only about 1% effective', that is still clearly rather better than nothing whatever.
There's no way to tell if the people you walk past or mingle with are more at risk than others; & most of us can understand that mask wearing is as much about protecting others as it is about protecting ourselves.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond...t-20485449

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/what-you-need...ed-to-know

[Praktica]

  If you're still obediently wearing a mask,

This nicely discloses what you are!

[king1]

Slightly more reliable information about mask use



https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm

[Oh_hunnihunni]

And that is why I wear mine. And wash them. Every single time...

[Lilith7]

And that is why I wear mine. And wash them. Every single time...

 I suspect its just someone from over the way again, wanting to stir. Again.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Dick on?

[Lilith7]

Dick on?

Oh, definitely the former name, not sure as to the rest...

[nzoomed]

Ive started casually not wearing my mask anymore after the elastic broke and no one has ever said anything to me in the shops.
Im kinda over wearing the stupid stuffy things anyway and since ive now ive recently had covid, dont see what point there is me wearing them anymore TBH, i guess i could get an exemption to "legally" get away with no mask, as i do have asthma and is a legal ground for exemption.
Anyway, I am starting to see less people wear them now, so i guess many have the same attitude.

covid has done the rounds at my work, roughly half the staff in most departments got it. i know of several who had it, and now have it again, less than a month later. its not like some illnesses where once you have had it, thats it, you cant get it again.

My doctor said to me I won't catch it again until a new variant emerges.
He also said that my immunity recieved will make future variant symptoms less severe than what I've had. While it's possible that a more serious variant could emerge, it's quite unlikely.
So far, it appears that omicron immunity will protect you from the likes of XE and other similar submarines, which is a good thing.
I've decided to get an exemption in the meantime and won't be wearing a mask again unless we see another more serious covid strain emerge. 
Sorry if I sound harsh, but I'm just over all this and want everything to get back to normality.
There are several businesses ive been to, mostly places that supply goods to tradesman and none of their Staff or customers were wearing any.

[Olive]

...
Sorry if I sound harsh, but I'm just over all this and want everything to get back to normality.
...

You don't sound harsh, you sound massively ignorant and out of touch. The old normality has gone forever, everything is changing and we all need to adapt our behaviour for the common good.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I agree. There is no going back to the old ways now. Climate change is promoting virus transmission, if it isn't covid, it will be another zoonotic disease, especially as the permafrost melts and we see ancient life forms emerge again. As a species we are not evolved to deal with these kinds of existential threats, it is going to take some fast adaptation to survive the coming decades. Not just in medicine, but in agriculture, technology, and socially.

Going to be interesting times ahead.

[Lilith7]

I agree. There is no going back to the old ways now. Climate change is promoting virus transmission, if it isn't covid, it will be another zoonotic disease, especially as the permafrost melts and we see ancient life forms emerge again. As a species we are not evolved to deal with these kinds of existential threats, it is going to take some fast adaptation to survive the coming decades. Not just in medicine, but in agriculture, technology, and socially.

Going to be interesting times ahead.

As in the ancient Chinese curse - "may you live in interesting times."

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Sometimes change creeps in slowly, and at other times we make a giant leap.

Usually because we are pushed.

[Lilith7]

Sometimes change creeps in slowly, and at other times we make a giant leap.

Usually because we are pushed.

  I'm  currently reading a sci fi book, Hold back the stars, about a future in which they have  a' couples rule', meaning that no permanent partnerships are allowed until 35 when people can marry & have children.
While there's quite a bit of sense in that, I'm not so sure about it being enforced & think education on the subject is a better move.

Humans don't much like rules if they feel they're wrong & as we've recently seen, not all of us always agree on what's right or wrong. The misinformation which now reaches us all very swiftly via the net can do large amounts of damage. Perhaps what's needed is education & information about misinformation.

[nzoomed]

...
Sorry if I sound harsh, but I'm just over all this and want everything to get back to normality.
...

You don't sound harsh, you sound massively ignorant and out of touch.  The old normality has gone forever, everything is changing and we all need to adapt our behaviour for the common good.

Well I personally dont see masks being the new normal for the rest of our lives. I woudnt be surprised if mask mandates are dropped here soon.
I have a friend in the USA and says no one wears them at all in their area in new mexico. I believe Australia has already dropped mask mandates too.

Anyway, it looks like case numbers are levelling off at long last, will be very interesting if I catch another covid strain this year or not, but at least after catching omicron  I no longer have any anxiety over this virus anymore.

[Magoo]

You don't sound harsh, you sound massively ignorant and out of touch.  The old normality has gone forever, everything is changing and we all need to adapt our behaviour for the common good.

Well I personally dont see masks being the new normal for the rest of our lives. I woudnt be surprised if mask mandates are dropped here soon.
I have a friend in the USA and says no one wears them at all in their area in new mexico. I believe Australia has already dropped mask mandates too.

Anyway, it looks like case numbers are levelling off at long last, will be very interesting if I catch another covid strain this year or not, but at least after catching omicron  I no longer have any anxiety over this virus anymore.

the mask mandates are a joke at this point.
was at countdown earlier today, maybe half the customers were unmasked.
warehouse the same. crackerjacks worse.
its over. the anti-everything fuckwits have won. 
i was hoping to travel to usa soon. looks like i might have to go full hermit.
fuck i hate people.

[nzoomed]

Well I personally dont see masks being the new normal for the rest of our lives. I woudnt be surprised if mask mandates are dropped here soon.
I have a friend in the USA and says no one wears them at all in their area in new mexico. I believe Australia has already dropped mask mandates too.

Anyway, it looks like case numbers are levelling off at long last, will be very interesting if I catch another covid strain this year or not, but at least after catching omicron  I no longer have any anxiety over this virus anymore.

the mask mandates are a joke at this point.
was at countdown earlier today, maybe half the customers were unmasked.
warehouse the same. crackerjacks worse.
its over. the anti-everything fuckwits have won. 
i was hoping to travel to usa soon. looks like i might have to go full hermit.
fuck i hate people.

I just cant wait until I can travel and see the world, I have not been much further than Australia.
Attitudes towards mask use are very mixed to say the least, and some demographics surprise me. I do house calls including people in rest homes/retirement villages and am required to wear a mask inside, along with taking a RAT test, but to my surprise one old lady told me to "take the stupid thing off" when i saw her in her room! lol
But there are others at the other end of the spectrum who will put on their mask when I visit them.

I would say about 3-5% of people in big shops such as supermarkets in our area are not wearing masks. Places such as mitre10 that are much larger seem to have lower rates of mask use than supermarkets, but in all cases I see many with their "nose" exposed, including staff members lol
Cant say I blame them, wearing one of those for a whole day is terrible, its bad enough on a plane for 2 hours.

[Magoo]

yes, wearing it all day is hard.
really hard.
which is why i hate those who cant do it for 15 minutes in the supermarket.
weaklings and crybabies imo
probly the same needle shy scaredy cat morons that wouldnt get vaxxed either.
society would be better off without these scumbags.

---

dken
I still get a few glares from the Magoo types, but I just ignore them or give them a smile.

i dont do glares, im far more succinct.
that guy that called you a feeble fat fuck in the frozens aisle at Fraser Cove Countdown, that was me.
that guy that shouted at you to get the fuck away from me you diseased maggot at the welcome bay fish and chip shop
Friday nite, then made you wait outside until he left, me again.
that guy who told you to wear a mask cos youre an ugly fuck at the bethlehem bin inn this weekend. yours truly.

youll know when you come across magoo sir
put your mask on skidmark.

[nzoomed]

yes, wearing it all day is hard.
really hard.
which is why i hate those who cant do it for 15 minutes in the supermarket.
weaklings and crybabies imo
probly the same needle shy scaredy cat morons that wouldnt get vaxxed either.
society would be better off without these scumbags.

---

dken
I still get a few glares from the Magoo types, but I just ignore them or give them a smile.

i dont do glares, im far more succinct.
that guy that called you a feeble fat fuck in the frozens aisle at Fraser Cove Countdown, that was me.
that guy that shouted at you to get the fuck away from me you diseased maggot at the welcome bay fish and chip shop
Friday nite, then made you wait outside until he left, me again.
that guy who told you to wear a mask cos youre an ugly fuck at the bethlehem bin inn this weekend. yours truly.

youll know when you come across magoo sir
put your mask on skidmark.

I wouldnt go as far to say they are scumbags, in fact I feel most people not wearing them are typically exempt.
Over time I would expect the rates of compliance to drop however.
I do work for one company that was initially extremely strict with mask use, but now they are wearing them less frequently and will only wear them if a customer enters the store wearing a mask, once the customer exits, they all cant wait to remove them lol

[dken31]

i dont do glares, im far more succinct.
that guy that called you a feeble fat fuck in the frozens aisle at Fraser Cove Countdown, that was me.
that guy that shouted at you to get the fuck away from me you diseased maggot at the welcome bay fish and chip shop
Friday nite, then made you wait outside until he left, me again.
that guy who told you to wear a mask cos youre an ugly fuck at the bethlehem bin inn this weekend. yours truly.

youll know when you come across magoo sir
put your mask on skidmark.

Sorry mate, I was brought up with the old "stick and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me", so you can wear your potty-mouthed degeneracy on your sleeve all you like and it's water off a ducks back. Verbal aggression like yours would probably get an actual laugh rather than just a smile, but otherwise I don't bother engaging which tends to make the small minded angry tirade fall somewhat flat. As for the "made you wait outside...", I wouldn't leave a shop because another customer told me to, so we obviously haven't crossed paths yet.