Yes.

[joecardillo@federate.social]

@Paulatics Our household wears masks in public spaces because we understand public health, as you said, is a community effort...and it doesn't hurt to reduce the personal impact of COVID, flu, norovirus, etc. as well

[david_crispin@mstdn.ca]

@Paulatics I applaud you for continuing to mask. But I just wanted to make you aware though of something that you mention in your article. The virus may not seem as serious as it once was, but its still just as dangerous as the original if not worse. Most people can be asystematic, infected and not know it. The virus has learned to evade our immune systems, so won't show any symptoms, but can still spread and make people sick. Not to mention the sequela long after, aka long covid. Thanks again

[buffyleigh@mas.to]

@Paulatics This is great, thank you for writing it. I also really appreciate seeing your photos with you still wearing a mask.

[davidm_yeg@mstdn.ca]

@Paulatics

“So, if the sight of me, in my mask, makes you angry or uncomfortable? Perhaps, instead of making fun of me, you should ask yourself why.”

Exactly, if my mask makes you angry or uncomfortable, if you take issue with my protection, then maybe - as the kids say - that’s not an ish-me or an ish-we, but an ish-you

[j_sonearmyonce@mstdn.ca]

@Paulatics, thank you for sharing your experience! I also find myself being the lone masker whenever I need to go out. I only go out to the office a few times a week and to places like the supermarket. I see that you are not on BlueSky. Do you mind if I share a link to your article on that platform? I think that many would be interested, on there. If not, I won't share it.

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@J_sonearmyonce I’d be pleased and honoured if you shared it there. Thank you.

[allenstenhaus@beige.party]

@Paulatics I wore one in a medical facility today. It's the first facility I've been in since 2019 that didn't offer masks at the door.

Nobody else had one. IN A MEDICAL FACILITY.

It doesn't matter how confident I am that I am factually correct about masking. I still feel like a crazy person being the only one.

[lastrobot@writing.exchange]

@Paulatics comments encountered this holiday season due to mask wearing:
- non-masked person: I better sit next to you and give you what I've got "cough cough"
- family member: why are you still wearing that
- family member: surely you can take it off and have a plate of food?
- family member: don't worry about wearing your mask, I'm very careful. I only take it off when I'm eating with others.
- family member: sure, just sit 6ft away. This room is big.

[seanbala@mas.to]

@Paulatics "Like a modern-day memento mori, my masked face reminds people of horrors they’d rather deny. But no matter how hard we wish it away, we’re still dealing with an infectious disease that can make some people quite sick, even though the latest mutations and variants are less dangerous than the original virus." - great quote!

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@seanbala Thank you!

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@lastrobot I know. The abuse from strangers, online and in person, is upsetting. The teasing and well-meaning “advice” from family and friends is far more exasperating.

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@allenstenhaus I know. I feel constantly gaslit!

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@buffyleigh Thank you.

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@joecardillo Exactly. I suspect I will be masking on planes for a long long time - not just because of Covid, but because getting a cold every month was no fun at all.

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@jrhawley Thank you, too.

[josuetorres@mastodon.social]

@Paulatics why would it make me angry or uncomfortable if you wear a mask?

[erin@mstdn.ca]

@Paulatics Happy 5 years covid-free! I’m feeling quite accomplished to make it this long without getting it.

We went from lock downs to not giving a shit about Covid in like a year. It’s weird how we don’t care for our prolonged health outcomes. We are so short-term focused. I see more masking in the fall & winter, but in the summer it’s maybe one other in a store with me.

#Covid #Covid19 #CovidIsNotOver

[failedlyndonlarouchite@mas.to]

@erin @Paulatics

nitpicking nerds of mastodon say:

since many cases of covid are asymptomatic, the only way you can tell if you have never had it is weekly PCR tests, or else a test that looks for antibodies in your blood

yrs

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@failedLyndonLaRouchite @erin Ok, you got me there. But perhaps at least I could say that my combo of masking and getting vaccinated has kept my viral load so low that I have neither felt symptoms nor infected any of my friends, family or colleagues?

[paulatics@mstdn.ca]

@josuetorres Indeed. That is the question.