The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: When the mask order is lifted in the Bay Area, will you still wear a mask when you go out in public?
Talk about it….
Nope. I’m already struggling with claustrophobia and anxiety. The thought of having to wear a mask is sending my BP sky high. So currently I’m not going anywhere where a mask is required.
Same with me in regards to claustrophobia and anxiety. 🙁
Agree as well! I’m good with washing hands and making sure I drink lots of water so if I do inhale a droplet, I wash it down so the acid in my stomach can eat it. Oh and disinfecting my house every other day or two. Patiently waiting for the day I don’t need to wear a mask but I’m sure it won’t happen any time soon!
Funny, since I rarely see people wearing masks unless at stores. I don’t wear mask outdoors either. I also notice how friendly unmasked people are compared to the masked ones. All they do is glare at you as if you are a leper.
POST DELETED
Please Note: Users who use multiple names will be deleted. Please choose one name so others can easily chat with you.
I still smile at people when I wear my mask. Me smiling at everyone is a very old habit, but then I sometimes find myself wondering if they can tell, or if maybe they think I’m glaring at them as if they’re a leper. 😉
That’s your own perception. I’ve found people who wear masks to be friendly during this crisis, people saying hello to strangers or saying have a good day. Maybe it’s a matter of attitude and personality.
You don’t have to wear a mask outside if you are maintaining distance from people you don’t know, and don’t have an agreement to stand close to. Some people opt to wear a mask outside, because it’s easier than taking it off and on, off and on depending on the situation.
Last Friday I was going to my car at Safeway. A guy wearing his mask waited until I was behind him before backing up. I may be a troll, but I am a spry troll, and was able to get out of the way. The look in his eyes said it all- Corona-Mania!
A woman witnessed the event and shouted, “My God, he tried to run you over!”
This crisis is bring out the best, and the worst in people. Be good to one another.
I won’t wear a mask now, why would I after?
And THAT is why the infection count keeps going up, thanks to people like you.
Stay home
@JazzMan
Yes cause age, health and how dirty one can be doesn’t count, only those who don’t wear a mask are infecting others. (inserts emoji that has the hand on the forehead)
Hahaha.
What a guy!! You are dangerous.
The only masked people that glare are at the people that aren’t keeping their distance. It’s annoying waiting in line and the person behind me is practically breathing down my neck. At least now they are required to have a mask on. Outside I see lots of people walking with their masks or they put them on when they get near people.
Social distancing and wearing masks is going to be the way things will be until a vaccine is found for COVID-19. I do hope that people become more conscious of their health and wear masks when they aren’t feeling well. This is something you see common in Asian countries and is why places like South Korea have done so well.
Masks also defeat facial recognition software as well. I don’t like wearing masks so I wear them where required. They aren’t required for walks so I don’t bother.
Pyrrhus – Social distancing is impossible in some Asian overcrowded societies. Over the centuries, they learned to compensate with vastly complex, unwritten rules for behavior that are taught from birth. Everybody naturally feels that they must conform, especially in public. There is a herd mentality where the nonconforming are nearly imperceptibly ostracized. Most noticeable to Americans is exaggerated politeness. For example, the word “no” is considered too harsh in polite conversation and alternate ways of expressing negativity are sought.
Capt Bebops,
Apple is already working on that, LOL…
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/apple-wants-to-make-face-id-work-better-with-your-face-mask-heres-what-we-know-update/
No, but if the pollen is real bad I will.
you got um too? it’s treacherous…. trying not to sneeze in public.
No comment.
Nope. Already I only wear them in stores or if I see a gaggle of folks coming my way while on a walk.
I question if requiring people to wear a mask is even legal.Same with quarantining healthy people. But the courts are closed, and the judges are in hiding
Our media has turned into a giant propaganda machine. When I grew we believed in questioning authority. Now there is virtue in obedience, group think, and following the crowd. Fear works. Emotions override individual rights, and logic. Redefine good Americans as those willing to Surrender their freedom
No, I don’t like it and I think it only encourages people to touch their face without realizing it. For example; when people exit a store they will remove their mask after they have been pushing a shopping cart, then they will put the mask back on at the next store they visit, without realizing the mask has been contaminated by any germs picked up from the shopping cart.
Another example I have witnessed is a grocery clerk constantly adjusting his mask while he was checking groceries, and handling money, all with the same gloved hands. I think most people who are really trying are also ignorant of the proper way to wear a mask, and place themselves at risk.
Health care professionals were taught in school about cross contamination and how to wear and remove a mask and gloves without contaminating anything else, but the general public have no training whatsoever.
I think it was a big mistake to order the public to wear a mask, but then a lot of doctors, especially those in high positions have tunnel vision and cannot think outside the box.
Anyway, that’s my humble opinion.
No, I have a hard time breathing when wearing it!
Probably will for a while….until I get comfortable with others.
That should be the least of our worries. In two months people TRYIED to collect unemployment, many hours cut, all I can truly say at this point, say your prayers because its going to be Hell coming
No. But I will definitely be more aware of sneezing or coughing in public.
I got used to wearing masks working in an industry where the alternative was getting silicosis, and then also throughout several decades of refinishing stuff, so I don’t mind a bit, and yes I sure will.
I really should be ashamed of myself for not fully disclosing something here. I have a respiratory condition that makes me uncomfortable every time I go out of the house, the moment I take my first whiff of smog, diesel exhaust, tobacco smoke, wood smoke, cheap perfumes, the detergent aisle at the store, etc., etc., etc., and I’ve been wanting to go out in my respirator on a regular basis for decades. This really is a perfect excuse, permission as it were, to wear it and breathe good air without looking like a complete weirdo, and I’m LOVING it. I may never look normal again.
Yes . . . need it to mount additional level of protection,
Norton Antivirus CD.
I get the sense that the folks on here will not do anything the government asks them to do simply out of principal. I hope that is not the case. I am not sure I understand the issue with wearing a mask. I too have to wear one for work. It is part of my uniform, just like my hard hat and vest. Sure, it’s not always fun but you get used to it.
Yes principal. That’s exactly it.
@dan – read the question again. It asks if we’d continue wearing a mask after the order to wear one is LIFTED. So those not liking wearing a mask or unable to do so for medical reasons naturally will all say no, they will not keep wearing a mask.
Like me, I have claustrophobia and anxiety and wearing a mask shoots up my BP to unhealthy levels. So I don’t wear a mask and I don’t go to any stores. Only walk in my neighborhood where I can get out of people’s way easily.
My work uniform includes a g-string and a bowtie, but that doesn’t mean I want to wear them to the grocery store.
@chickenlittle – you should be proud of who you are. If your work involves a G String and bow tie, own it. Never be ashamed of your chosen profession.
@dan,
I’m not ashamed of my job in the least. I’m not sure how you got that from the fact that I don’t want to wear my uniform when I’m not working.
I’ll keep wearing them as my wife has COPD and a case of COVID 19 would likely be fatal. But I’m tired of them.
I am pregnant so absolutely will wear a mask. I’m due shortly after the SIP order ends, and if myself or my husband is infected then I would have to deliver alone and risk not seeing my child for several weeks. Not taking any chances!
Kids don’t get it
@ Dan – that is not true. Children get and transmit the disease. They tend to have milder symptoms but they are still carriers. I know of at least one 9 year old that has had it.
Stop spreading misinformation Sam. Kids do get it, some have died.
I probably will. I always wear mask & gloves when I go to a store. I don’t wear one if I’m out walking though. My only problem with the mask is that my glasses fog up 😄. I feel kinda claustrophobic with the mask and the foggy glasses don’t help. Oh well, I do feel safer in the stores while wearing the mask and gloves – foggy glasses are a small trade off.
If you rest your glasses on top of your mask. It stops the fogging of your glasses! Absolutely I will continue to wear my mask, use sanitizer, and stay six feet away! I do not allow people in my car or in my house and I will continue until we control this virus. SCIENCE AND DATA MATTER.
I do what Ilovepopcorn said, but you can also try washing your glasses in a bit of shaving cream and they won’t fog up. That also works with bathroom mirrors.
@Silva~
Thanks for the tip using shaving cream.
You’re very welcome Roz!
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll try it .
“control this virus”
What a hoot!!
I totally agree. I wish this wasnt an election year. We’d be so much better for it.
No, my face is too pretty to hide from public view.
LOL
I don’t wear one now unless I need to go into a store.
I’ll wear one again when it gets smokey this summer.
BTW
I wonder if the Air Quality people can now quarantine us when the air gets bad.
Wouldn’t surprise me.
No. They can not.
As if those people didn’t already have enough ideas of how they can ‘help’ us, you have to go and throw the an idea like that?
Someone delete this post before someone from the Air Quality Control Board sees it.
Hellen No! I grudgingly wear a ‘mask’ when shopping because it is mandatory. That’s the only time. I won’t fly on a plane if they recover it or visit another state that requires it, and am about ready to leave this state if it don’t end the corona-mania!
The mask order is meant to protect others from YOU, not the other way around. Most of the masks that people are wearing do little to protect them from others. The kind that offer personal protection are very uncomfortable to wear.
No, I won’t be wearing a mask if I am not ordered to. If I am feeling ill, I will stay home.
@Bad –
I agree, the mask is to protect others, not you. The problem is that many of those with this disease are asymptomatic, silently spreading the disease. Not wearing a mask is a selfish act.
You seem to forget about all the politicos whose only goal is to keep the president from being reelected and will distort the news, twist people’s words, and outright lie to achieve that end.
No. . It is common sense, just like when we are in flu season, this is corona flu season. Wash your hands, stay home if you are sick, cover your sneeze and cough. And for those of you who are going to say, “I hope I don’t run into you in the grocery store “ , you already have and you are fine ! Look at the numbers , they don’t add up. Google Dr. Dan Erickson and watch his press conference , he is spot on as to what is happening! And of course they are trying to hush him, because he is calling out this BS!
Never thought I would see the day that I had to wear a mask to get into my bank…
… and if you’re not wearing glasses, sunglasses might be in order. My bank wouldn’t allow sunglasses for a while there, but to protect the eyes from a virus … 😎
And a hoodie to protect the scalp…
Got the virus as did my husband on March 25th, so so sick, we did think we might die, I think I’ll wear a mask for a very long time. Worse sickness ever, horrid. Just now getting some energy back!
I’m so sorry to hear that Babs. My wife and I are considered high risk. My daughter has been considered an essential worker, and her boss got the Wuhan virus. Her boss said that was the sickest she’s ever been, but she is back at work, and we feel like we dodged a bullet. We will be wearing a mask and practicing social distancing for the foreseeable future.
Babs, glad your on the road to recovery.
Babs~
Thank God you & your husband are recovering
Wow I am so sorry both of you have this virus. I hope the morons who think it is wrong to wear masks and take other precautions will let this reality sink in. We all have a moral responsibility to shield ourselves from others so we do not infect each other. DUH. It is unbelievable see how selfish some of the people here refuse to wear a mask because of political reasons. The killer virus does not care if you are a Republican or Democrat! Actually it is very UNPATRIOTIC of you not to comply. Sick of the ignorance and self righteous attitudes.
No…
Not unless it is mandated by the place I intend on visiting.
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Electronic toll only.
I’ve always thought of masks as big, itchy placebo pills for your face.
This recent study agrees….
“Neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered SARS–CoV-2 during coughs by infected patients,” the researchers write in their study paper” says recent study”
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/new-study-questions-the-effectiveness-of-masks-against-sars-cov-2#More-virus-on-outer-mask-surfaces
Surgical masks are what most medical professionals are wearing if they are not working with virus patients. So ….
When you talk Science, Logic and Reason you lose 90% of your audience these days. But I agree with your point. Ever get the feeling that this is all one, big scientific experiment on the citizens of this world, with Sweden as the control and China the disease?
Mine does. It’s a 3M half facepiece respirator with P100 filters.
@chuckie Absolutely, this seems like a big social experiment. The Stanford Prison Experiment comes to mind. The amount of unquestioned conformity is astounding.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen people alone in their cars, driving with a mask. Why?
Why are people alone in their cars, driving with a mask? They’e probably going somewhere a mask is required and don’t want to fuss with it in the parking lot. As someone also pointed out if you take the mask off and put it on again between stops you’re probably going to transfer microbes around in the process. When I leave the house to go to the store(S) and the bank or the Post Office or whatever the mask goes on before I walk out my door and doesn’t come off till I’m home and I’ve washed my hands.
If that’s the way you want to live, knock yourself out. To me, that’s not living.
I am choosing to wear a mask not to protect myself but to protect you and my fellow citizens. It is an act of selflessness, not selfishness. Wearing a mask will not change the way that I vote. I do not see Trump winning or loosing an election based on a mask wearing policy. I give my fellow voters much more credit than that.
No, but I will continue social distancing.
I am choosing to not wear a mask to protect your freedom and to preserve my independence from an illogical, fraudulent concept that a novel (new) mystery virus is on pace to kill us all. It’s not a selfish act to put myself in potential social conflict for you. It’s necessary for people to understand irrational fear is your enemy. You can wear a mask if you want, it’s called freedom.
It’s staying off unless a new SIP is emplaced. So nope for me. Hate wearing ’em but the virus is so nasty. Really feel for the people who suffered and died and those who survived.
I heard that the Giant Asian Hornets only go after people with masks on. I’m sure there’s some entomology experts on here along with all the other experts and mathematicians.
If only that were true!
Welcome to the new world of paranoid, hypochondria, schizophrenia anxiety fear syndrome
Hugs to all..
I think this whole thing is overblown & exaggerated, everyone is overreacting.
I will use common sense & wear the damn masks only where required… but if I catch the virus I will get treatment and recover and carry on with dignity.
Refuse to cower & hide at home… we need to rescue our economy, our livelihood, our country.
Most of us are willing to take the risk to preserve America!
Healthy, able bodied workers should return to work NOW.
Easy for me to say, since I’m an essential worker, I never stopped.
No you have it exactly backwards. It is your attitude that makes us all very anxious and paranoid. Please do not hug anyone. Masks are important. We all owe it to each other to follow the mandates. Too bad you think it is a conspiracy created by the evil government.
2 words..Murder Hornets
“No you have it exactly backwards.”
That’s an opinion, and should be presented as such.
Regardless of “lifting” decisions, I had already decided to wear my mask until my county of residence can honestly report having 0 new cases of Covid-19 for 14-21 days.
The historical statistics of pandemic secondary and tertiary explosions are quite real.
And should I be one of those who carries the virus while being myself unsymptomatic, I DEFINITELY would not want to expose other people.
Also, I wipe down first my own gloves and also my grocery cart handle when I enter the store.
And I smile at others so widely that the good will shows in the sparkle of my eyes and in the deep crow’s feet around them. It costs me NOTHING to wish a friendly “Hey!”, “Good morning!”, or “Happy Day!” when I approach someone, and MOST respond in kind…. sometimes adding “Be safe!” or “Stay well”!
Please think about your own behavior and about the reasons behind it. If you are trying to make the pandemic into something political, then you are despicable. Period.
Great post. I totally agree. It’s sad to see how selfish the east bay has become. It used to be about community, now its about selfish and childish motives.
Characterizing this pandemic as something more serious than the data are showing is despicable.
Maybe when you have had some family dead then you will understand. Or maybe not. That’s the data I understand. Your spinning data with politics is what’s despicable.
Great post Antler. If I could have improved on it I might describe how you die as well. In agony, suffocating on your own infected lung fluid and you’ll do it absolutely and entirely alone. Hard pass says I. 😎
This bunch needs to be welded in their homes. I think you can still fly out to china. Us normal people will go on living life knowing everyday we wake up is a blessing and could be our last. None of you have ever lived in the hood obviously. Sheltered and helpless
@sam – how is wearing a mask about freedom? As a commentator pointed out earlier, the questions is whether you would wear one after the mandate is lifted. If nobody is making you, it becomes a question of civility. Are you part of a society and do you wish to support the well being of the society? I don’t understand the down side.
There is no “mandate” there is no “order”. If you choose to take unelected department of health personal strong recommendations, that’s your choice. I will not be dominated by unelected, or unconstitutional civil servants irrational fear pushing. You should just be happy they didn’t “order” you to walk off a cliff.
While I believe this whole thing was overblown, I will continue to wear a mask for a bit based on my own decision as to the risk/reward of wearing/not wearing one….NOT because anyone “ordered” me to. The nanny state disgusts me…the virus and preventive measures one can take is well known and whether to follow it or not should be based on personal choice. Get businesses back to business.
And people who don’t care about others “disgusts” me. Is it really so hard to try to get this pandemic over? Are you so full of yourself that you can’t put on a simple mask to try to stop the disease? It’s not your personal choice when you choose to infect me.
Potato, just stay home!
Stay home
@sam – so if the government required you to drive on the right side of the road, would you do it or refuse? At some point, you have to accept that you are part of a larger society and there are rules in place to support order. It cannot be all about you. The trick, has and always be to balance personal freedom with the needs of society. I get that it is totally demoralizing and uncomfortable to have to wear a mask. We are have all been hurt by the economy being upended and in the end, we want our lives to go back to normal. Keep in mind that you cannot have a healthy economy without a healthy population and you cannot have a healthy population without having a healthy economy. Too often, people are treating them as mutually exclusive when in fact they are really joined at the hip.
Will you return to shaking hands after coronavirus?
You make a decent argument and I agree in principle. However, attempting to characterize people who stand up for their rights and freedoms as selfish, extreme, irresponsible, hateful, irrational or lawless is psychological conditioning that I won’t allow to go unchecked. Like I said wear a mask if you want. Just don’t attack or disparage individuals who have concerns about the slippery slope everyone seems to have dove off without thinking. Remember words matter.