# Why not wear masks forever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 8, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019 "2020-11-08T00:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/82 "2020-11-15T02:35:31Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I really urge everyone with “fogged glasses from masks” to give it a try. Pull the mask up higher and snugger. Add a bit of metal wire or a thin metal sheet (I’ve seen them for sale) to the nose-cover of fabric masks that leak. USE that piece of metal to fold the mask to the shape of your face. Good advice. I have some trouble with my glasses fogging and can mitigate it some by adjusting mask and metal wire. What I’d really like is to get one of these [“Fix The Mask” rubber strap braces](https://fixthemask.medium.com/latest-testing-data-8a59dbb926a3) that was developed by some Apple engineer or something. There’s schematics and videos showing how to cut your own from sheet rubber but for me that would be a big pain. I’ve looked around but can’t find anyone who is manufacturing and selling these which really surprises me. Does anyone have any experience with the “Fix The Mask” rubber strap brace? Anyone know if I can buy one somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/83 "2020-11-15T02:40:01Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > The black specks, apparently, were suspended particulates of air pollution. If air pollution causes disease or aggravates conditions (like asthma), filtering some of those specks out by wearing a mask would seem likely to help. > > And yes, where I live (USA) I never see black specks when I blow my nose. That’s why my fellow traveler pointed it out. > > Or am I not understanding your questions correctly? I could have speculated and came up with something similar but if I did I might have been very wrong. To avoid misunderstandings I think it’s more useful if you included that information in your original post. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/84 "2020-11-15T02:47:34Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I could have speculated and came up with something similar but to avoid misunderstandings I think it’s more useful if you included that information in your original post. I thought it would “title” the map without having to click on it, like it always seems to do if I post a youtube video but I guess I didn’t think to verify. Live and learn. Lucky I remembered to post the source? ---
**Author:** ![Enjoy\_Slurm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enjoy_slurm/32/3937_2.png) [@Enjoy\_Slurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enjoy_Slurm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/85 "2020-11-15T02:52:41Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > The problem is that mask-wearing only by the ill, stigmatizes anyone who wears a mask. You are right and quite correct to be so very very concerned for the ailing. Which is why I am quite sure that you would emphatically agree that it would be best for no one to wear a mask, ever. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/86 "2020-11-15T02:54:02Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Even if I sealed the top of the mask, lots of breath escapes in other directions – this will always happen with any of the cloth or paper masks that people are wearing. > > I think the point of non-respirator masks is to stop the breath from going very far, and to reduce the viral load if you are exposed. This is why I’m very interested in the “Fix The Mask” braces I mention in my previous post Quoted from Me: > What I’d really like is to get one of these [“Fix The Mask” rubber strap braces](https://fixthemask.medium.com/latest-testing-data-8a59dbb926a3) that was developed by some Apple engineer or something. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/87 "2020-11-15T03:07:57Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I believe you are confused about the difference between a small business and a job. A job provides sick time when you own a small business a lot of the time there is just a single revenue generating person and everyone else works to support them. I worked the day of my shoulder replacement and I was back at work the next morning. If I didn’t earn money I wouldn’t have any and I would have had to lay off my secretary. But then what do you intend to do if you ever _really_ get sick (you know–something worse than recovering from major heart surgery)? Have you made allowances for this possibility? That may sound a bit snarky but I really am wondering if you thought about that before you took the job/started the business. What about your doctor telling you specifically not to go back to work so early–do you have any use for the directions from professionals? What would be “sick enough” for you that you’d listen to the doctor and not go in to work? A coma maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/88 "2020-11-15T03:37:42Z")
If I go into a coma or am unable to work for more than 3 months we’ll lose our house and my daughters will have to leave school. I’ve been working my consulting company for almost 7 years now to save up enough to get that three month cushion. Just two years ago my first attempt at expansion failed if I’d gotten sick then we would have lost our place to live in about two weeks. Back when I started consulting we lost everything two years later and we were on food stamps and WIC. Back when I started I didn’t think about risk I was in my late 20s and was offered an opportunity to earn almost $400k/year as we’ve ridden this rollercoaster figuring out how to create stability has become a primary focus. That was the reason for the first expansion to figure out how to keep working coming more consistently but what I discovered was that now when I didn’t work it didn’t just effect me and my family it effected my employees and their families and I had an employee lose their house. Now I’m bringing in work, and supervising while taking a little off the top while my employees don’t get paid if they don’t work so I could disappear until these projects ended and there was nothing to replace them before we’d all be screwed. As far as my doctors telling me not to go back to work, there is no chance I’d listen short of not being able to think or type. The stress of losing everything would worse maybe in another 5 years if we can stay lucky I’d be able to have the savings or work force that could carry me. All of this is why, as a conservative (but can’t say republican), I support UBI and universal health care. I think it will stimulate growth of small business by people who don’t have the risk tolerance that my wife and I do. That will enable a lot of economic growth. Without a safety net people stay in terrible corporate jobs that are stable rather than inventing the next great widget or at least making more money. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/89 "2020-11-15T03:58:52Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > All of this is why, as a conservative (but can’t say republican), I support UBI and universal health care. I think it will stimulate growth of small business by people who don’t have the risk tolerance that my wife and I do. That will enable a lot of economic growth. Without a safety net people stay in terrible corporate jobs that are stable rather than inventing the next great widget or at least making more money. I’ve long figured that conservative/pro-business types could/should support government-centered universal heath care\*\* because it would allow for all kinds of economic excitement and churn as people became free to leave dead-end jobs for better opportunities. But there don’t seem to be that many takers. And not for UBI either. \*\*or some kind of portable insurance/coverage available to everyone at a good price (w/subsidies for the poor) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/90 "2020-11-15T04:06:33Z")
It also makes it less risky for a small business to hire an older employee. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/91 "2020-11-15T05:26:31Z")
FWIW North Dakota has finally bowed to reality. We can never know for sure how many but without a doubt people died because they refused to do this for as long as they did. > **[North Dakota governor announces statewide mask mandate as coronavirus cases...](https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-dakota-governor-announces-statewide-mask-mandate-as-coronavirus-cases-surge)** > > North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum announced a mask mandate for the state Friday evening, as confirmed coronavirus cases rose to record levels. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/92 "2020-11-15T08:22:00Z")
I’m rather fortunate in that I can go on short term disability for 180 days if I’m unable to work for two consecutive weeks due to illness or injury. It’s only 60% of my pay but I should be able to keep the lights on for a few months. After 180 days I’ll either have to go to work or go on long term disability. I can be on LTD for up to three years but it would be termination from my place of employment. I don’t see myself wearing a mask out in public for the rest of my life. Don’t get me wrong, while I’d rather not wear one I don’t mind wearing it during a pandemic. I never really believed it would keep me safe, but doing so would protect others I come across and help slow down the rate of infection so healthcare workers weren’t overwhelmed. I assumed at some point I’d get Covid but either it hasn’t happened yet or it happened and I didn’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/93 "2020-11-15T13:37:20Z")
I think what you do is a major factor, too. If I worked in an office, wearing a mask back and forth wouldn’t be a big deal. But I’m a teacher. If I had a class full of kids, I’d positively hate to be talking through a mask all day every day–and I’d hate for them to have their faces covered. That’s some pretty serious discomfort and loss of function. My principal was pushing for mask + face shields for a while, and it had to be pointed out that he was rarely wearing that getup for more than an hour, but he was asking students and teachers to stay in it for 8 hours straight. It’s a very different thing. As far as “if you are sick, stay home”, what should people with allergies do? You really can’t tell hay fever apart from the first day or two of a cold. It’s just not practical to have everyone stay home (or up and leave work and go home) every time they have a little ache in their throat, a little drainage in their nose. But they could reach in their desk and grab a mask. In a couple days, you know if that’s really a cold or not. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/94 "2020-11-15T17:11:16Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > But I’m a teacher. If I had a class full of kids, I’d positively hate to be talking through a mask all day every day–and I’d hate for them to have their faces covered. That’s some pretty serious discomfort and loss of function. I’m supposed to start a jury trial next month, jurors, witnesses, and attorneys in masks. And far away from each other. It’s going to suck. I’ll do it, and hope for the best, but it’s going to impact advocacy and comfort for sure. It’s better than pushing all trials out 12 months or more, but not by much. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/95 "2020-11-15T17:16:49Z")
Wearing a mask for a long time is a lot more comfortable if you are sitting quietly and breathing through your nose than if you are talking or exercising hard. I spent most of a week sitting by my mother’s side in various hospital rooms. I spoke from time to time, but not for extended periods. I didn’t have to work hard physically. It was fine. I can see it being a concern for a teacher or a laborer, but I think it should be fine as a juror. Just make sure you get masks that fit you well, and you adjust them properly so you don’t have issues with glasses fogging up, or ears getting sore, or whatever. Bring a couple spares each day (sealed in a plastic bag) just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/96 "2020-11-15T17:20:44Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I can see it being a concern for a teacher or a laborer, but I think it should be fine as a juror. I’m worried about the jurors not seeing the faces of the witnesses or attorneys. Plus, they’ll be 50 to 75 feet from the witnesses. Exhibits will be projected on a screen (which is not uncommon) but the screens won’t be close. The jurors won’t be in the jury box, but in the gallery, spread out. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/97 "2020-11-15T17:30:24Z")
It can depend on the mask. I have one mask (ironically, the one that’s branded with the school logo) that’s perfectly comfortable, and which works fine for running errands, but which I can’t teach in, because when I talk a lot in it, it tends to work its way down off of my nose. But I have other masks for which that’s not a problem. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/98 "2021-04-24T20:05:04Z")
I hope it becomes common to wear a mask when you have cold symptoms, at least when you’re indoors. Personally that’s what I intend to do. Masks are very uncomfortable for me though. None of the methods I’ve tried have helped with my glasses steaming up, and I really can’t breathe all that well in them. Some people claim that simply can’t happen, and maybe I’m imagining it, but it’s surprising if so because I really didn’t expect a mask to affect me. My lungs are shit - due to long-term severe asthma they function at 40% of normal capacity for my age - so I guess that explains it. I suppose I could claim a medical exemption from masks, but I haven’t. Maybe if I worked somewhere where I had to wear a mask all day, I would, but not for shopping etc. However, a long-term mask mandate might change my mind. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/99 "2021-04-24T22:39:04Z")
Like others here, I would not mind if in the US we grew a regular tradition similar to other countries of just masking up as a matter of course when feeling under the weather or if we suspect a risk of exposure. And also wherein if there is news that it’s an active flu season in your town/region, people will do so just preventively. But universally masking at all times as a social norm, OTOH, that’s just not happening. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/100 "2021-05-11T01:44:06Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Actually, getting into the cultural habit of wearing a mask whenever you have a contagious respiratory ailment seems reasonable to me. It works for the Japanese - aren’t we inconsiderate sissies by comparison if we can’t adopt similar habits? Yes. I hated the idea of masks until two things happened: 1. I visited Japan and saw that most people wore masks, and it was a gesture of consideration for others. 2. And I wore one enough to get used to it. So now when I hear politicians saying they can’t breathe or it’s demeaning, yes, I do think “inconsiderate sissies”. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019/101 "2021-05-11T04:22:20Z")
I think everyone wearing masks always is not a realistic or desirable goal. However, I would wish that the West could basically become more culturally like the East on this; where people with cold symptoms will usually mask up. And where anyone can wear a mask if it makes them comfortable, no one is going to make it a political thing or berate someone for “virtue signalling”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-wear-masks-forever/925019.md?page=6)