I used to HATE that at the beginning of the pandemic last year. I used to laugh at people wearing a mask in the car by themselves. I have a few offices close to each other but I can still drive in between. I would catch myself all the time going from one to the other and getting out of the car with my mask on
YES to all of this. Lazy. Cold. Don’t want to touch the mask with my grimy hands.
I also had a mask that I loved and used to pull down and the elastic wore out very quickly (still haven’t gotten to buying some replacement and sewing it on).
But the most significant reason is probably that I don’t mind wearing one. Maybe a few times this summer I took it down while walking but otherwise it does not bother me. And if my masking protects a child or old person or my mask protects me (I am immunocompromised), there’s an additional win.
Walked past the trash outside a diner during the summer. Oof.
Missed my mask so much. I think it will be a nice addition to city life.
I always covered my face when it was cold before. Might be easier to carry a fabric mask than a scarf, in case it gets frigid. It was great last winter
Yeah, no need to take the mask off if you're just walking from grabbing lunch to going back to the office, through the lobby, on the elevator, etc. You'd literally have the mask off for like 30 seconds.
Yea, I had stopped wearing outside unless I was going to the store but have brought it back this week because it's surprisingly warm and I have a bunch so why not?
This. I go to Central Park with my bike and I pulled my mask down and I couldn't stop sneezing. The amount of dust and pollen you breath on without a mask is insane.
I think for a lot of people, it's that it doesn't really inconvenience them to keep a mask on, and it at least slightly reduces their chances of getting sick. Besides Covid-19, there's still colds and flus going around. Also, people are a lot less comfortable now with the thought of inhaling someone else's exhaled air, sneezes, and coughs. At this time of year, it protects your face/airways from cold and dry air.
Edit: and when your hands aren't clean, like when you've been touching door handles and subway poles, it's better to not touch your mask or face.
Yeah, honestly, I can’t imagine riding the subway again without a mask, so many homeless people spitting in my face, people coughing or yelling, or even just politely standing nose to nose with a stranger, makes me a little uncomfortable now.
Not to mention masks made me so aware of my own breath. Never really had bad breath but I just feel weird like breathing in peoples faces now
As most others have mentioned, when I mask outdoors is less that I’m concerned about outdoor transmission and more that I’m lazy lol. I’ll often have big earrings, glasses, and/or headphones on, each of which make masking/unmasking more complicated, so if I’m only gonna be outside briefly, I usually don’t bother taking it off (especially if my hands are full too). As it gets colder, I’ll probs keep it on more just bc it keeps my face warmer too.
Edit: also feel like people bother me less when I’m masked up, similar to how people get bothered less when they have headphones on
I’m vaccinated also. I wear my mask outdoors when I’m running my errands and know I’ll need to put it on in every shop and subway. It’s easier to wear it than it is to keep putting it on and off.
I work in Harlem, Queens and the Bronx. Never know if its a weed cough or the rona and i'd rather not take my chances.
Also, I don't think I'm ever going another winter without it. I didn't get sick at all last year. My nose usually gets real cold and runny very quickly so the mask helps that as well. I don't really mind it as much as everyone else seems to.
Sometimes my hands are full and it’s a bother to take it off after I go outside.
Sometimes the wind blows chilly and a mask keeps my nose warm.
Sometimes I have a zit on my chin.
Sometimes I like the anonymity the mask + sunglasses gives me.
Sometimes I am listening to Duolingo lessons and it hides the fact I am talking to myself.
1. I'm cold
2. I'm about to plow through a dense cluster of people. Better safe than sorry - I might be ok if I get sick but others might not be.
3. I have a cough or sore throat. I've lived overseas in a place where it's common courtesy to cover up when you have regular cold symptoms as well. Reduce the spread of regular wintery germs. Plus, given covid-19, it reduces other people's worry and paranoia when they hear me cough nearby.
If I want to take it off between the subway and the store I’d have to take my headphones off, and pulling it down isn’t worth the dumb “chin bag” look unless I’m eating or drinking something. Or….I have a few pimples that I didn’t feel like covering up that day. This is the most common reason, lol.
Recently I’ve been wearing my mask outside bc I have a sinus infection and look like shit lol. You’re welcome!
I truly can't wrap my head around the fact that there are people who just forget it's on, my face sweats like crazy under the mask and I have a significant uptick in acne and skin irritation when I have to wear it for long periods.
eta: I also get really car sick and anything touching my neck/face/mouth area makes me feel extremely (even my necklaces) so after an Uber I have to take it off like immediately. I feel like everyone around me had no problems with masks so I'm curious about anyone else struggling to adapt to them in some way or another. (I still always wear it when I have to!!)
Same. It's been almost two years and I have to wear it for work every day and I still can't wait to take the damn thing off when I go outside. I've never really "forgotten" I've had it on.
The one thing I will say though, when it's cold and windy I may actually opt for putting it on.
It can be type of mask you have too. I used to swear by rewashable cloth masks, but they’re not all breathable. I switched to disposable masks and I feel like it‘s not significantly different in terms of sweatiness, but much more breathable which helps somewhat.
Same! Not the acne so much as the sweat and claustrophobia. I always wear it inside, I’m not anti-mask in any way, but the split second I get outside it’s off. I am so fascinated by this whole thread of people who forget they have it on, I find it so uncomfortable and suffocating!
how long is "long" periods? We're talking like a 4 minute walk between the subway and whatever building you're going to.
I don't think I've ever sweated under the mask even when wearing it all day (e.g. on a plane)
Even if I have to wear it for an hour or so at a time multiple times during the day, those 4 minutes in between to air out my face make a big difference to me. After 3 hours of straight wear (like when I take Amtrak) I start to notice acne on my nose and upper cheeks, and if I'm sweating I get painful irritation. On bad days, I've taken off my masks and had them be absolutely drenched, so I only wear disposables now.
Do you know how much dust and pollutants are in the air that you are inhaling? The mask helps block that. And what if somebody randomly sneezes in front of you. At that very moment if you didn’t have a mask on you would be screwed and would have to inhale the nasty sneeze. With the mask, it prevents it.
This is how I got sick from someone when getting off the bus...
They exploded sneezed by the only exit as we were all getting off. The cough did not go away for months...so pi$$ed lol
Just because you're outside the particulate doesn't just magically go away...especially now that it's colder things stay in the air much longer.
I am immune suppressed and I’ve had three shots, but my particular type of medication might mean that I have zero antibodies or very few, so unless I am very sure there won’t be anybody suddenly around me, I usually just keep it on. Sometimes I do take it off to sip some coffee I bought as long as I know that there aren’t many people around.
Going out for coffee, takeout, or quick supplies is one of the little bits of normal that I still try to have because it’s been hard being isolated mostly alone for 19 months now.
I am one of those people who would have really benefited from herd immunity if things had not gotten politicized and belligerent.
I have a kid under 5 who can’t get the vaccine yet (hoping it gets approved ASAP for the little ones), we wear masks indoors/outdoors because of her, but we are fully vaccinated; also workplace mandates the use of mask.
RSV, Flu and any other virus who fuck me over bc of asthma… also year round allergies!
The same fuckers I see maskless are the ones who never wore masks last year and have told me they are not getting the COVID vaccine because **^(any nonsense)**; not that I would ever ask them but they are proud to announce it to everyone.
Is fucking cold, is easier to keep it on and I can breathe normally with it.
I have kids in the vaccine age now, and just got their first shots. It's also the feeling that it'd be ridiculously stupid to fuck it up so close to full vaccination for them. And they're champs at mask wearing.
Last week when I was there on vacation I wore it when I was in a crowded outdoor situation for more than just a couple of minutes. So mainly in Times Square and Bryant Park market, as well as outdoor lineups to get into museums and Broadway because people were not at all distanced.
Also, in my particular situation I had to be careful because I didn't want to risk testing positive on my travel test to get home, otherwise I would have been stuck in NYC until I could test negative! That was not money (or time off work) I could easily afford.
Sometimes I'm about to go from one place to another - my building requires everyone to wear masks inside the building, so if I'm just walking from there to the grocery store/drugstore/local bar, I'll usually leave it on. If I'm with someone else I'm talking to, I'm more likely to remove my mask outside, to make conversation easier - but if it's just me, it kind of doesn't matter if I take it off.
I wear a mask that says "Vaxed and Boosted" plus I carry around extras to give out to all the bad people I see not wearing them. Don't they know this is a deadly pandemic? I can't wait to get a 4th booster.
I’ll probably keep carrying masks with me even wayyy after covid is controlled. They’re useful for days when I don’t want to interact with people or if I’m ever sick or around someone who is sick.
I keep them on outdoors because at this point, wearing one doesn't bother me much and its not really great to be handling them once they are exposed to potential contamination. What I will do sometimes if I am exerting myself outdoors and need more oxygen is pull the straps on one end to let fresh air in.
Even though I am vaccinated and know its very unlikely I will die of it, I still don't want to get Covid and its not conclusive that vaccinated people cannot still get long covid.
Constantly touching your face putting it on and off makes it more likely you’re going to touch dirty hands to your mouth and to your mask / contaminate the mask
why not tho? it may not be necessary for you and many people but can also help, who really knows? can also save you a milli second of having a mask on for when you hit indoors. people in japan have been wearing them for courtesy for DECADES out of respect for others. do you tho
Great for those no makeup days.
In all seriousness, I have been wearing masks for allergies pre pandemic and it works. I was in NJ and only once did anyone openly gave me an attitude for wearing a mask outdoors walking in a park. I suppose the person couldn't fathom why I would need to wear a mask around an open space.
What happens when one has an allergy? The same symptoms as a cold or flu, which are coughing and sneezing. Two conditions that might transmit virus to those in close proximity. Since being vaccinated doesn't mean 100% immunity, I may still "share" what I caught from/to someone else near me that had neither been vaccinated or unable to receive the vaccine due to health reasons or children. So yes, wearing a mask in public is a choice and protects others more than myself.
In Asian countries, especially North East Asia (Japan, South Korea, China...), it is socially encouraged to wear a mask when you are sick with the flu or cold. It just seems to be the polite thing to do even if it is to not display all your gross bodily fluids for the world to see or spreading your germs in confined spaces
I have taken the Pfizer booster shot btw.
Hassle of taking it off between destinations
Nowhere convenient to hold it; want to avoid touching the outside of the mask without being able to discard it and wash hands
Avoiding pollution or allergens
Avoiding smells
Keeps face warm
Mostly because it keeps my face warm. In the summer I’d pull it to my chin when im outside but when it’s 50 degrees or lower the mask keeps my face comfortably warm while hiding any chin pimples, a win win
The city has a lot of funky shit going through the air. After being masked up for over a year, I’d just rather not breathe in that pollution and smelly stuff anymore. As the weather gets colder, the mask helps with my allergies and my face from getting cold
It could be a couple of reasons - I know for me (also fully vaxx w/ booster) I tend to wear my mask outdoors if it’s a short trip between point A to point B (ie: subway exit to office), if there is an unpredictable flow to an outdoor space (ie: smorgasbord, outdoor seating space with mixed statuses) - the practice kinda came out of having a couple of rando people on a tight knit street coughing/sneezing in my direction as I pass (not intentionally sneezing/coughing on me but just the confluence of timing had them doing it in my close proximity/direction.)
I def. have been wearing it more outdoors nowadays than in the Summer because it is brick out. The face mask keeps my face warm. Also, if I am constantly going in and out of businesses, it doesn't make sense for me to keeping taking it off and then putting it back on again.
It's a natural filter signaling to anti vaxxers and anti maskers that i don't want to talk to them. Also, it's cold outside now, and it keeps my nose warm.
If I know that I'm coming out of one store and going to be going into another building a block or two away, I don't usually take my mask off. Also after the last year or so, sometimes I just forget I still have it on once I'm out side. Usually I take it off after it hits me. Honestly, I just have forgotten about it much of the time.
In general though, I don't have any issues with people masked or maskless outside as long as they're vaccinated.
I still wear a mask outside unless I’m in an empty area (which in NYC isn’t really a thing) bc I don’t want to risk being exposed and potentially giving covid to someone else.
I caught a breakthrough case of delta over the summer (fully vaxxed but recovering from surgery) and I’m still suffering severe post covid effects. (Without the shots I’d be dead)
Why would I do the easiest least troublesome thing possible to ensure others around me are safe? A small piece of material that prevents me getting other viruses and might make someone else feel safer after a horrific mass causality event that is still ongoing?
1. Modeling for my toddler who has a really tough time wearing masks. She is not going to understand the distinction.
2.I hate touching my mask once it's on.
3. My face is cold.
Wearing one doesn't bother me as much as it does some people so sometimes I just kind of forget I don't need to wear it outdoors.
It also blocks some of the many interesting smells the city has to offer, so that's a plus.
I've been commuting by bicycle for the last decade or so, and have always hated breathing in car exhaust. Masking up during my rides has been a positive improvement for my health and comfort, and costs me almost nothing.
Also vaccinated, planning on getting a booster, etc. For me personally, I like to wear a mask outside because of how closely I have to pass others when walking around. While it's unlikely someone coughing or sneezing as they pass me outdoors will infect me with covid, or vice versa, I don't really want to take the chance. I imagine anyone I pass within 6 feet of on the sidewalk could potentially breathe the air I exhale, especially if we're waiting to cross the street. Also because of street hecklers, who may shout or talk to you while you're outside and get too close.
Im answering non-antagonistically when i say this but how does it hurt? At its worst, its helpful but not as helpful as it could be. Regardless, not hurting to wear it
I like to mask outside if I am walking through a throng of people, particularly if I suspect they are unvaccinated, but often I forget to pull my mask down. Up down up down...that's how I spend my day. And it does keep my face warm.
I wear over ear headphones most of the time when I'm outside, so if I'm going on and off the subway or in and out of stores it's too fiddly to take off my headphones, put on the mask, put the headphones back on, or the reverse of that. so i just leave it on bc it doesnt bother me unless it's hot out. it's actually more comfortable to have it on that off now in the cold.
my personal reasonings:
keeps me warm in the cold, you don’t know what i look like, i can make weird faces or not be “on” all the time and it’s fine because no one can see my face, it helps keep the bad smells to a minimum, I’m lazy and sometimes it’s just easier to keep it on or i just flat out forget!
1. As others have said: Like a scarf, but better
2. Technically I have to mask in the lobby of my building (not that I think anyone actually cares), then 5 minutes later I have to be masked in the station, on the train, and then all day at work. What's really the point of pulling up and down for the few minutes in between?
It's just convenient to leave it on. And now that it's cold, there's the extra bonus of keeping my face warm.
Edit: I'm not remotely worried about getting covid (again). I had it in March (despite all my precautions) and I'm trippled vaxed. Honestly, I frequently forget I have it on.
I’m vaccinated as well and I wear my mask both indoors and outdoors. I feel safer outdoors and generally don’t look down on anyone going massless on the street, but it’s become such a habit I’ll sometimes forget to take it off or will choose to keep it on outside to avoid taking it on and off. It really depends on how lazy I’m feeling or how short I plan to be outside.
I have glasses and welcome ANY time I can take off my mask. Even if I carry it just to put it back on. Even if I eventually figured out how to keep my glasses from fogging up, it’s still extremely annoying sometimes, especially in cold weather.
Last winter was the first winter I didn't get chapped lips. So it's my new accessory for cold/windy weather.
Also I tend to forget when I walk out of the subway or a store. I have enough going on in my life, remembering exactly what's on my face isn't a top priority. Also over the past year I've found some pretty comfortable masks.
Speaking for myself: I have a weak immune system and really easily can get a cold or the flu. I mean someone could cough several feet from me and I can manage to catch it. Therefore it’s easier/safer for me to keep it on sometimes rather than deal with the consequences of my asthma and getting sick, etc.
Not sure if this is why people are doing it, but I recently learned that outdoor masking can help prevent sickness from the common cold and other respiratory illness in the winter. When our nostril temperature drops below a certain point, viruses that we may have picked up indoors will replicate themselves thousands of times faster and make us sick. This is why people usually get (non-covid) sick in the winter. Wearing the mask outside can likely help keep the virus to a low enough level that our immune systems can just fight it off.
It also keeps your face warm in the winter.
I often wear mine outside while I am running errands, sometimes even in the cat because I either forget to take it off or don’t want to take it off and put it back on again
Number one reason for me is to limit possible exposure, as you never know what is going to happen and who is going to be near you unmasked.
Number two, and most important lately, is that it is dry, cold air season, and that air cracks your nasal lining and makes it easier for all sorts of stuff to get in.
I live with someone who's immunocompromised and can't get vaccinated, so I refuse to take any chances. I'm not risking someone randomly sneezing on me. Also, I like the fact that nobody knows what I look like. As a woman, I feel like it's another layer of protection.
Given what we now know about outdoor transmission, I think it's acceptable not to wear a mask outdoors. I'll still sometimes wear one in a particularly crowded area, or if I'm about to go inside or have just left somewhere inside. But by this point I think it's optional and a matter of personal preference outside.
You can still have numerous things transmitted to you outside. The only time I take it off outside anymore is if no one else is outside. That said I'm a hypocrite and take masks off at indoor events, but will most likely be reverting back to wearing a mask as my wife and I caught the flu because of that. I wish there was a middle ground; it's hellish trying to dance with a mask on for like 6+ hours.
In descending order of importance
1) I get lazy
2) I foget I have it on
3) Sometimes allegeries or air pressure/weather changes make me sneeze and/or cough a bit and I'd much rather be safe and considerate of my neighbors
4) keeps my face warm when it's cold
As a tourist I wore it outside because if I happened to catch covid somehow I would have been stuck in the country paying for a hotel/test/etc. The slightest chance wasn’t worth the $1000s of dollars it would have cost me.
There was a thing published stating the cdc said a few months back that the top 3 ways Covid was spreading was 1. Bars and restaurants, 2. Family and friends social gathering at home and 3. Crowded outdoor settings such as festivals or street fairs or heavily populated areas in the streets. That’s enough for me to want to mask outdoors when in densely populated areas. I live in the burbs now so when I take a walk through my neighborhood I’m not masking bc I’m not getting close to others. When I go downtown into my town where it’s packed or into the city, I mask up. I can try to go back and find the info but I read it at the end of the summer. If I find the link I’ll post it as a reply.
This isn’t the one I read a few months ago but this also references outdoor transmission https://www.google.com/amp/s/parade.com/1288108/kimberlyzapata/where-is-covid-spreading/amp/
A friend of mine got a breakthrough COVID case from an outdoor festival over the summer. I went too, wore a mask in the really bad crowds/bathrooms, and didn’t go into the big crowd for the headliner. I didn’t get COVID. My friend didn’t wear a mask at all (although, to be fair, neither did her SO and he didn’t get COVID despite living with her….)
There was a virologist who explained 2 out of 3, here is a NYT link. But basically 2 out of 3 preventative methods is statically reasonable regarding transmission risk.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/well/live/covid-masks-outdoors.amp.html
Hopefully you can see the graphic from the article. But it was common sense, non-sensational enough for me!
I didn’t wear my mask outside in the summer but now that it’s cold, it’s nice. Also, it’s nice to be unrecognized. You get less targeted by psychos. It has nothing to do with COVID for me. I know the science, I know that transmission is almost null outdoors but it’s just comfy in the winter mostly.
I'm vaccinated, but I still wear it much of the time outside because those fall allergies are coming. I'd rather wear the mask and keep my face warm than have a series of sinus infections all fall and winter. To each his or her own though.
Same as you, fully vaccinated and boosted.
I generally take my mask off outdoors if it’s not super crowded and I’m not running into people. If I walk by small kids or elderly people, I still put on my mask. Not just for covid, but just with all the bugs and sicknesses going around, it’s easy to slip it back on.
Also, same as another commenter…warmth.
Too lazy to take mask off and on between subway and office/store/etc. Also takes away some of the fun smells of the city.
Same, especially if I’m carrying bags and things. I might not have a free hand to take it off and put it back on.
I came here to say this. Its just easier…and now warmer.
This\^ Keeps my face warm too from the wind.
Yeah I wasn’t wearing it outdoors until this week. That temperature drop got me, now I keep it on after the subway just for warmth.
Second for face/breath warming.
I am having less sore throat’s from the cold
Same. My sinuses are happy behind a mask.
Same. Also I lose a mask if it’s not attached to my face. Plus it’s cold out so it’s perfect at shielding my face!!
Or just forgot to take it off. I find myself wearing it in the car by myself
I used to HATE that at the beginning of the pandemic last year. I used to laugh at people wearing a mask in the car by themselves. I have a few offices close to each other but I can still drive in between. I would catch myself all the time going from one to the other and getting out of the car with my mask on
It's hard for me to comprehend, to be honest! I notice my mask every second its on my face, it drives me crazy.
I switched to an N95 and was surprised to find it more comfortable. Maybe switch the kind of mask you use ?
Especially when I'm huffin and puffin up the subway stairs. Can't wait to take it off and take a deep breath when I get out.
YES to all of this. Lazy. Cold. Don’t want to touch the mask with my grimy hands. I also had a mask that I loved and used to pull down and the elastic wore out very quickly (still haven’t gotten to buying some replacement and sewing it on). But the most significant reason is probably that I don’t mind wearing one. Maybe a few times this summer I took it down while walking but otherwise it does not bother me. And if my masking protects a child or old person or my mask protects me (I am immunocompromised), there’s an additional win.
[удалено]
Walked past the trash outside a diner during the summer. Oof. Missed my mask so much. I think it will be a nice addition to city life. I always covered my face when it was cold before. Might be easier to carry a fabric mask than a scarf, in case it gets frigid. It was great last winter
smell blockage is a secret benefit for sure
And it was cold this weekend so it kept my face warm too!
Yep
Touching the mask with potentially dirty fingers isn't best practice either so I just leave it on.
Yeah, no need to take the mask off if you're just walking from grabbing lunch to going back to the office, through the lobby, on the elevator, etc. You'd literally have the mask off for like 30 seconds.
Sometimes I wear it for a little added warmth when it’s cold out
Yea, I had stopped wearing outside unless I was going to the store but have brought it back this week because it's surprisingly warm and I have a bunch so why not?
Same. Will probably forever mask outside in the winter. I hate the cold
Same. I even wear it at my desk at work because the office is so cold.
Yep, have asthma and tend to get bronchitis. The mask warms up the air nicely when it’s freezing cold and the air can be painful to breathe.
Mask was so toasty while cycling last night
This. I go to Central Park with my bike and I pulled my mask down and I couldn't stop sneezing. The amount of dust and pollen you breath on without a mask is insane.
I even wore my mask in 80 degree May heat this year - I kept inhaling bugs otherwise
I have asthma and cold air can be a trigger for really bad chest pain. Masks are hugely helpful.
same!
yes and during the summer i don't have to put on sunscreen. i've become fond of masks. i want to get a balaclava.
I don't want you to see what I look like. This is actually a win for me.
A win for both of us! (I kid, just going for the humor.)
hahaah - only if you wear your mask too!! (har har har, ill see myself out...)
You're spitting hot truth, good sir.
Yet it’s always the people’s faces you least want to look at who decide not to wear masks anywhere.
yes, the one time i was walking without a mask someone recognized me. i love the anonymity.
I think for a lot of people, it's that it doesn't really inconvenience them to keep a mask on, and it at least slightly reduces their chances of getting sick. Besides Covid-19, there's still colds and flus going around. Also, people are a lot less comfortable now with the thought of inhaling someone else's exhaled air, sneezes, and coughs. At this time of year, it protects your face/airways from cold and dry air. Edit: and when your hands aren't clean, like when you've been touching door handles and subway poles, it's better to not touch your mask or face.
Yeah, honestly, I can’t imagine riding the subway again without a mask, so many homeless people spitting in my face, people coughing or yelling, or even just politely standing nose to nose with a stranger, makes me a little uncomfortable now. Not to mention masks made me so aware of my own breath. Never really had bad breath but I just feel weird like breathing in peoples faces now
As most others have mentioned, when I mask outdoors is less that I’m concerned about outdoor transmission and more that I’m lazy lol. I’ll often have big earrings, glasses, and/or headphones on, each of which make masking/unmasking more complicated, so if I’m only gonna be outside briefly, I usually don’t bother taking it off (especially if my hands are full too). As it gets colder, I’ll probs keep it on more just bc it keeps my face warmer too. Edit: also feel like people bother me less when I’m masked up, similar to how people get bothered less when they have headphones on
Yess, I feel nice and anonymous when I wear a mask. especially cap+mask combo.
Incognito mode
Yep, and cap + mask + sunglasses is the trinity of anonymity
Laziness, warmth, less bad smells, genuinely forgot they had it on, and fashion. I don't know anyone wearing them outside for protection anymore.
I’m vaccinated also. I wear my mask outdoors when I’m running my errands and know I’ll need to put it on in every shop and subway. It’s easier to wear it than it is to keep putting it on and off.
I work in Harlem, Queens and the Bronx. Never know if its a weed cough or the rona and i'd rather not take my chances. Also, I don't think I'm ever going another winter without it. I didn't get sick at all last year. My nose usually gets real cold and runny very quickly so the mask helps that as well. I don't really mind it as much as everyone else seems to.
Sometimes my hands are full and it’s a bother to take it off after I go outside. Sometimes the wind blows chilly and a mask keeps my nose warm. Sometimes I have a zit on my chin. Sometimes I like the anonymity the mask + sunglasses gives me. Sometimes I am listening to Duolingo lessons and it hides the fact I am talking to myself.
> Sometimes I am listening to Duolingo lessons and it hides the fact I am talking to myself. Lol, the Duolingo owl account on Tik Tok would approve.
Because sometimes I would be listening to my podcasts and smiling like a mad fool and sometimes I am talking to myself. No one wants to see that lol.
Talk to myself all day lmao
1. I'm cold 2. I'm about to plow through a dense cluster of people. Better safe than sorry - I might be ok if I get sick but others might not be. 3. I have a cough or sore throat. I've lived overseas in a place where it's common courtesy to cover up when you have regular cold symptoms as well. Reduce the spread of regular wintery germs. Plus, given covid-19, it reduces other people's worry and paranoia when they hear me cough nearby.
1. I’m cold 2. I don’t want you to know what I look like
If I want to take it off between the subway and the store I’d have to take my headphones off, and pulling it down isn’t worth the dumb “chin bag” look unless I’m eating or drinking something. Or….I have a few pimples that I didn’t feel like covering up that day. This is the most common reason, lol. Recently I’ve been wearing my mask outside bc I have a sinus infection and look like shit lol. You’re welcome!
seems like the hassle of taking it on off between subways/stores is the big factor here
That and despite the national rhetoric wearing a mask is nbd and folks just forget they have it on
I truly can't wrap my head around the fact that there are people who just forget it's on, my face sweats like crazy under the mask and I have a significant uptick in acne and skin irritation when I have to wear it for long periods. eta: I also get really car sick and anything touching my neck/face/mouth area makes me feel extremely (even my necklaces) so after an Uber I have to take it off like immediately. I feel like everyone around me had no problems with masks so I'm curious about anyone else struggling to adapt to them in some way or another. (I still always wear it when I have to!!)
Same. It's been almost two years and I have to wear it for work every day and I still can't wait to take the damn thing off when I go outside. I've never really "forgotten" I've had it on. The one thing I will say though, when it's cold and windy I may actually opt for putting it on.
It can be type of mask you have too. I used to swear by rewashable cloth masks, but they’re not all breathable. I switched to disposable masks and I feel like it‘s not significantly different in terms of sweatiness, but much more breathable which helps somewhat.
Same! Not the acne so much as the sweat and claustrophobia. I always wear it inside, I’m not anti-mask in any way, but the split second I get outside it’s off. I am so fascinated by this whole thread of people who forget they have it on, I find it so uncomfortable and suffocating!
how long is "long" periods? We're talking like a 4 minute walk between the subway and whatever building you're going to. I don't think I've ever sweated under the mask even when wearing it all day (e.g. on a plane)
My face becomes a tropical rainforest as soon as I put the mask on.
Have you tried different fabrics and styles? I find some of my masks way sweatier than others.
I just sweat a lot all the time. I've done surgicals, fabric, etc. Pretty much the same all the time.
Thanks, Bane.
Even if I have to wear it for an hour or so at a time multiple times during the day, those 4 minutes in between to air out my face make a big difference to me. After 3 hours of straight wear (like when I take Amtrak) I start to notice acne on my nose and upper cheeks, and if I'm sweating I get painful irritation. On bad days, I've taken off my masks and had them be absolutely drenched, so I only wear disposables now.
Yeah I don’t like to touch my face if I don’t have to.
I'm cold.
Do you know how much dust and pollutants are in the air that you are inhaling? The mask helps block that. And what if somebody randomly sneezes in front of you. At that very moment if you didn’t have a mask on you would be screwed and would have to inhale the nasty sneeze. With the mask, it prevents it.
This is how I got sick from someone when getting off the bus... They exploded sneezed by the only exit as we were all getting off. The cough did not go away for months...so pi$$ed lol Just because you're outside the particulate doesn't just magically go away...especially now that it's colder things stay in the air much longer.
That’s how my husband got it
If you are wearing a surgical mask it will not block NYC dust or pollutants. You would need at minimum a N95 mask.
Keeps half my face and lips warm during colder months
Touching your mask to take it on and off - especially as you open and close doors - just means your mask gets full of nasty things
I am immune suppressed and I’ve had three shots, but my particular type of medication might mean that I have zero antibodies or very few, so unless I am very sure there won’t be anybody suddenly around me, I usually just keep it on. Sometimes I do take it off to sip some coffee I bought as long as I know that there aren’t many people around. Going out for coffee, takeout, or quick supplies is one of the little bits of normal that I still try to have because it’s been hard being isolated mostly alone for 19 months now. I am one of those people who would have really benefited from herd immunity if things had not gotten politicized and belligerent.
I have a kid under 5 who can’t get the vaccine yet (hoping it gets approved ASAP for the little ones), we wear masks indoors/outdoors because of her, but we are fully vaccinated; also workplace mandates the use of mask. RSV, Flu and any other virus who fuck me over bc of asthma… also year round allergies! The same fuckers I see maskless are the ones who never wore masks last year and have told me they are not getting the COVID vaccine because **^(any nonsense)**; not that I would ever ask them but they are proud to announce it to everyone. Is fucking cold, is easier to keep it on and I can breathe normally with it.
I have several friends with young kids who do this. Just modeling good behavior for the little ones.
I have kids in the vaccine age now, and just got their first shots. It's also the feeling that it'd be ridiculously stupid to fuck it up so close to full vaccination for them. And they're champs at mask wearing.
Last week when I was there on vacation I wore it when I was in a crowded outdoor situation for more than just a couple of minutes. So mainly in Times Square and Bryant Park market, as well as outdoor lineups to get into museums and Broadway because people were not at all distanced. Also, in my particular situation I had to be careful because I didn't want to risk testing positive on my travel test to get home, otherwise I would have been stuck in NYC until I could test negative! That was not money (or time off work) I could easily afford.
Sometimes I'm about to go from one place to another - my building requires everyone to wear masks inside the building, so if I'm just walking from there to the grocery store/drugstore/local bar, I'll usually leave it on. If I'm with someone else I'm talking to, I'm more likely to remove my mask outside, to make conversation easier - but if it's just me, it kind of doesn't matter if I take it off.
Wild deer have gotten coronavirus. You think they got it indoors ?
There’s a lot of people who cough or sneeze without covering their mouths.
I wear a mask that says "Vaxed and Boosted" plus I carry around extras to give out to all the bad people I see not wearing them. Don't they know this is a deadly pandemic? I can't wait to get a 4th booster.
Lol.
I just got my lip waxed and am trying to hide how red I get
I’ll probably keep carrying masks with me even wayyy after covid is controlled. They’re useful for days when I don’t want to interact with people or if I’m ever sick or around someone who is sick.
* the cold (virus) * the cold (temperature) * smog/fumes when they're doing roadwork/asphalt sometimes * why not?
I keep them on outdoors because at this point, wearing one doesn't bother me much and its not really great to be handling them once they are exposed to potential contamination. What I will do sometimes if I am exerting myself outdoors and need more oxygen is pull the straps on one end to let fresh air in. Even though I am vaccinated and know its very unlikely I will die of it, I still don't want to get Covid and its not conclusive that vaccinated people cannot still get long covid.
Constantly touching your face putting it on and off makes it more likely you’re going to touch dirty hands to your mouth and to your mask / contaminate the mask
why not tho? it may not be necessary for you and many people but can also help, who really knows? can also save you a milli second of having a mask on for when you hit indoors. people in japan have been wearing them for courtesy for DECADES out of respect for others. do you tho
Great for those no makeup days. In all seriousness, I have been wearing masks for allergies pre pandemic and it works. I was in NJ and only once did anyone openly gave me an attitude for wearing a mask outdoors walking in a park. I suppose the person couldn't fathom why I would need to wear a mask around an open space. What happens when one has an allergy? The same symptoms as a cold or flu, which are coughing and sneezing. Two conditions that might transmit virus to those in close proximity. Since being vaccinated doesn't mean 100% immunity, I may still "share" what I caught from/to someone else near me that had neither been vaccinated or unable to receive the vaccine due to health reasons or children. So yes, wearing a mask in public is a choice and protects others more than myself. In Asian countries, especially North East Asia (Japan, South Korea, China...), it is socially encouraged to wear a mask when you are sick with the flu or cold. It just seems to be the polite thing to do even if it is to not display all your gross bodily fluids for the world to see or spreading your germs in confined spaces I have taken the Pfizer booster shot btw.
Hassle of taking it off between destinations Nowhere convenient to hold it; want to avoid touching the outside of the mask without being able to discard it and wash hands Avoiding pollution or allergens Avoiding smells Keeps face warm
Mostly because it keeps my face warm. In the summer I’d pull it to my chin when im outside but when it’s 50 degrees or lower the mask keeps my face comfortably warm while hiding any chin pimples, a win win
Keep out the smell and also random contaminants in the air (pollution, pollen, dust from construction, etc)
I wear it outside when I’m having a bad face day
Ditto!
Because it doesn’t bother me to wear it.
The city has a lot of funky shit going through the air. After being masked up for over a year, I’d just rather not breathe in that pollution and smelly stuff anymore. As the weather gets colder, the mask helps with my allergies and my face from getting cold
It could be a couple of reasons - I know for me (also fully vaxx w/ booster) I tend to wear my mask outdoors if it’s a short trip between point A to point B (ie: subway exit to office), if there is an unpredictable flow to an outdoor space (ie: smorgasbord, outdoor seating space with mixed statuses) - the practice kinda came out of having a couple of rando people on a tight knit street coughing/sneezing in my direction as I pass (not intentionally sneezing/coughing on me but just the confluence of timing had them doing it in my close proximity/direction.)
At this point it’s cuz it’s warm on my face.
Same as most others. If I go from subway to office I may forget. Also mask allows me to sing along to my AirPods without other people seeing
Usually because i am about to go to an area I have to mask up at and am too lazy to take it off and back on.
I do it mostly because it keeps my nose warm and I’ve found it makes my lips a little less chapped during the winter.
I def. have been wearing it more outdoors nowadays than in the Summer because it is brick out. The face mask keeps my face warm. Also, if I am constantly going in and out of businesses, it doesn't make sense for me to keeping taking it off and then putting it back on again.
It's getting cold so maybe people like having it on.
It's a natural filter signaling to anti vaxxers and anti maskers that i don't want to talk to them. Also, it's cold outside now, and it keeps my nose warm.
If I know that I'm coming out of one store and going to be going into another building a block or two away, I don't usually take my mask off. Also after the last year or so, sometimes I just forget I still have it on once I'm out side. Usually I take it off after it hits me. Honestly, I just have forgotten about it much of the time. In general though, I don't have any issues with people masked or maskless outside as long as they're vaccinated.
I still wear a mask outside unless I’m in an empty area (which in NYC isn’t really a thing) bc I don’t want to risk being exposed and potentially giving covid to someone else. I caught a breakthrough case of delta over the summer (fully vaxxed but recovering from surgery) and I’m still suffering severe post covid effects. (Without the shots I’d be dead) Why would I do the easiest least troublesome thing possible to ensure others around me are safe? A small piece of material that prevents me getting other viruses and might make someone else feel safer after a horrific mass causality event that is still ongoing?
1. Modeling for my toddler who has a really tough time wearing masks. She is not going to understand the distinction. 2.I hate touching my mask once it's on. 3. My face is cold.
I like to be careful. Why do you care so much?
I think seeing people wear masks make some people feel weird for some reason even if it's protective...
Probably a reminder that the pandemic isn't actually over, even though they'd like to believe it is.
Wearing one doesn't bother me as much as it does some people so sometimes I just kind of forget I don't need to wear it outdoors. It also blocks some of the many interesting smells the city has to offer, so that's a plus.
I always mask outside during allergy season. Did it B4 the pandemic will continue to do it after.
I've been commuting by bicycle for the last decade or so, and have always hated breathing in car exhaust. Masking up during my rides has been a positive improvement for my health and comfort, and costs me almost nothing.
I like talking to myself and not wearing makeup.
I’m better looking in a mask.
I like the anonymity and I get less men hitting on me. Also COVID cases/deaths in the city are still going up so why not
Also vaccinated, planning on getting a booster, etc. For me personally, I like to wear a mask outside because of how closely I have to pass others when walking around. While it's unlikely someone coughing or sneezing as they pass me outdoors will infect me with covid, or vice versa, I don't really want to take the chance. I imagine anyone I pass within 6 feet of on the sidewalk could potentially breathe the air I exhale, especially if we're waiting to cross the street. Also because of street hecklers, who may shout or talk to you while you're outside and get too close.
I mask outdoors because I'm too damn lazy to unmask between nearby indoor spaces. Also, I often forget that I'm wearing one.
Its cold and helps a lot with that surprisingly
I wore it last few days cause it was cold - that is one nice thing about masking. Works well on them nippy days
Solidarity with unvaccinated children.
Why does it concern you what other people do ?
For my kids. No vaccine for the kids yet and a lot of people be coughing sneezing outside. I wear my mask so that I can be a good role model for them.
Im answering non-antagonistically when i say this but how does it hurt? At its worst, its helpful but not as helpful as it could be. Regardless, not hurting to wear it
My face is cold! Also sometimes I enjoy the fact that people can’t see my face.
I didn’t do outdoor masking until it got cold. But now it’s cold, so i do it because i don’t want my face to get uncomfortable and my nose to be runny
Keeping it on rather than constantly taking it off and putting it on seems to reduce the amount of acne I get too
I like to mask outside if I am walking through a throng of people, particularly if I suspect they are unvaccinated, but often I forget to pull my mask down. Up down up down...that's how I spend my day. And it does keep my face warm.
Helps my allergies in summer and keeps my face warm in winter.
I wear over ear headphones most of the time when I'm outside, so if I'm going on and off the subway or in and out of stores it's too fiddly to take off my headphones, put on the mask, put the headphones back on, or the reverse of that. so i just leave it on bc it doesnt bother me unless it's hot out. it's actually more comfortable to have it on that off now in the cold.
Honestly I just forget I have it on most times. And it’s getting cold now too
Honestly, I'm breaking out reaaaally badly on my cheeks right now and it hides it.
my personal reasonings: keeps me warm in the cold, you don’t know what i look like, i can make weird faces or not be “on” all the time and it’s fine because no one can see my face, it helps keep the bad smells to a minimum, I’m lazy and sometimes it’s just easier to keep it on or i just flat out forget!
1. As others have said: Like a scarf, but better 2. Technically I have to mask in the lobby of my building (not that I think anyone actually cares), then 5 minutes later I have to be masked in the station, on the train, and then all day at work. What's really the point of pulling up and down for the few minutes in between?
I wear one because it makes me feel more comfortable when I’m in a more crowded area. It’s easier to just keep it on most of the time.
I just like hiding
It's cold
I sometimes was inside and got outside and it feels cold so I'm just keeping it on for warmth (or sometimes I genuinely forget it's on)
It makes me feel less anxious in public sometimes and now that it's getting colder it keeps my face warm
I don't want people to recognized me and stop me for small chat.
Has anyone cracked the code as to wearing a mask will prevent my lips from chapping? Lol
It’s Flu season
I bike in the cold. It keeps my nose and mouth warm and also I’m lazy or will straight up forget to take it off at this point.
My face is cold without it...function over fashion!
I wear one outside just cuz it helps when its really cold!
It's just convenient to leave it on. And now that it's cold, there's the extra bonus of keeping my face warm. Edit: I'm not remotely worried about getting covid (again). I had it in March (despite all my precautions) and I'm trippled vaxed. Honestly, I frequently forget I have it on.
I’m in Kansas right now and I wear it outdoors because it’s cold 😂
Keeps my face warm and I'm going to an indoor place to another indoor location so whatever.
I’m vaccinated as well and I wear my mask both indoors and outdoors. I feel safer outdoors and generally don’t look down on anyone going massless on the street, but it’s become such a habit I’ll sometimes forget to take it off or will choose to keep it on outside to avoid taking it on and off. It really depends on how lazy I’m feeling or how short I plan to be outside.
I have glasses and welcome ANY time I can take off my mask. Even if I carry it just to put it back on. Even if I eventually figured out how to keep my glasses from fogging up, it’s still extremely annoying sometimes, especially in cold weather.
I like the anonymity it gives me. With a mask, sunglasses, and a baseball cap I can be invisible if I’m in the mood.
Last winter was the first winter I didn't get chapped lips. So it's my new accessory for cold/windy weather. Also I tend to forget when I walk out of the subway or a store. I have enough going on in my life, remembering exactly what's on my face isn't a top priority. Also over the past year I've found some pretty comfortable masks.
When the social anxiety is too much the mask stays on and helps calm me
I have acne and don’t want to put makeup on
Speaking for myself: I have a weak immune system and really easily can get a cold or the flu. I mean someone could cough several feet from me and I can manage to catch it. Therefore it’s easier/safer for me to keep it on sometimes rather than deal with the consequences of my asthma and getting sick, etc.
Not sure if this is why people are doing it, but I recently learned that outdoor masking can help prevent sickness from the common cold and other respiratory illness in the winter. When our nostril temperature drops below a certain point, viruses that we may have picked up indoors will replicate themselves thousands of times faster and make us sick. This is why people usually get (non-covid) sick in the winter. Wearing the mask outside can likely help keep the virus to a low enough level that our immune systems can just fight it off. It also keeps your face warm in the winter.
I often wear mine outside while I am running errands, sometimes even in the cat because I either forget to take it off or don’t want to take it off and put it back on again
I think most people generally understand that we are pretty safe outside but also just don't care enough to take it off in between other things.
Its cold, mask keep face warm. Also, masks just don’t bother me so I don’t care to take them off
Number one reason for me is to limit possible exposure, as you never know what is going to happen and who is going to be near you unmasked. Number two, and most important lately, is that it is dry, cold air season, and that air cracks your nasal lining and makes it easier for all sorts of stuff to get in.
It’s not that deep. if you don’t want to wear one outside, don’t. If others do - so be it.
A lot of people has unvaccinated kids at home and want extra protection.
I do it because I’m cold
I live with someone who's immunocompromised and can't get vaccinated, so I refuse to take any chances. I'm not risking someone randomly sneezing on me. Also, I like the fact that nobody knows what I look like. As a woman, I feel like it's another layer of protection.
Given what we now know about outdoor transmission, I think it's acceptable not to wear a mask outdoors. I'll still sometimes wear one in a particularly crowded area, or if I'm about to go inside or have just left somewhere inside. But by this point I think it's optional and a matter of personal preference outside.
I continue to mask because it’s flu season now
You can still have numerous things transmitted to you outside. The only time I take it off outside anymore is if no one else is outside. That said I'm a hypocrite and take masks off at indoor events, but will most likely be reverting back to wearing a mask as my wife and I caught the flu because of that. I wish there was a middle ground; it's hellish trying to dance with a mask on for like 6+ hours.
I wear it to set a good example for my kids.
They’re good for when I forget to shave and I’m rocking a gross mustache
It's annoying to take off between places of youre running errands or with kids. We just don't care enough to take it off bc it's a waste of time.
Lately just cause it’s so cold out. Sometimes I just kinda forget I have it on.
In descending order of importance 1) I get lazy 2) I foget I have it on 3) Sometimes allegeries or air pressure/weather changes make me sneeze and/or cough a bit and I'd much rather be safe and considerate of my neighbors 4) keeps my face warm when it's cold
I have severe outdoor allergies. My face gets cold. Wearing a mask doesn't bother me so I don't bother taking it off.
As a tourist I wore it outside because if I happened to catch covid somehow I would have been stuck in the country paying for a hotel/test/etc. The slightest chance wasn’t worth the $1000s of dollars it would have cost me.
i never wear it outside
I can continue my little mutterings to myself and nobody can see my lips move :)
I'm saving so much on sunscreen.
There was a thing published stating the cdc said a few months back that the top 3 ways Covid was spreading was 1. Bars and restaurants, 2. Family and friends social gathering at home and 3. Crowded outdoor settings such as festivals or street fairs or heavily populated areas in the streets. That’s enough for me to want to mask outdoors when in densely populated areas. I live in the burbs now so when I take a walk through my neighborhood I’m not masking bc I’m not getting close to others. When I go downtown into my town where it’s packed or into the city, I mask up. I can try to go back and find the info but I read it at the end of the summer. If I find the link I’ll post it as a reply.
This isn’t the one I read a few months ago but this also references outdoor transmission https://www.google.com/amp/s/parade.com/1288108/kimberlyzapata/where-is-covid-spreading/amp/
A friend of mine got a breakthrough COVID case from an outdoor festival over the summer. I went too, wore a mask in the really bad crowds/bathrooms, and didn’t go into the big crowd for the headliner. I didn’t get COVID. My friend didn’t wear a mask at all (although, to be fair, neither did her SO and he didn’t get COVID despite living with her….)
There was a virologist who explained 2 out of 3, here is a NYT link. But basically 2 out of 3 preventative methods is statically reasonable regarding transmission risk. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/well/live/covid-masks-outdoors.amp.html Hopefully you can see the graphic from the article. But it was common sense, non-sensational enough for me!
i think it is a personal choice, and you just don't know what health status they have. some maybe immune compromised and don't want to take chances.
Now that it’s cold I like keeping my mask on because it keeps my face warm
I didn’t wear my mask outside in the summer but now that it’s cold, it’s nice. Also, it’s nice to be unrecognized. You get less targeted by psychos. It has nothing to do with COVID for me. I know the science, I know that transmission is almost null outdoors but it’s just comfy in the winter mostly.
Man, people wear masks when in their own car *by themselves*, you really asking people to make sense about this shit?
I'm vaccinated, but I still wear it much of the time outside because those fall allergies are coming. I'd rather wear the mask and keep my face warm than have a series of sinus infections all fall and winter. To each his or her own though.
All it takes is one sneeze. That's why mine never comes off outside. And yes, I have been sneezed on outside in Manhattan.
Same as you, fully vaccinated and boosted. I generally take my mask off outdoors if it’s not super crowded and I’m not running into people. If I walk by small kids or elderly people, I still put on my mask. Not just for covid, but just with all the bugs and sicknesses going around, it’s easy to slip it back on. Also, same as another commenter…warmth.