Discussions

I don’t think such a rule can be placed, it would take a long time. Would have to get some type of law to pass I think? I could be wrong on this entirely though. Someone please correct me if i am.  
 
I think it would be up to each individual business.. which would need to ensure they enforced this rule as many people are anti mask.

I was in Co-op today....... Lady had a mask just wasn’t wearing it. Carrying in her hand.

.... and see how Walmart makes out on Wednesday. I believe mask will be required then.  
 
There are other places already insisting. The New to You thrift store and the Antique store down town Eras I believe it’s called.  
 
I think it’s a good idea. I will be wearing mine. The anti maskers should be considered like the antivaxers.

starting Wednesday they are required to enter Walmart

Calgary enacted what I believe they're referring to as a "temporary by-law". So it's completely within the realm of possibility to make it law, even on a time-limited basis.  
 
Having it as a rule will give businesses teeth to tell people to mask up. They basically get the force of government behind them. Otherwise, anti-maskers can just complain that business is infringing on their rights. Once all the businesses are required to have customers mask up, it will level the playing field.  
 
Fabricland is another store that already requires masking.

Yesss!  
I think we are better off having every business implement this rule and enforcing it. No mask, can’t come in.

Inside any business. It isn’t going away.

that can be said about most things. Education, education.

Are we that stupid that we need a LAW to wear masks?  
 
We are not the Americans. We are smarter.  
 
Wear a mask because it is the right thing to do. Period.

Hold on. That attitude is extreme & hate inducing. It is very discriminatory in its very foundation.  
 
There are people who cannot wear masks, just like there are some who cannot have vaccines. I can't stress this enough. Both are well known facts, and in the case of mask wearing, some of those would wear a mask if they could. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THEM. What if this person was YOU? (not yelling, I just can't italicize right now for some reason) Just because it isn't your reality, doesn't mean they are less than you or don't care about others. That is a horrible assumption & an insult to their character.  
 
This assumption & judgement on those individuals would certainly make them targets of vigilantes who don't know the individual's particular situation, which they legally shouldn't have to reveal to others if it is a medical/mental health condition. Also, to tell those people to stay home, just because they cannot wear a mask, is just not right. There may be situations where they have to go out. What then? They cannot stay inside and be excluded from everyone else indefinitely. That is not good for anyone's mental health.  
 
Case in point, I know of a man who recently committed suicide due to not being able to leave his home & interact with others, nor work with others, due to lengthy lockdowns in another country. This is a real thing. Many countries have seen & will be seeing more of this as all these measures keep going.  
 
Given the current hostility I have already heard about in Brandon & elsewhere toward someone not wearing a mask (whether mandated or not), this could easily become a very dangerous situation for some. It baffles me that with all the talk of mental health, that this is no longer important in society.  
 
Some have listened, but many are still ignoring.  
 
I will continue to speak up for these people, even if others choose to remain silent or others who attack, online or in person, choose to be narrow minded.  
 
Not everyone CAN wear a mask.  
 
Edited by Flutterby, 2020-08-10 18:10:23

But I don't think they were including those people by virtue of his saying "anti maskers" and "anti vaxers'  
 
Those who can not utilize a mask are not ANTI mask. Those who refuse to wear one are.  
 
Those are the ones he was talking about.

This. But keep in mind we can't tell those two groups apart by merely looking at them.  
 
For those who CAN'T wear a mask, what would you like to see happen? How should we, collectively, handle this? I'd hate to force you to wear a big sign that says "I can't mask!", nor does anyone else need to know the details of the reasons why you can't.  
 
Understand that the more people wear masks, the more protected YOU will be, and that's a good thing. I have a child who CAN'T receive vaccines, and as such I reply other people (including my other children) to be vaccinated to protect her. The more people we can get to wear masks, the better off we'll ALL be.  
 
Everyone has the right to safety, and in this current situation universal masking will help especially those who are unable to mask.

We had to make seat belts law. And child car seats.  
 
We had to make driving under the influence illegal.  
 
We had to enact laws to prohibit texting and driving.  
 
We had ban smoking in public places.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
We are not that much smarter than Americans.

It’s amazing how many people claim that though.  
 
Yes, there will be many who medically or psychologically cannot, but not as many as say they ‘can’t’.  
 
They just don’t want to.  
 
I watch when I enter a store (which is seldom) and people don’t even consider the sanitizer unless there is someone there basically forcing them to.  
 
Kinda the same thing.  
 
Some people will medically not be able to use sanitizer but many will say that because they don’t like what it does to their hands. That isn’t medical, that is just a side effect of the product.

Masks should be mandated everywhere outside of your home, the alternative is to shut everything down again which nobody wants either. Borders should be closed, non essential travel prohibited. Recently read an article written by Dr Clare Rowson where she states that there are very few valid medical reasons to not wear a mask.  
 
Edited by Farmergeorge, 2020-08-10 19:02:59

Everything you said is 100% correct and that is where the mandate comes in.  
 
If it is law then I will presume that those who aren't wearing one have a valid reason (not mascne or such) not to. I would expect something would be developed to allow those with a legit reason to receive and show exemption.  
 
Like I said you are right and we have a social responsibility to wear masks for those who can't (not won't.)  
 
Someone up thread asked if we are so stupid we need a law. Yes. The evidence is everywhere that without a law there will be limited utilization. With a law there will be large majority compliance.  
 
Before drunk driving was made as severe a charge as it is lots of people drove drunk, now some still do (and always will - you can't get 100% compliance with anything) but the vast majority don't.  
 
This is no different.  
 
I hope your child is and remains safe throughout

Yeah, those are provincial or federal. We’re talking on eBrandon about Brandon.  
 
I know we are mostly redneck prairie-folk but we don’t need a law to wear masks. We are smarter than that. Or are we?  
 
I commit to wearing a mask in public.  
 
I don’t want to. I have psychological issues with masks, even Halloween masks, but I will suck it up to ensure the continued existence of people I love...and for the people everyone else loves too.

I feel people should have the choice to wear a mask or not, nothing should be forced on anyone...just like vaccines shouldn't be forced. People who can wear masks will or won't. Being made a law isn't going to stop the behaviour of the ones who choose to not follow that law. I have seen a few times where there are the disposable masks thrown on the ground...wt* is that about? Why wear one if you're gonna do that? So there are some mask wearers who are doing stupid sh** like that. So how is a law going to stop people from doing that? It's not. I have under 40% lung capacity equal to a 84 yr old (just tested other day) and I'm only 55, sorry I have a hard time wearing a mask. I find the disposable ones are worse than a cloth one. And find with my asthma I'm breathing through my mouth when I wear the mask as not enough oxygen just through my nose. I take it off when I am out of a store just so I can breathe fresh air. And am I making it worse for myself by having to breathe with my mouth inhaling/exhaling and more exposed possibly because of breathing through my mouth, yet without a mask I can breathe through my nose? I'm autoimmune aswell. Don't ya love aging? lol  
There are people who have the right to agree or disagree with masks or vaccines, and there are people like others mentioned who can't use them or have vaccines. More people wearing masks may help in some ways...but lets not shame (either publicly or online) or judge those people who aren't wearing a mask (or in future not vaccinating) as we don't know their situation. I dont want to see this town turn into a bunch of karen's or self righteous finger pointers or our town turning violent towards others,or calling cops on someone for not wearing a mask. I don't want to see us turn into the states and their mob mentaliy. This covid stuff is making some people really mean. The way that one pregnant lady experienced someone spitting at her and yelling at her in the paking lot was uncalled for and that person should have been talked to by the cops at least. They had no right to freak out on her. Things might be abit more rough with cold and flu season coming up, and we will need to be more careful and yet not become paranoid or live in fear of every person who has a sniffle (sinus issues, allergies, summer colds, bronchitis these things didn't dissapear just cuz' covid showed up). Just do the best you can, and for those who just throw their masks on the ground...there are garbage cans, or at least put it in a ziplock bag and then throw it out at the nearest garbage can...is it really gonna kill you to do that? Or should the person who has to pick that up risk their life (or their family) cuz' you're being a lazy a**?  
 
Edited by cheeseburgermonster, 2020-08-10 19:41:14

See, your situation is a perfect example of someone who shouldn't mask, and why it's paramount that the rest of us do.  
 
Most people who are advocating for masking are doing so from a place of love and concern. That's what I'm seeing. Again, drawing on my experiences with my daughter and vaccination, I have to rely on people doing the responsible thing, the kind thing, the loving thing by vaccinating themselves and their children, to keep my medically complicated child safe.  
 
Masking, for those who are able, is the responsible thing, the kind thing, and the loving thing to do to protect those who can't.  
 
As for the littering... that's another matter entirely. That's right up there with Timmie's cups and cigarette butts.

Masks were mandated during the Spanish flu 100 years ago and that did nothing to curb the flu! there are some who said back then that it actually made it worse! I was at the dentist a few weeks ago and masks were and are mandatory there, and here is what I saw. Almost everyone was fidgeting with their masks touching the front of them, pulling them down to talk to people only to pull them up when done talking and then proceeding to touch the counters the debit machine, pens to sign papers and so on. Now if one of those people were sick and they were wearing that mask for 20 min or so their mask would be saturated with what ever virus they had and anything they touched would be more contaminated than if they were not wearing a mask. It only takes 20 min for a mask to be saturated and needs to be replaced. How many people are replacing their masks? Now I think I should say I've been in the high risk group for just shy of 20 years and in that time I've become quite knowledgeable on how to keep myself safe from illness. Masks are not going to keep me safe! especially if people don't use them correctly, which isn't happening and won't happen. It didn't help 100 years ago and it will not help now. I find it funny how the experts have said nothing to people on how to strengthen their immune system during all this which is the best defense there is to protect us?

You bring up a good point, but I think you came to incorrect conclusions. Masks, then as is now, are not a stand - alone solution, but part of a comprehensive strategy. Back then, as now, they recognized that its primary job is to keep from spreading to others, not protect the wearer. Also like now, and as you have observed, they are not worn correctly or in the correct contexts. Education plays a vital role here, as does access.  
 
Here are some good b ackgrounders as to the particular failures from 1918 and the reasons surrounding current messaging.  
 
 
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200508.769108/full/#:~:text=Evaluating%20The%20Use%20Of%20Masks&text=Experts%20reviewing%20evidence%20from%201918masks%20failed%20to%20control%20infection.&text=Masks%20were%20used%20most%20frequentlymost%20likely%20to%20be%20infected.  
 
https://update.lib.berkeley.edu/2020/05/23/did-masks-work-the-1918-flu-pandemic-and-the-meaning-of-layered-interventions/

Face visor. There is absolutely no one with a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a plastic facial visor as there is no negative effect to breathing.  
 
Interesting article in a recent Newsweek. The results were interesting but not shocking.....narcissists and psychopaths are most likely to not wear masks. Again..interesting.  
 
Edited by Gussins, 2020-08-11 03:23:23

Medical guidelines during this public health emergency are put in place to be followed and the public should do as they are told, so many people think that they know better. People need to be more self disciplined.

Personally, I'm skeptical about people NOT being able to wear masks vs people who just can't be bothered, but I digress, I'm sure there's someone out there with such a malady that they can't wear a mask, but are otherwise perfectly equipped to handle the novel coronavirus.  
 
The City needs to be doing a much better job ensuring that people who are immunosuppressed, or unable to wear a mask ARE able to be adequately serviced in their homes. The masks aren't a vanity project, we just don't want people to get sick and die.  
 
Masks should be 100% compulsory in public, and people who are unable/unwilling to wear a mask should be able to take advantage of the taxes they pay to receive grocery/pharmacy/etc deliveries at their home so they don't need to leave for these necessary trips.  
 
At least until we see the cases drop in Brandon. The increase should worry people, at least to the point of taking some extra common sense precautions.  
 
If there isn't large-scale buy in on mask wearing and social distancing, we will just end up looking like some of the more worse off States. We can't rely on our Province's population density to stand in the way of an outbreak anymore, people need to be pro-active and considerate.

It is not that pleasant to wear a mask for most people. It takes time to get used to anything. But a ventilator probably not great either.High risk situations, is made safer with a mask on for everyone in that situation. Seems hard for some, to keep politics out of common sense.

West jet and other companies have mandatory mask wearing, unless with a professional medical note by a Doctor. I have seen people print things off etsy.. somehow thinking that makes them exempt from wearing a mask. If someone can supply an actual medical note stating they can’t wear a mask I don’t think anyone would have a problem with that.  
 
Best excuse i’ve heard as to not wearing a mask is ‘it hurts the back of my ears’ as they held up their laminated card from Etsy

The CDC does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for masks. Most likely because the droplets are easily escaped from around the shield. And to be honest if I went into the grocery store and saw someone wearing a shield I would think they are the psychopath rather than the poor unmasked Granny in the produce aisle...  
 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html  
 
Edited by BiG Mack, 2020-08-11 09:14:45

I don't know how to copy a link but this is what I found on google...  
 
Amesh Adalja, M.D., a pandemic preparedness expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says, “There's a lot of at least biological possibility to suspect that [shields] are definitely better than homemade face masks, and maybe even better than other types of masks as well, because they not only prevent you from spreading it … [and] because it also covers your eyes, it provides more protection to the mucus membranes of your face where you might be getting infected.”  
Another benefit, says Adalja: With a mask, you may find yourself constantly adjusting it and therefore touching your face and possibly transferring the virus from your hands, but wearing a shield “doesn't really put you in a position where you're touching your face so much, because it's not as cumbersome to wear."  
“face shields appear to significantly reduce the amount of inhalation exposure to influenza virus, another droplet-spread respiratory virus. In a simulation study, face shields were shown to reduce immediate viral exposure by 96 percent when worn by a simulated health care worker within 18 inches of a cough.