Quebec to withdraw mask mandate
Quebec is planning to withdraw its mask mandate so that wearing one will no longer be required except on public transit by April.
Not sure how I feel about this. In two years, between working (freelance, not WFH) at home and wearing a mask on the odd occasion I’ve taken a bus or metro, I have not had a single head cold, and no flu or other contagious illness. I don’t think I’ll be the only person choosing to wear a mask on the bus after April.
qatzelok 12:43 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I know what you mean, Kate. I have also had virtually no colds.
But is this a good thing, or is having colds once in a while good for your immunity system?
Kate 12:51 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I’ve been around long enough that I think my immune system has encountered a pretty wide range of pathogens already and I don’t need to add to the collection. YMMV.
CE 13:06 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I’ll preface this by saying that I am not against masks and am aware that they are very useful for slowing the transmission of air-born viruses.
However, I’ve talked about this with a few people who, like me, have to wear a mask pretty much every day for most of the day. Those who get to work from home and don’t have to take transit every day tend to be more or less fine with the masks and seem to be hesitant about ending the mandate. They also tend to be the people who have made wearing and enforcing mask wearing part of their identities. But pretty much anyone who spends most of their day having to wear it likely can’t wait to never have to wear them ever again! Try working 10 hours in the heat without ever being able to take a mask off and you’ll feel the same way.
Tee Owe 13:25 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
My understanding is that wearing a mask protects others from you better than you from them. So if you have a cold or a sniffle, then yes, wear a mask – like the Japanese have been doing for decades. AFAIK your not catching a cold lately likely has more to do with hand hygiene, but masks can also help.
Tee Owe 13:33 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
that is to say, masks ‘worn by others’ can also help
MD 13:56 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
Hey Kate, I’m not getting the same impression from the article as you might be?
“Le gouvernement doit annoncer mercredi ou jeudi son plan de retrait du port du masque, qui pourrait demeurer obligatoire uniquement dans les transports en commun à partir d’avril.”
To me this sounds like it’ll be removed everywhere EXCEPT public transit, no?
Kate 14:36 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
Read too fast, MD. Thank you, I have fixed my post.
j2 15:28 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
Why public transport last? Density? Because I’m sure there are denser concerts and hockey games. And you can open a window on the buses. (well… run the air conditioner maybe).
And also, Meezly’s? account of the 55 with nosedicks or pulled all the way down.
(Tinfoil hat: killing public transit softly)
Kate 15:49 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
j2, you can’t open a window on the current crop of STM buses.
Meezly 15:55 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
Wasn’t me, and didn’t notice any nosedicks on the 55 that particular day, though I usually spot at least one on any given bus route.
DeWolf 18:15 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
What is it about buses and improper mask-wearing? Nearly everyone on the metro wears their mask properly, but every time I take the bus there’s somebody with a chin hammock or a nosedick.
qatzelok 18:35 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
“Why public transport last?”
That’s a good question. This meme suggests that common people taking common transport are just crawling with disease.
It’s a very classist trope. Commercial media (and commercial politicians) often defaults to marginalizing poverty, but only because poor people can’t buy the products it sells.
Kate 18:53 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
qatzelok, it doesn’t require wealth to put your mask up over your nose on the bus. After two years everyone should know how to wear a mask.
carswell 20:07 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
@j2 Maybe because public transit is one of the last crowded places that many people don’t have the option of avoiding?
COVID-wary individuals can chose not to go to stores, restaurants, the Bell Centre, PdA, etc. but if they need to travel — for work, appointments, shopping, whatever — and don’t have a car, they’re probably going to have to take the bus, train or metro.
Also, few if any of those businesses and venues put people in such close contact, including face-to-face contact, as public transit during rush hour.
Michael 20:13 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I had covid twice. Each time had tiny symptoms for only a few hours. Vaccinated 3x. I will never wear a mask again if I don’t have to.
Kate 20:30 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
Well, lucky you.
j2 21:42 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I get that people are tired and fed up, but that’s just saying let other people die or suffer.
I just wish I could breathe normally again.
MarcG 21:55 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
@Michael: You understand that if you get sick and have tiny symptoms but pass it on to someone who ends up dying because you didn’t wear a mask that that’s a Bad Thing™ right?
JaneyB 22:59 on 2022-03-02 Permalink
I like the mask-on-transit idea as well as the Asian mask-when-sick practise. I think the govt would be very interested to see what kind of effect keeping those would have on the winter medicare budget. It’s definitely worth assessing and also handy to have on hand in case new tough variants are headed our way.
Ian 12:10 on 2022-03-03 Permalink
@j2 that was me complaining about the 55 and all the “nosedicks”, I’m totally going to steal that 😀
@CE I wear a mask all day at my job, once my skin got used to it and I stopped getting maskne on the bridge and tip of my nose for the first few months I don’t really notice all that much. I’ve been wearing those duckface kn95s which make a better seal on my face shape and are a bit more roomy. The cheapo procedural masks are annoying, but I shopped around and found a model that is comfortable.
Kevin 12:41 on 2022-03-03 Permalink
Someone is going to earn a PhD studying the correlation between opposition to masking and exposure to foreign propaganda.
EmilyG 13:02 on 2022-03-03 Permalink
Keeping mask rules on transit is a great idea, and I’m totally in favour – but even these days, people on transit often don’t wear masks properly.