It's just super frustrating seeing people who are supposedly my brothers and sisters, who I've been there to the hilt, who know that my partner is struggling, who know that I'm terrified. We've gone through the science and racial and class inequalities together and they've voiced how they should mask a hundred times. And then they come to meet me IRL totally fucking unmasked, without even a fucking apology.

Well, if you're "back to normal", I'll sit and watch you eat outside, but I'm not taking my mask off in front of you. I'll wait till you finish your meal, and I'll head home early. If I've complained about no masking two times already, you heard it enough, I'm not going to complain again.

Am I overreacting?

Edit: for those of griping that you're not allowed to do COVID minimisation in this comm. These would be valid answer:

  • Maybe your friend forgot
  • Maybe your friend was tired
  • Maybe your friend was hung over
  • Your friend made a mistake but you should forgive him
  • I'm not yet fully covid conscious, but I'm trying
  • We can't all be perfect. Hopefully they do better next time.

Not acceptable:

  • Oh here's a tidbit about masks that's been disproven in the science literature 10x already
  • Oh the chuds and libs aren't masking, and I feel peer pressured
    • wopazoo [he/him]M
      ·
      edit-2
      5 days ago

      I am not asking you to wear a mask when you're outside taking a jog, but wearing a mask in high-risk situations (crowded or poor ventilation) such as schools, public transit, and concerts can significantly reduce your risk of infection, and you should consider doing it.

      Not getting sick protects your friends and family from getting sick. It is a social responsibility that other societies practice but our own society has forsaken since 2022.

      I do not think there is a psychological cost to fearing COVID, because the fear is rational and justified (especially for in immunocompromised people). Fear is an emotion that keeps you away from danger. One way to keep yourself away from danger is to wear a mask and to avoid high risk situations whenever possible.

      Personally, I will not stop wearing a mask until COVID is eradicated in my area. The long-term risks of COVID infection are simply too high.

    • ButtBidet [he/him]
      hexagon
      ·
      5 days ago

      is a psychological cost to not letting go of the fear of Covid

      That's a really clever way to blame those with legitimate fears, including serious health problems.

      in so far as those precautions are unlikely to really save anyone

      If you had an asymptomatic infection, and mask, you'd be saving those around you and those who live with those around you.

        • ButtBidet [he/him]
          hexagon
          ·
          5 days ago

          You're asked to put a mask on in crowded conditions. All that is irrelevant.

          I fear for my health and safety, and my families health, when someone comes near me, indoors, unmasked. I've given up so many activities since the unmasked people started joining even when we had mask mandates. So if you're cool with terrifying and threatening others, go on. I guess I can't force empathy on you.

            • ButtBidet [he/him]
              hexagon
              ·
              edit-2
              5 days ago

              I can ask a question and yet push back against bullshit. People's lives and health is literally at stake.

              Even if the entire crowd were masked, iirc with delta or omicron transmissibility that ended up with, what, ABSOLUTE BEST CASE <2 hrs before it's likely to have transmitted anyway? And that data iirc was just between two people

              That is aggressively ignorant and you should selfcrit immediately for saying something so dangerous. The room is large, air moves around, there are higher quality masks. Why are you arguing against sound and well proven medical advice?

              That's all the effort I'm putting into debating a lib answer.

        • nothx [any]
          ·
          5 days ago

          This lib take is kind of flirting with the rules of this comm I think.

          • wopazoo [he/him]M
            ·
            5 days ago

            If you feel that something violates the rules of this community, report it.

            • ButtBidet [he/him]
              hexagon
              ·
              5 days ago

              Sorry for all the work I'm making you do. And thanks for making this a safe community.

            • nothx [any]
              ·
              5 days ago

              Fair, I was more so making it known to the poster that they may want to back off this hill. Too late tho, haha.

    • Kuori [she/her]
      ·
      5 days ago

      hey friend you know what lowers that risk significantly?

      wearing a mask