Anonymous #1 4d

The biggest thing for protecting others is stopping the distance particles travel, and even a surgical mask helps with that (but that doesn’t protect yourself). Of course higher protection is better if you can handle it, but any mask helps.

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Anonymous #2 4d

re: valved masks, the way I saw another community member phrase it, “can’t circulate what you don’t catch”. and as for surgical masks, very much agree that those count as effective all-way harm reduction when K/N95s aren’t doable

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Anonymous #2 4d

(also not to be corny but can I just say how healing it is to see three strangers having a collaborative nuanced & well-informed chat on the subject of covid mitigations, when people around me are mostly so unreliable, apathetic and/or poorly-informed 😭❤️‍🩹)

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Anonymous #3 4d

yes thank yall!! I wear it when I have a cold/sick to protect others. Lowkey cause it makes me faint so much I don’t rlly wear it for my own protection even though I probably should.

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Anonymous OP 4d

I would encourage you—if possible, of course—to try to find a way to mask in public indoor spaces even when you aren’t sick, for the safety of both yourself and other chronically ill people. the main problem is that covid is actually at its most contagious the day or two before symptoms surface

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Anonymous OP 4d

or, to be clear this is true of mild respiratory bugs and flu as well I believe, but covid is on average higher-stakes of course, and a whole lot of people aren’t keeping up with boosters which can mean that at this point the vaccination’s efficacy would be operating at 50% or less

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Anonymous #3 4d

yes I 100% agree, however, in class, per school policy, everytime I faint an ambulance has to be called, and I faint without fail when I wear a mask, so I have stopped in a few places unfortunately. I’m usually and thankfully able to tolerate it during my bus rides.

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Anonymous OP 4d

I think I’m gonna try with an ice ring and my fan though like one person suggested!! I rlly wanna be able to wear them especially in small enclosed spaces 😭

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Anonymous OP 4d

crossing my fingers I stay conscious 🫠🤪😋🥳🌸🌺

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Anonymous OP 4d

yeah, major emphasis on the “if possible” part, gotta manage the risk of fainting first and foremost!! that’s brutal, I’m sorry there’s so much adapting & strategizing you have to do around safety concerns 🥲 my own POTS is comparatively mild but it still makes masking difficult in summertime, so I def empathize

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Anonymous OP 4d

omg I actually had to switch to disposable KN95s in the summer specifically because my go-to reusable respirator felt overly restrictive on my face in the dry heat… I take it you’ve probably tried out the disposable kinds already though

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Anonymous #3 4d

i have 😭, kn95s are out of my price range (and I can wear them for like max 30min w/o seeing the light), and the disposable/reusable ones seem to have the same effect. I’d rather not create a bunch of waste either. thank you so so much for ur suggestions and advice too

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Anonymous #3 4d

mine is baseline mild too, but my flares make it severe, I’m just super duper heat sensitive 😭😭

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Anonymous OP 4d

100% hear you, I was only able to switch over to disposable KN95s because my area is blessed with a mask bloc. well damn, wish I had some actual practical tips up my sleeve 🙂‍↕️ hang in there homie! sounds like you’re persevering to look out for yourself & others as best as possible given the circumstances, I legit respect it

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Anonymous #3 4d

thank you!! 🌸💖💖

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Anonymous OP 4d

you as well 🫶

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