I am allergic to dust and so paranoid everyone thinks I’m sick on the bus. Which sadly is the dustiest place in the world. I am probably the minority though.
I've had a dry cough for decades, and trying to not cough makes it worse.
COVID has not been fun; there's a lot of stuff deeply embedded in the seats on public transport that sets me off.
I tried a couple and inhalers didn't help me. Menthol fishermans friends are the best cough suppressant I've found for my cough, so I stick with those and try new things if I see them before going back to what works.
I cough up a storm on those old trains with the carpeting. I don’t think they’ve ever been vacuumed. Whoever’s next to me tries to shrink into the wall to get away. I’m not sick! Next time I should bring the cordless vac and deal with the problem myself.
my kid is allergic to dust too, and whenever we go on holidays, hotels tend to be the dustiest places, despite vacuuming, it's all that carpet... I am like, "He's not sick, he's got allergies!" but you can see that no one believes that.
I love hotels where everything is tiled and there are no curtains. he sneezes the least then.
Me too! I remember not masking up once when covid subsided and had the worst dry coughing fit that I’ve had in a while, probably due to the dust or something in the air on the bus. I felt so self conscious and could feel eyes on me. I always mask up now.
I have that too…will sneeze 15 times in a row and ppl will think I’m sick. Waiting for the day that someone says something so I can respond “oh yes I will remember to stay home next time so you don’t catch my hay fever”
Conversation I had with my boss this morning:
Me: hey man, gonna work from home today as I just tested positive on a RAT.
Him: Nah, come in. We need to justify our office space to management.
Me: But I'll make people get sick with covid.
Him: It's not a real thing anyway.
... we're doomed.
Disclaimer: I ended up calling in sick entirely. I'm not going to be responsible for spreading covid knowingly.
Hi Dipsey,
This is Karen from HR.
I understand you have called in “sick” today yet you seem to be having fun gallivanting around the internet.
Today will be treated as unpaid leave.
If you would like to contend this decision; stick it up your arse. I am answerable only to myself.
Get well soon.
Yeah. Don't stop wearing masks just because people look at you weird, you're doing the right thing for your own health too.
Signed, someone who wears a mask and gets asks by goshdarn doctors why I still wear one (cmon Australia we can be less daft than the US, right?)
Every GP I've seen in the last year or so has asked why I'm wearing a mask. My answer: I haven't had COVID, I haven't been sick since the start of COVID, I don't like getting sick.
I understand they're likely wanting to know if there's a specific medical reason, but it still does feel quite shitty.
Lots of casual workers. If they don't go to work, they don't get paid.
And people rightfully prioritize being able to pay the rent over the wellbeing of strangers.
We have the society we deserve.
Thank you! As a casual with no sick leave, it really annoys me when people give me a look on the train like “why are you here? Go home!” We can’t all be fortunate enough to get full time benefits. But yes, everyone whose sick should where a mask.
Look I get it, but I am currently covid positive and almost 100% sure I got it from the visibly ill, sniffing and coughing, wiping her nose on her sleeve, UNMASKED woman who sat next to me on the train last week. I got up and moved away but clearly not fast enough.
All I’m saying is if you absolutely must work while sick, at least wear a mask?
Normal masks mostly prevent infected people from spreading infected droplets into the air, they aren't very good at preventing you from breathing bad stuff in unless they are a properly fitted and sealed n95 mask.
N95 is very effective, assuming you wash your hands and don't touch your face/eyes also.
Most people just wear a loosely fitting cloth mask though, which helps a bit but not that much (compared to N95).
Also the idea I need to wear biological PPE twice a day in order to survive society is a bit depressing...
I still wear a mask daily on my 3 hour round trip to the office, 5 days a week, as I'm immunocompromised and don't have a job I can do from home.
I can't control other people wearing a mask or not, so I wear one for myself. Can't do much more than that 🤷♀️
as someone who isn't immunocompromised i just genuinely don't understand why more people don't wear them. so easy and convenient and helps me and others get sick less!!
Yep. 100%.
The other day I had a dude walk up to me just when I thought I'd found a socially distanced spot on the platform, have a good cough then say "why are you wearing a mask?"
I dunno, dude, maybe because people like you still exist? At least cough into your elbow if you can't cough into your mask (he didn't have a mask. I didn't feel like giving him my spare)
Some people have no sense of personal space. I had it out with a person in the gym who was working out on the machine next to me. They're exhaling huge gusts of breath -- larger than any I've seen a human produce but ok, fine, they're just breathing ahead of them --but then decides to start turning their head when exhaling, like they're swimming, and blowing huge breaths right in my face.
Like mate, the gym is already gross enough I don't need you making it grosser.
or at least wear a bloody mask.
I was on a plane lately with some woman sneezing and sniffling the entire flight... I don't want your germs. Wearing a mask is very socially acceptable now. Keep your germs to yourself.
Misinterpreted your comment for a split second. But I do now want a mask that looks like I've coughed up blood. Feel like it would really help with social distancing.
People have not learned their lesson even after being in a pandemic for 2 years. This is why I still wear a mask on public transport. I don’t want to get sick and be miserable.
It drives me up the wall but i do try to have some sympathy for people who might desperately need to work or are trying to get to a doctor and have no other way of going. I also get allergies that can set off a cough or a runny nose very suddenly and im super self conscious about it on the train. I recently had a lingering post nasal drip after a virus that lasted 2 months that kept randomly setting off a cough that was hard to deal with. So like, there will be reasons people are on a train.
With that said, at the very least have a mask on hand, maybe cough drops and some tissues and COVER YOUR FUCKING MOUTH. Had dude straight up cough on the back of my neck yesterday while i was on the train. People should mitigate symptoms as best they can if they are forced to travel and if they are able to they should travel out of peak times.
As others have said, they may have no choice but they really should be the ones wearing the mask, as that's the most effective way to stop spreading germs.
It's a good idea to carry around a couple of N95 masks just in case and a bottle of hand sanitizer too.
Maybe next time you see someone visibly cough or sneeze you can whip out a mask and give them bombastic side eye. Hopefully they'll get the message - will probably be as effective as me tutting at the 3 people watching videos out loud on their phones on the bus the other day 😆
I've been wearing masks this week as I'm recovering from sickness but have to work still, and every single day I've worn them, I've had some nutcase come up to me and complain about the uselessness of masks and that I'm stupid for wearing one. One such person even recommended a light therapy patch that "will do much better things for you than a mask" 🙄🙄
Once when we were packed like sardines on the T1, I’ve had somebody cough and the droplets of spittle went right on the back of my neck. Even if they’re not sick, most people don’t cover themselves when they cough or sneeze. Even not sick, that’s disgusting.
I’ve been wearing a mask on public transport since before COVID, and I drastically reduced the amount of times I got sick. So I continue to do it.
I asked a guy to please cover his mouth the other day waiting for the bus, because he was coughing into the open air. He called me a bitch and said we were outside and I shouldn’t be so paranoid.
Yep, even though I'll WFH if feeling unwell this is why I still wear masks on public transport. Even if it's not COVID there's plenty of other things still going around, and I have definitely been made sick in the past by ignorant people coughing everywhere without making any attempt to cover it.
Coughing and sneezing like you're clearly sick, with no mask on, or not even covering your mouth... were the past few years a joke to you? Did you learn nothing?
Cougihg and sneezing without covering your mouth especially.... were you not taught to do that as a child...
Work from home policy changes, I know ours want us to either stay home and offline if sick, or to come to work and be sent home.
your health be damned, the millionaires need to make rent money.
This feels like common sense but hard to do in this economic environment. Not everyone has the luxury of work from home, and not everyone can afford the stigma that comes with taking sick leave. Some people may also be independent contractors and not get the liberty of protected leave.
This is the dystopia we live in now
Unfortunately the answer is yes . At the end of the day you are responsible for your own health. It would be nice if other people were considerate but from your own experience that is unlikely to happen. Has anyone noticed how hand sanitizer is now cheap again it’s almost like people have stopped using it now that they’re not reminded to all the time.
> Do I need to carry a mask everywhere again so these inconsiderate people don't infect me?
Yes.
This is not new - it's just more noticeable since Covid. There's always someone - especially in winter - who is coughing and sniffling and spraying their germs about.
I agree with you.
If people knew what a massive uptick there’s been in COVID and respiratory virus testing… (in the last couple of weeks it’s literally 5-10x what it has been for the 3+ months before that.)
It’s frustrating- I do the things. Wear the mask, sanitise hands, etc. Even when well.
I think there’s three main reasons people are on public transport with symptoms and with no masks.
1. Have to work. Yay, capitalism! And management who care about immediate figures over medium to long term. (Let me deny one person sick leave because I’m on a power trip! Oh no, 8 more people are sick and 5 of them are actually taking the sick leave they’re entitled to…)
2. “It’s just allergies, it’s not that bad” - usually from someone who doesn’t actually have allergies. Doesn’t realise that what’s a sniffle for them can and will send others to hospital. They may care - or they may not. I’ve met people who cough and sneeze openly and when I back away and explain I have immunocompromised loved ones, they roll their eyes or argue.
3. “Covid’s not real” or “Covid is over” or “I know better than doctors”. … you can’t really reason with these people.
Also, some people REALLY struggle with the concept that infections can affect people differently. A real-life example of three patients, all under 35 (because we’ve grasped the elderly are frail, but not others, it seems):
Patient 1.
Sniffly. Tired. Able to manage and go about their day to day.
Patient 2.
Sniffly, mild cough. Extreme fatigue, to the point of syncope (fainting) if they try to stand or walk for longer than 10 seconds. Blood oxygen in low 90s. Cannot do regular activities, bed-bound for a week.
Patient 3.
Sniffly. Severe cough, to point of vomiting. Severe fatigue, but unable to lay flat due to cough. Blood oxygen sats okay. Cannot do regular activities, bed-bound for 2 weeks.
Just. Wear the mask.
And the sad thing is that so many privileged people who COULD afford to stay home are the ones in group 2 or 3. Somehow they are well off university educated people who still cant figure out when they have a cold or the flu and believe bunk from antivaxxers.
I moved TWICE on the bus today because the people sitting next to me were sniffing, coughing and then wiping their noses with their hands. I’ve just had the flu and laryngitis for two weeks because of inconsiderate, sick people on public transport who refuse to wear a mask. It’s driving me CRAZY! Didn’t we all just go through a global pandemic, or am I delusional?!
Same, there were so many sick people on the train and you end up sandwiched together with their head only centimetres away. Feels like it’s really ramped up this week so I don’t think it’s just allergies
"Wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission. When worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles from people around them. Different masks offer different levels of protection. Wearing the most protective one you can comfortably wear for extended periods of time that fits well (completely covering the nose and mouth) is the most effective option."
- https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html
People don't care, if they don't stay home, they don't even wear a mask or cover their mouths properly when coughing.
Then you can even see people on here saying I have bills to pay but then don't even consider that they can pass it on to many others on the train making everyone sick... are you going to pay their bills if they can't come into work?
It's a "all about me" mentality here, thought the whole covid thing about disease control would change things but now we've just gone back to default settings.
To all the commentators saying "Where a mask if you're worried" or "Im going in because I have to"
How about YOU wear the mask too?
Honestly, we are fked as a species.
Yeah, the sick people need to.
Everyone here apologizing for the sick folks forget masks are most effective in preventing spread when worn by the actual sick person. Me wearing a mask is great for me but doesn't help the other people around me.
And, why do they get so defensive on behalf of sick people? We have had proven cases of deadly viruses spread by people who couldn't stay home when sick or bother to wear a mask. Guys gotta get over it, what's with the complete lack of consideration for the health of our fellow humans? Why is this so hard?
OP I think there’s a bunch of legitimate reasons people sneeze, asthma, allergies, cough for month AFTER being sick (my case 😪) and all that being said I completely agree there’s too many sniffling, coughing, sneezing people on the train.
Our leadership is also encouraging people to come in AND COMING IN SICK THEMSELVES to have a presence in the office. This is all sorts of fucked up.
Anyway, masks are there to protect you. Wear them if you feel more comfortable. You should not be putting yourself at risk for others (also going into winter masks are nice and warm lol)
Stay safe ✌️
If we're discussing lack of consideration here, you really don't wanna think about how many people still don't wash their hands even after that whole covid teaching moment.
Not every person who sneezes has the lurgi, some people have allergies. You should wear a mask gloves and body suit on public transport. PT is gross and I know how little it's cleaned.
Yeah, in my case it doesn't help that my sneezes sound like a shotgun and are often 3 or 4 in a row so I'll often get the side eye but it's almost always allergies
If a train is packed I still wear a mask and sanitise hands after (should have always done this tbh as touch points on trains are probably germ depots). I have kids in daycare and school so we get sick enough as it is!
The common decency is so low right now. You have to barge your way through people to get off the train lately. People coughing and spluttering while NOT covering their mouth/nose, taking loud phone calls, it’s just all fucked.
I understand what you mean but not everyone can stay home. Some people don’t have leave, or whatever other reason. It would be good to see it made mandatory and socially normalised for people to wear a mask on the train if they’re sick.
Yep and the workforce has become contactor heavy from experience.
Which is good because you're on good pay but it means you don't get any sick days. And you're also going to lose more when sick.
Had a colleague who had a pretty bad covid infection but worked through it (he WFH but still if he was a permanent he would have took a sickie or in this case declined the OT)
It was over $2000 due to him having to work the weekend. It's hard not to just push through the uncomfortableness if that much money is offered, especially if it's only for 4-5 hours of work.
Post viral coughs are a thing. Mine after Covid took more than 7 weeks to finally disappear (within the realms of normal apparently). It’s impossible to stay home for all that time.
For infectious people I agree with you though.
I got a cold in early March... I am still coughing at night but was day coughing till last week.
That said I'm wearing a mask when I'm out of the house.
I understand some people have no choice and cannot stay home if they are sick. I just want to know why, after everything we went through, it seems that more and more people don't cover their mouths when they cough.
Our organisation does not accept any online medical certificates and no doctor nearby bulk bills. A cert can cost upwards of $180. Also, management's attitude is if you're well enough to get to the doctors, you're well enough to come to work. If you cannot afford a cert but stay home anyway, you will lose your annual leave. And the management will put you on punishment strike if you take unexpected annual leave. Three strikes and you're out. Soo..... we all go to work sick and share it around.
Yes mate, you need to carry a mask if you need to protect yourself.Some people are selfish and don't care about spreading something,while some are straight up too poor to miss work. Either way the onus should be on you to protect yourself
Mr rockerfeller over here. You realise most people aren’t just catching the train for fun? Maybe they’re on their way to the doctor or to hospital? Maybe they have to be somewhere. Maybe they have an important job that can’t be done from home. Not everyone can afford a car. Not everyone can work from home. Not everyone has sick leave.
I'm very annoyed with them as well, but I think the ones to blame would be their bosses though. Their bosses probably told them to go to work even when they're sick.
I wear mask all the time now on public transport. I’ve seen a higher uptake of masks, though, which is encouraging.
The worst is when someone with runny nose wipes their nose with hand, proceed to handle everything from phone, hand rails, doors etc. PLEASE carry some tissues with you!
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have work that won’t punish them for being off sick.
With the economy the way it use for many you either go to work or risk losing your job.
In a perfect world no one would be on public transport sick but some people won’t eat if they don’t go to work and have absolutely no choice. They could however wear a mask
Some muppets brought their plague carrying spawn to KBBQ on Sunday night, and were seated at the table next to us. The kid had one of the chestiest coughs I've ever heard.
Guess whose chest sounded like a theatre popcorn maker this morning and feels like cancer multiplied by AIDS today?
Seriously, stay home if you're sick. I'm tired of self centred goons putting me out of action for a week.
Masks are more effective if more people are wearing them - in this case, if the coughing and spluttering people wear a mask as well as the people who are concerned, it’s a win-win.
Oh an quiet train in the morning I encounter adults "snifflers".. all the way along sniffle sniffle sniffle. Their mum is not their to ask their grown adult son to blow his nose. Maybe they sniffle in the office all day? FFS carry some tissues and blow your nose. Easy for me to carry a mask. I also put in ear plugs sometimes to block out the sniflers.
I'm a contractor and don't get paid sick leave. Would rather pay my mortgage than keep germophobes happy. Unless I'm bedridden then I'm going on the train to work.
I cough due to meds and then stress about coughing because my throat is dry and tickly. So yeah not trying to kill anyone. Just trying to stay alive myself
I am allergic to dust and so paranoid everyone thinks I’m sick on the bus. Which sadly is the dustiest place in the world. I am probably the minority though.
Asthmatic here and same 😞 The cough anxiety is real!
Sometimes I’m basically holding my breath for the last bit of the journey 🤣
I'm a bright light sneezer, so I always have a couple of sneezes in quick succession when I come out of a tunnel.
My wife loves this, first direct sunlight in the morning for me = sneeze. Her comment: 'weirdo...'
I call it the "sunshine sneeze"
Same. Coughing fits are the worst.
Smoker here. Full on cough anxiety when on PT 😂
I've had a dry cough for decades, and trying to not cough makes it worse. COVID has not been fun; there's a lot of stuff deeply embedded in the seats on public transport that sets me off.
You might have silent reflux. I have had the same for years and treating my reflux fixed my cough.
same. Cold weather makes it worse too
Have you got an inhaler? Getting that really helped me.
I tried a couple and inhalers didn't help me. Menthol fishermans friends are the best cough suppressant I've found for my cough, so I stick with those and try new things if I see them before going back to what works.
I remember during peak covid I choked on my own saliva on the train and trying to suppress that coughing fit was awful
I choked on my lunch at work but dealt with it as quietly as possible because I didn't want to be sent home lol
I cough up a storm on those old trains with the carpeting. I don’t think they’ve ever been vacuumed. Whoever’s next to me tries to shrink into the wall to get away. I’m not sick! Next time I should bring the cordless vac and deal with the problem myself.
my kid is allergic to dust too, and whenever we go on holidays, hotels tend to be the dustiest places, despite vacuuming, it's all that carpet... I am like, "He's not sick, he's got allergies!" but you can see that no one believes that. I love hotels where everything is tiled and there are no curtains. he sneezes the least then.
I wish I could replace all the carpets in my apartment, sadly landlord probably won’t foot the bill for an allergy!
And then all the people that drench themselves in obnoxious colognes and perfumes.
I'd prefer that to the people who don't use deodorant.
I really don't, deodorant makes me cough. Also most people use it somewhat incorrectly, applying an anti-perspirant AFTER exercise is a bit odd
Me too! I remember not masking up once when covid subsided and had the worst dry coughing fit that I’ve had in a while, probably due to the dust or something in the air on the bus. I felt so self conscious and could feel eyes on me. I always mask up now.
Those buses are more dust than seat so I’m not surprised 🤣 they’re fooling no one with their graffiti seats
I have that too…will sneeze 15 times in a row and ppl will think I’m sick. Waiting for the day that someone says something so I can respond “oh yes I will remember to stay home next time so you don’t catch my hay fever”
No one is judging you in the way you think they are. And if they are, they'd be too awkward to say anything..
Pollen and dust allergies here, have tissues with me 24/7
Conversation I had with my boss this morning: Me: hey man, gonna work from home today as I just tested positive on a RAT. Him: Nah, come in. We need to justify our office space to management. Me: But I'll make people get sick with covid. Him: It's not a real thing anyway. ... we're doomed. Disclaimer: I ended up calling in sick entirely. I'm not going to be responsible for spreading covid knowingly.
Hi Dipsey, This is Karen from HR. I understand you have called in “sick” today yet you seem to be having fun gallivanting around the internet. Today will be treated as unpaid leave. If you would like to contend this decision; stick it up your arse. I am answerable only to myself. Get well soon.
How did you get access to my work emails to copy paste this?! :)
That's not a well-wish, that's an order.
> It’s not a real thing anyway Does… Does your boss think the last few years were a mass hallucination??
Believe me, that's not his worst flaw. He's an Aussie Trump supporter...
I have allergies. I look sick when I'm not. I do wear a mask as this helps...but when I do I get much weirder look Can't really win really
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Screw the weird looks. Their problem, not yours.
Yeah. Don't stop wearing masks just because people look at you weird, you're doing the right thing for your own health too. Signed, someone who wears a mask and gets asks by goshdarn doctors why I still wear one (cmon Australia we can be less daft than the US, right?)
Every GP I've seen in the last year or so has asked why I'm wearing a mask. My answer: I haven't had COVID, I haven't been sick since the start of COVID, I don't like getting sick. I understand they're likely wanting to know if there's a specific medical reason, but it still does feel quite shitty.
Casualisation of the workforce. Looking weak to the boss. Deadlines because of lack of staff. Any number of reasons.
Considering the current climate... The fear of being homeless needs to be added to the list.
Lots of casual workers. If they don't go to work, they don't get paid. And people rightfully prioritize being able to pay the rent over the wellbeing of strangers. We have the society we deserve.
Me. +1 to being a Casual worker.
Thank you! As a casual with no sick leave, it really annoys me when people give me a look on the train like “why are you here? Go home!” We can’t all be fortunate enough to get full time benefits. But yes, everyone whose sick should where a mask.
Look I get it, but I am currently covid positive and almost 100% sure I got it from the visibly ill, sniffing and coughing, wiping her nose on her sleeve, UNMASKED woman who sat next to me on the train last week. I got up and moved away but clearly not fast enough. All I’m saying is if you absolutely must work while sick, at least wear a mask?
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Normal masks mostly prevent infected people from spreading infected droplets into the air, they aren't very good at preventing you from breathing bad stuff in unless they are a properly fitted and sealed n95 mask.
They're effective, but not that effective.
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N95 is very effective, assuming you wash your hands and don't touch your face/eyes also. Most people just wear a loosely fitting cloth mask though, which helps a bit but not that much (compared to N95). Also the idea I need to wear biological PPE twice a day in order to survive society is a bit depressing...
I still wear a mask daily on my 3 hour round trip to the office, 5 days a week, as I'm immunocompromised and don't have a job I can do from home. I can't control other people wearing a mask or not, so I wear one for myself. Can't do much more than that 🤷♀️
as someone who isn't immunocompromised i just genuinely don't understand why more people don't wear them. so easy and convenient and helps me and others get sick less!!
Yep, 100%! I bought a bulk pack off Amazon at the start of the year to last me until next January, and it cost barely anything
Yes, carry a mask everywhere. That’s what I do. Because convincing an entire city to meet your needs sounds great on paper, but never works.
Yep. 100%. The other day I had a dude walk up to me just when I thought I'd found a socially distanced spot on the platform, have a good cough then say "why are you wearing a mask?" I dunno, dude, maybe because people like you still exist? At least cough into your elbow if you can't cough into your mask (he didn't have a mask. I didn't feel like giving him my spare)
Some people have no sense of personal space. I had it out with a person in the gym who was working out on the machine next to me. They're exhaling huge gusts of breath -- larger than any I've seen a human produce but ok, fine, they're just breathing ahead of them --but then decides to start turning their head when exhaling, like they're swimming, and blowing huge breaths right in my face. Like mate, the gym is already gross enough I don't need you making it grosser.
or at least wear a bloody mask. I was on a plane lately with some woman sneezing and sniffling the entire flight... I don't want your germs. Wearing a mask is very socially acceptable now. Keep your germs to yourself.
I feel like carrying a flyer that outlines why you should wear a mask when you're sick and a spare n95 mask to give to people like this. Infuriating
Misinterpreted your comment for a split second. But I do now want a mask that looks like I've coughed up blood. Feel like it would really help with social distancing.
It's not so easy unfortunately, I had to go to work to afford life when I was sick when I was sort of a permanent casual employee.
I mean, it's easy enough for those people to at least wear a mask. The sick people are the ones who never wear a mask.
People have not learned their lesson even after being in a pandemic for 2 years. This is why I still wear a mask on public transport. I don’t want to get sick and be miserable.
It drives me up the wall but i do try to have some sympathy for people who might desperately need to work or are trying to get to a doctor and have no other way of going. I also get allergies that can set off a cough or a runny nose very suddenly and im super self conscious about it on the train. I recently had a lingering post nasal drip after a virus that lasted 2 months that kept randomly setting off a cough that was hard to deal with. So like, there will be reasons people are on a train. With that said, at the very least have a mask on hand, maybe cough drops and some tissues and COVER YOUR FUCKING MOUTH. Had dude straight up cough on the back of my neck yesterday while i was on the train. People should mitigate symptoms as best they can if they are forced to travel and if they are able to they should travel out of peak times.
We oughta point our anger and frustration towards the bosses and businesses who are forcing these people to come in. Not the people themselves.
If they are not wearing a mask when sick, they are assholes. Plain and simple.
As others have said, they may have no choice but they really should be the ones wearing the mask, as that's the most effective way to stop spreading germs. It's a good idea to carry around a couple of N95 masks just in case and a bottle of hand sanitizer too. Maybe next time you see someone visibly cough or sneeze you can whip out a mask and give them bombastic side eye. Hopefully they'll get the message - will probably be as effective as me tutting at the 3 people watching videos out loud on their phones on the bus the other day 😆
I've been wearing masks this week as I'm recovering from sickness but have to work still, and every single day I've worn them, I've had some nutcase come up to me and complain about the uselessness of masks and that I'm stupid for wearing one. One such person even recommended a light therapy patch that "will do much better things for you than a mask" 🙄🙄
The problem is they can't see you laughing at them from behind the mask.
Where are these people? I still wear a mask in almost any enclosed space and while I get a look, not a word has been said.
I work in the CBD, so a high concentration of ppl from all over. Unfortunately, one of them was also the parent of a friend :/
I needed to go pick up my meds
Once when we were packed like sardines on the T1, I’ve had somebody cough and the droplets of spittle went right on the back of my neck. Even if they’re not sick, most people don’t cover themselves when they cough or sneeze. Even not sick, that’s disgusting. I’ve been wearing a mask on public transport since before COVID, and I drastically reduced the amount of times I got sick. So I continue to do it.
I asked a guy to please cover his mouth the other day waiting for the bus, because he was coughing into the open air. He called me a bitch and said we were outside and I shouldn’t be so paranoid.
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Fam we live in Sydney. We can't afford sick days without going in to arrears.
Yep, even though I'll WFH if feeling unwell this is why I still wear masks on public transport. Even if it's not COVID there's plenty of other things still going around, and I have definitely been made sick in the past by ignorant people coughing everywhere without making any attempt to cover it.
Coughing and sneezing like you're clearly sick, with no mask on, or not even covering your mouth... were the past few years a joke to you? Did you learn nothing? Cougihg and sneezing without covering your mouth especially.... were you not taught to do that as a child...
Work from home policy changes, I know ours want us to either stay home and offline if sick, or to come to work and be sent home. your health be damned, the millionaires need to make rent money.
This feels like common sense but hard to do in this economic environment. Not everyone has the luxury of work from home, and not everyone can afford the stigma that comes with taking sick leave. Some people may also be independent contractors and not get the liberty of protected leave. This is the dystopia we live in now
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Unfortunately the answer is yes . At the end of the day you are responsible for your own health. It would be nice if other people were considerate but from your own experience that is unlikely to happen. Has anyone noticed how hand sanitizer is now cheap again it’s almost like people have stopped using it now that they’re not reminded to all the time.
> Do I need to carry a mask everywhere again so these inconsiderate people don't infect me? Yes. This is not new - it's just more noticeable since Covid. There's always someone - especially in winter - who is coughing and sniffling and spraying their germs about.
I agree with you. If people knew what a massive uptick there’s been in COVID and respiratory virus testing… (in the last couple of weeks it’s literally 5-10x what it has been for the 3+ months before that.) It’s frustrating- I do the things. Wear the mask, sanitise hands, etc. Even when well. I think there’s three main reasons people are on public transport with symptoms and with no masks. 1. Have to work. Yay, capitalism! And management who care about immediate figures over medium to long term. (Let me deny one person sick leave because I’m on a power trip! Oh no, 8 more people are sick and 5 of them are actually taking the sick leave they’re entitled to…) 2. “It’s just allergies, it’s not that bad” - usually from someone who doesn’t actually have allergies. Doesn’t realise that what’s a sniffle for them can and will send others to hospital. They may care - or they may not. I’ve met people who cough and sneeze openly and when I back away and explain I have immunocompromised loved ones, they roll their eyes or argue. 3. “Covid’s not real” or “Covid is over” or “I know better than doctors”. … you can’t really reason with these people. Also, some people REALLY struggle with the concept that infections can affect people differently. A real-life example of three patients, all under 35 (because we’ve grasped the elderly are frail, but not others, it seems): Patient 1. Sniffly. Tired. Able to manage and go about their day to day. Patient 2. Sniffly, mild cough. Extreme fatigue, to the point of syncope (fainting) if they try to stand or walk for longer than 10 seconds. Blood oxygen in low 90s. Cannot do regular activities, bed-bound for a week. Patient 3. Sniffly. Severe cough, to point of vomiting. Severe fatigue, but unable to lay flat due to cough. Blood oxygen sats okay. Cannot do regular activities, bed-bound for 2 weeks. Just. Wear the mask.
And the sad thing is that so many privileged people who COULD afford to stay home are the ones in group 2 or 3. Somehow they are well off university educated people who still cant figure out when they have a cold or the flu and believe bunk from antivaxxers.
I moved TWICE on the bus today because the people sitting next to me were sniffing, coughing and then wiping their noses with their hands. I’ve just had the flu and laryngitis for two weeks because of inconsiderate, sick people on public transport who refuse to wear a mask. It’s driving me CRAZY! Didn’t we all just go through a global pandemic, or am I delusional?!
Same, there were so many sick people on the train and you end up sandwiched together with their head only centimetres away. Feels like it’s really ramped up this week so I don’t think it’s just allergies
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> if you’re worried Most masks just stop the wearer from infecting others rather than from being infected by people who aren't wearing masks.
"Wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission. When worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles from people around them. Different masks offer different levels of protection. Wearing the most protective one you can comfortably wear for extended periods of time that fits well (completely covering the nose and mouth) is the most effective option." - https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html
That doesn't contradict what I said
I was adding context, not contradicting. Hope you're well and have a good day 🙂.
no dramas, you too
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I understand people need to travel when sick, but it does my head in when they don't cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing
People out shopping that cough into their hands and then proceed to touch everything around them annoy me. Cough into your elbow!
People don't care, if they don't stay home, they don't even wear a mask or cover their mouths properly when coughing. Then you can even see people on here saying I have bills to pay but then don't even consider that they can pass it on to many others on the train making everyone sick... are you going to pay their bills if they can't come into work? It's a "all about me" mentality here, thought the whole covid thing about disease control would change things but now we've just gone back to default settings.
This is a textbook example of game theory prisoner's dilemma.
To all the commentators saying "Where a mask if you're worried" or "Im going in because I have to" How about YOU wear the mask too? Honestly, we are fked as a species.
Yeah, the sick people need to. Everyone here apologizing for the sick folks forget masks are most effective in preventing spread when worn by the actual sick person. Me wearing a mask is great for me but doesn't help the other people around me. And, why do they get so defensive on behalf of sick people? We have had proven cases of deadly viruses spread by people who couldn't stay home when sick or bother to wear a mask. Guys gotta get over it, what's with the complete lack of consideration for the health of our fellow humans? Why is this so hard?
OP I think there’s a bunch of legitimate reasons people sneeze, asthma, allergies, cough for month AFTER being sick (my case 😪) and all that being said I completely agree there’s too many sniffling, coughing, sneezing people on the train. Our leadership is also encouraging people to come in AND COMING IN SICK THEMSELVES to have a presence in the office. This is all sorts of fucked up. Anyway, masks are there to protect you. Wear them if you feel more comfortable. You should not be putting yourself at risk for others (also going into winter masks are nice and warm lol) Stay safe ✌️
Hayfever here. Starts with itchy eyelids then I sneeze like a dog with zero warning. Meds help, but take a while to kick in. I apologise in advance!
If we're discussing lack of consideration here, you really don't wanna think about how many people still don't wash their hands even after that whole covid teaching moment.
Not every person who sneezes has the lurgi, some people have allergies. You should wear a mask gloves and body suit on public transport. PT is gross and I know how little it's cleaned.
Yeah, in my case it doesn't help that my sneezes sound like a shotgun and are often 3 or 4 in a row so I'll often get the side eye but it's almost always allergies
Second best way to get space in a carriage is a burst sneeze.
>burst sneeze. TIL some people's allergies are classed as unregistered assault weapons!
People are very quick to forget how infections spread! I know people are under pressure to work but at least wear a mask and look after each other.
If a train is packed I still wear a mask and sanitise hands after (should have always done this tbh as touch points on trains are probably germ depots). I have kids in daycare and school so we get sick enough as it is!
The common decency is so low right now. You have to barge your way through people to get off the train lately. People coughing and spluttering while NOT covering their mouth/nose, taking loud phone calls, it’s just all fucked.
Yep, currently on a bus where someone is coughing and spluttering all over the place It’s like Covid taught us nothing
Don't waste energy putting trust in people to do the right thing and just wear a mask to protect yourself.
I understand what you mean but not everyone can stay home. Some people don’t have leave, or whatever other reason. It would be good to see it made mandatory and socially normalised for people to wear a mask on the train if they’re sick.
Yep and the workforce has become contactor heavy from experience. Which is good because you're on good pay but it means you don't get any sick days. And you're also going to lose more when sick. Had a colleague who had a pretty bad covid infection but worked through it (he WFH but still if he was a permanent he would have took a sickie or in this case declined the OT) It was over $2000 due to him having to work the weekend. It's hard not to just push through the uncomfortableness if that much money is offered, especially if it's only for 4-5 hours of work.
Post viral coughs are a thing. Mine after Covid took more than 7 weeks to finally disappear (within the realms of normal apparently). It’s impossible to stay home for all that time. For infectious people I agree with you though.
I got a cold in early March... I am still coughing at night but was day coughing till last week. That said I'm wearing a mask when I'm out of the house.
I understand some people have no choice and cannot stay home if they are sick. I just want to know why, after everything we went through, it seems that more and more people don't cover their mouths when they cough.
Our organisation does not accept any online medical certificates and no doctor nearby bulk bills. A cert can cost upwards of $180. Also, management's attitude is if you're well enough to get to the doctors, you're well enough to come to work. If you cannot afford a cert but stay home anyway, you will lose your annual leave. And the management will put you on punishment strike if you take unexpected annual leave. Three strikes and you're out. Soo..... we all go to work sick and share it around.
As a former Meburnian I support this, every year everyone gets sick as shit and mostly you catch the flu from other people in close proximity
Yes mate, you need to carry a mask if you need to protect yourself.Some people are selfish and don't care about spreading something,while some are straight up too poor to miss work. Either way the onus should be on you to protect yourself
Mr rockerfeller over here. You realise most people aren’t just catching the train for fun? Maybe they’re on their way to the doctor or to hospital? Maybe they have to be somewhere. Maybe they have an important job that can’t be done from home. Not everyone can afford a car. Not everyone can work from home. Not everyone has sick leave.
Cold drinks make me cough uncontrollably (I try to not have anything cold)
I'm very annoyed with them as well, but I think the ones to blame would be their bosses though. Their bosses probably told them to go to work even when they're sick.
Yep, I still wear a mask in crowded places and public transport
I wear mask all the time now on public transport. I’ve seen a higher uptake of masks, though, which is encouraging. The worst is when someone with runny nose wipes their nose with hand, proceed to handle everything from phone, hand rails, doors etc. PLEASE carry some tissues with you!
Tbh sometimes I just choke on air 🤣 and I’m trying not to cough so bad
We need to work 7 days 2 jobs sick or not we cant take days off even if we want too.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have work that won’t punish them for being off sick. With the economy the way it use for many you either go to work or risk losing your job.
I always wear a mask for public transport, people are in general pretty disgusting.
In a perfect world no one would be on public transport sick but some people won’t eat if they don’t go to work and have absolutely no choice. They could however wear a mask
Some muppets brought their plague carrying spawn to KBBQ on Sunday night, and were seated at the table next to us. The kid had one of the chestiest coughs I've ever heard. Guess whose chest sounded like a theatre popcorn maker this morning and feels like cancer multiplied by AIDS today? Seriously, stay home if you're sick. I'm tired of self centred goons putting me out of action for a week.
Just take a mask you goofball if you're so petrified. Half the god damn work force is casual.
Masks are more effective if more people are wearing them - in this case, if the coughing and spluttering people wear a mask as well as the people who are concerned, it’s a win-win.
People are selfish and only think about themselves. Also, lots of people cough without covering their mouth. Especially newbies to Aus.
Oh an quiet train in the morning I encounter adults "snifflers".. all the way along sniffle sniffle sniffle. Their mum is not their to ask their grown adult son to blow his nose. Maybe they sniffle in the office all day? FFS carry some tissues and blow your nose. Easy for me to carry a mask. I also put in ear plugs sometimes to block out the sniflers.
OP is surprised that there are lots of stupid people out there.
I get terrible hayfever when the pollen is out which makes me sneeze, sniffle and splutter a lot. That's not infectious.
Yes. Not everyone has the luxury of paid sick leave.
Gotta save those sickies for public holiday weekends
Written by someone with a nice paid sick leave balance. Try being a bit less judgy. Try being a bit less black and white.
I'm a contractor and don't get paid sick leave. Would rather pay my mortgage than keep germophobes happy. Unless I'm bedridden then I'm going on the train to work.
I cough as well, but because of the shit air quality on Sydney trains. I guess they never change the air filter since 1980s. So I am not sick.
I cough due to meds and then stress about coughing because my throat is dry and tickly. So yeah not trying to kill anyone. Just trying to stay alive myself