The number of cases here is almost non existent. The vast majority of people are fully vaccinated. So why the masks I just don’t get it
There were just 5 local cases yesterday. With the tracing and quarantines the masks just seem unnecessary
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It started back with SARS and became a habit. I remember my first time getting a cold here and sneezing in class (it was a few years back so “normal” times). The teacher immediately handed me a mask and gave me a lecture on how “wearing it prevents me from spreading the disease to others”. It felt weird at first, but then I realised that it was a common practice.
Not entering the debate on the usefulness of wearing a mask or otherwise, so please don’t shoot me. Just reporting my “do as Romans do” story 
In the years before COVID, Korea had launched this black mask fashion (not the surgical one, but the fabric one that has no medical value whatsoever). I remember my friends going to Korea on holiday and wearing it all the time on the streets. So, yes, they do love their masks 
I think the government’s reluctance goes beyond science and has more to do with a psychological approach. The average Taiwanese thinks that we are still in 2020. How many of you are still hearing: “Oh my god! Five more cases today. It’s so scary!” or “Don’t go there! Someone tested positive last week”? I am, on a daily basis 
It takes time for the population to change its mindset and, as frustrating as it can be for us non-Taiwanese, reopening can only be done with baby steps. Masks included.
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Simple solution. Ban all masks. Black is white. Two plus two equals five.
Yeah I know someone who was gonna o to Kaohsiung for Lantern Festival but her mom talked her out of it because it’s “dangerous”…
But the government is the one feeding this nonsense by treating it like a crisis still
Hmmm Nope. I can hear the bank teller just fine. No change in distance.
Funny I haven’t heard people talking about COVID being scary anymore. But also my Chinese is still shit so it’s possible people around me are talking about it and I just can’t understand
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I got curious about the long term negative effects of mask wearing. So I started reading through published studies on Google scholar. Seems like there are actually quite a few negative consequences psychologically. I saw some medical papers as well but I can’t understand those quite as well.
How long are you living in Taiwan? You never noticed that even before COVID people were wearing masks? On public transport and in offices.
Good luck. 
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They are probably smoking?
I remember we were wearing rubber things with filters that resembled WW1 gas masks. Cost a pretty penny, too.
People, useless. Earth doesn’t need them.
Not 
, just chatting. Not a fag to be seen.
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KF94, about 15 NT$/pc. N95 about 70-90 NT$/pc
So I discovered a study with evidence that long term mask use leads to dry eyes due to the flow of breath upward. Dry eyes increase eye rubbing which could potentially increase exposure to disease. (One thing my drill instructor and later my platoon sergeants always yelled at us was “don’t touch your disgusting fucking face, nasty”)
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Humidity (vapor) in your breath makes eyes dry?
Maybe before that? I know I first saw ill students wearing masks in Korea in 1997 - it seemed odd for about an hour, and then eminently sensible.
Scooter drivers have certainly worn masks here for a very long time. I suspect surgical masks to limit diseases spread happened before SARS, but I can’t be sure.
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That’s the gist of what the study said. I’ll link it for you
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228562/
Self reported survey
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7816875/
Small sample size using precondition and health workers
Another study here
It seems this topic has been the subject of quite a few studies. It’d be interesting to read a meta analysis on the topic
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Might be true. I just kept hearing the refrain about SARS and the “lesson learnt” about masks over the years so I ended up convincing myself that it all started from there 
It’s actually an interesting topic.
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The situation in all Taiwan related coronavirus threads is too grim here. So let me help you relax and state the obvious: ugly people love the mask mandate. There. I said it. Make your own judgment.
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