I've noticed many people working in stores are now back to using mask. As mystery shoppers are we safer, since we don't work close to anyone, we work alone and are on the move alot. Are we safer? I'm going back to wearing a mask on shops. I get bronchitis easily.

I def wear a mask anymore in most situations unless it is slow - the amount of people coughing and hacking around me in stores is astonishing! I am so surprised I am not sick more often!

I haven't stopped wearing a mask. I'm still a COVID virgin. Nope, haven't had a cold, flu, or tested positive for COVID. Well, I've never been tested for COVID. (I hope I didn't jinx us)

I'm in a store, masked, almost everyday. Meet with some friends without a mask. All medical appointments are with a mask.

We've only eaten in a restaurant about SIX times since the pandemic. I found my recipe and cooking repertoire to be much improved in the past three years. Frankly, my spouse prefers my cooking over the hassle of going to a restaurant.

I think it depends what area of the country you're in. Where I am, I see less than 1% of people wearing a mask, mostly in some medical offices. Everyone needs to assess their own personal risk. I wear a mask only when required to, but I'm young-ish and basically healthy. Even though I've been out and about this whole time, and work several days a week in schools, so far I've avoided it. I do think this kind of work protects you somewhat, as you can avoid jobs that make you feel vulnerable.

I feel as a substitute teacher, i am more at risk being exposed to so many different classes. Plus if i am exposed to a virus, I'm risking spreading it! And I feel kind of the same about mystery shopping going to various places. I'm happy to wear a mask.

I try to pay attention to what is going on with covid in the area. I canceled one restaurant shop a while back when it spiked in our area and there were shoulder to shoulder folks waiting for a table. I held off on what I took for a while after that. I am starting to get out and about more again. In some parts of town, almost everybody will be wearing a mask, and in other parts, almost nobody will. I don't wear a mask as much as I used to, but I tend to pull it out when I am in a crowd.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2022 11:34PM by GinnyLynn.

No mask for me... or my kids. No vaccines and we don't stay home. Travel baseball, travel softball, basketball, vacations to Disney, etc. My husband works for Amazon at a fulfillment center and sees HUNDREDS of people daily... and yet we have not gotten Covid.
For my family we strongly believe in naturally building your immune system.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2022 01:13AM by luckygirl0100.

I am doing only restaurants shops curbside, delivery or outside seating. No other exuses. I will not go inside to eat anymore. All other shops I am doing masking only. masks prevent you not just fromCOVID but from other viruses as well.

@gene wrote:

I am doing only restaurants shops curbside, delivery or outside seating. No other exuses. I will not go inside to eat anymore. All other shops I am doing masking only. masks prevent you not just fromCOVID but from other viruses as well.

We are safer while mystery shopping IF we are fully vaccinated, including latest boosters, and always wear masks on our jobs. The mask also has a side benefit of keeping your face a mystery to employees while shopping. I estimate that about 20% of jobs I would normally do pre-pandemic are still off limits to me. I will not shop a sit-down restaurant, bar, nightclub, or any venue where I am near lots of people not wearing masks. I have stores where I would have to try on clothes to that list. I have also not resumed shops inside malls.

such jobs inside the mall depends of timing and total time spent inside. 10-15 minutes still ok if you not sit or stay. I am doing quick moving apps and pictures taking MS

I guess I've been exposed. I've done several shops where I was required (?) to submit a negative COVID test before completing. I always tested negative.

I really dunno. My daughter insists before I see my granddaughter, I must submit to her a negative COVID test and proof of vaccination. Her family, her rules; I told her I would be vax if she (or someone else) would take me; I'm needle-phobic, and find it next to impossible to do alone. I do OK literally if I have someone to hold my hand.

But I wouldn't be vaxxed just to continue mystery shopping.

Haven't worked much this year due to non-Covid illness. Whenever I can go places again, even just to local errands, I will wear a mask. ! Mind you, I might be the only masked for miles. When I was still getting out of the house, I noticed that few people were masked.

@luckygirl: good for you! We do live in a toxic world, and being over-fearful of it is unhelpful. Good on your family to build immunity naturally!

I love it...this is called personal FREEDOM!

While I still choose to wear a mask, @luckygirl0100 has decided differently. I believe many people in society have forgotten what personal FREEDOM is all about. Many people support strict mandates based upon weak science. I chalk it up to a noticeable mental health issue across society since the pandemic started.

For example, I have chosen NOT to get the latest booster as it has not been tested on humans to date and a local Doctor to me (an internationally recognized expert in the fields of virology and immunology) does not support it at this time due to limited data.

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

No mask for me... or my kids. No vaccines and we don't stay home. Travel baseball, travel softball, basketball, vacations to Disney, etc. My husband works for Amazon at a fulfillment center and sees HUNDREDS of people daily... and yet we have not gotten Covid.
For my family we strongly believe in naturally building your immune system.

I had been slacking on the mask thing this fall when cases dipped. Then the cases went back up and I did a round of airport shopping and couldn’t believe how many people were coughing, wheezing and sneezing. My mask is back on for the foreseeable future. I’m fully boosted but have no desire to miss a week of work or life again like the first time I cought Covid, which I suspect was while shopping an airport bar.

When I am out and about, I do not wear a mask.. While I am at work, I wear a mask.

About a month ago, some one asked me why I was wearing a mask. I told them that with the holidays coming up, I don't want to take a chance on getting sick.. This was last part of October

As we get into winter, I find masking has the added benefit of keeping my face warm.
I don't wear mine all the time, but I wear it when it seems appropriate or necessary and I avoid people/social distance if possible, and frequently hand wash with old fashioned soap and water. I keep hand sanitizer in my purse and car but feel like soap and water does a better job.

This thread seems to have evolved or devolved into a discussion of wearing masks. I wear my mask for the people who do not!

If the vaccines work -why are you wearing a mask?
If the masks work -why are you getting boosters?
If you never wore a mask pre-covid for the flu season -why would you now?
If you already got covid -why would you get a booster?
If you already got covid -why would you wear a mask?

Not being difficult -I'm genuinely curious. I won't reply, but would be interested in reading replies.

To the original question, I don't think we are any safer than other occupations. The places we go usually have a lot of in and out traffic, and the virus can linger in the air. And if we go to a lot of places, the odds of crossing paths with a positive person increase.

Time to move on. I knew this thread was going to be pointless. It really has nothing to do with mystery shopping.

My responses are embedded after each question.

@Tanischri87 wrote:

If the vaccines work -why are you wearing a mask?
The vaccine was never intended to prevent getting COVID, it was meant to reduce the instances of serious injury and death. The vaccine has done that.

If the masks work -why are you getting boosters?
Because the virus continues to evolve, just like the flu virus continues to evolve, the boosters try to keep pace.

If you never wore a mask pre-covid for the flu season -why would you now?
In many countries, people have worn masks during the flu season since the 1918 flu epidemic. COVID is much much more serious (in terms of morbidity) than the flu.

If you already got covid -why would you get a booster?
Because you can get COVID more than once, especially from a new strain. The booster tries to keep up with the evolving virus strains.

If you already got covid -why would you wear a mask?
Because you can get COVID more than once.

Not being difficult -I'm genuinely curious. I won't reply, but would be interested in reading replies.

I'm responsible for my health and well being. I still wear a mask. I practice social distancing. I have never had COVID.

What @myst4au said.
I assume I'll continue to get Covid vaccinations, just like i get annual flu shot.

@Tanischri87 wrote:

If the vaccines work -why are you wearing a mask?
If the masks work -why are you getting boosters?
If you never wore a mask pre-covid for the flu season -why would you now?
If you already got covid -why would you get a booster?
If you already got covid -why would you wear a mask?

Not being difficult -I'm genuinely curious. I won't reply, but would be interested in reading replies.

@prince wrote:

What @myst4au said.
I assume I'll continue to get Covid vaccinations, just like i get annual flu shot.

@Tanischri87 wrote:

If the vaccines work -why are you wearing a mask?
If the masks work -why are you getting boosters?
If you never wore a mask pre-covid for the flu season -why would you now?
If you already got covid -why would you get a booster?
If you already got covid -why would you wear a mask?

Not being difficult -I'm genuinely curious. I won't reply, but would be interested in reading replies.

Simple - its the Biology - as with the Influenza virus, the Covid virus also is continually evolving - what you may have immunity against has changed.

vaccunations against flu works only for particular season from fall to spring. The same things will be for COVID in the future. I am wearing mask inside other places regardless of MS or not. That is my choice. I have FDA in my head and do not listen other people saying.

My husband and I have been exposed several times. We've been in extremely close contact for hours, more then twice, with friends a day or two before they came down with the virus. So far, neither of us have gotten it. (knocking on wood now) I'm 4x vaxed, but not getting anymore shots after all I've recently heard about them. I've been tested and checked for antibodies...negative to all. Sometimes I think my previous exposure to illnesses from my young students over the years has afforded me some immunity. The virus is in the corona family of viruses and I have gotten very sick many times over my teaching career. Plus, you can still get it whether vaxed or not. I do not wear a mask anymore either. I see many people wearing masks, but majority do not around here. Do you not think the little virus particles can go through the porous masks? Are you all wearing hospital grade masks? Otherwise, they are pretty much useless. With that being said, I have avoided malls, which to me are a breeding ground especially this time of year. We do eat out frequently and I am pretty much over worrying about it. If I get it, I get it and will take it from there, but so far so good. I did catch a slight cold or something a few weeks ago. I blame it on a customer on line at USPS who was coughing the whole time...eeek uck. Again..negative for covid. Life goes on and we all get sick at some point. From my understanding, it's like a bad cold for most folks now.

@John..... It depends on what the mystery shop job is. You are safer if it's an outdoor job like a Mobil/Exxon shop. You are more at risk if it's a shop indoors and crowded like Texas Roadhouse bar shop. I never stopped wearing a mask. I do all kinds of shops, but don't do any that require me to be in confined spaces with lots of people. So, no Texas Roadhouse dining for me, but the take-out taste just as good!

I am not sure what you consider "hospital grade". Until COVID, most hospitals used the "blue" procedure masks. Many still do. They will not protect against viruses (based on pore size). Once they became available, I have been using KN95 masks. They have pore sizes small enough to prevent viruses from passing through. N95 masks are slightly better but at a much higher cost. I worked for a large multinational company with a large travel medicine department. Years before the 2013 Avian Flu outbreak, they gave all travelers going to Asia N95 masks and a 30-day supply of Tamiflu. with instructions as to when to use them. My plan was to never need to use either of them, but they traveled with me. After they retired me, I was in Thailand in 2017 during a major flu outbreak. I was prepared.

@MsJudi wrote:

... Do you not think the little virus particles can go through the porous masks? Are you all wearing hospital grade masks? Otherwise, they are pretty much useless. ...