Recently I visited the general practitioner doctor (local clinic) for reason not related to my usual health issues nor to covid.

First a little background, i.e. "local color", for this :cough: era.

In Sweden we did not have the big lockdowns as in many other countries. People who are able to, work from home; the usual advice for personal hygiene; you cannot just walk into hospitals and other care facilities without appointment; care personel use some protective gear. Schools, kindergartens and children's nurseries have in general not been shut down (a subject worth a separate discussion). Recently there is a law for how many can be in same place at same time. You rarely saw masks, although that has increased a bit. But, e.g. if you walk into a store no one will yell "mask" at you. So there is personal responsibility expected, and ofc some people fail at that. Furthermore, it has e.g. never been a good idea to take your kids with colds and coughs to visit your elderly relatives. Risk categories exists every year.

Previously this last year, if I have a same-day (not really an emergency) appointment I get the Separate-entrance-door-directly-into-an-examination room-with-doctor-in-full-protective-gear-if not-hazmat. Haz mat, will fly!... eh... uh.. no. To clarify, I did not have any cough or other covid (and a bunch of other diseases) symptoms, but ... precaution? Everybody is a spreader until proven otherwise.

If I have an appointment I can go inside to waiting room, with distance. The other day, I did that, and now they stepped up their game and gave me a burpa! A simple facemask, i.e. a particle filter. So I put it on, just to test it. It was pretty thin. I used facemasks before, when renovating, to protect from dust and unhealthy particles. It is exhausting, especially when doing physical work, but better than inhaling all sorts of crap. Also I have heard from people working in health care that it is quite exhausting to wear mask. This one felt thinner and I sat down mostly, but it was slightly hard to inhale. But that was maybe just me, I do not have good breathing powers, or what you might call it. Not asthma, cba to explain. I certainly couldn't stand using masks, especially when walking around, due to my chronic issues. I cannot imagine how it is to use more efficient masks. The more efficient a mechanical filter is, the more obstructive it must be?

However, I saw this as a slight experiment. I also got a little fog on my glasses at times, so the mask was not tight enough for filtering all exhaling. Which is its whole point. Farce. Trust the farce, Luke! There were not many patients in waiting, naturally, but I saw at least two who did not wear the mask. Rule breakers and anarchists, I am sure. 😛

By the way, at least inhale through your nose. It is a natural filter. It might even help a bit against the goo in the burpa. 😉

That's all folks. Just my two braincells... clams... cents.