I don't wear a mask at home or when I'm outdoors, but I do mask up at work. Yesterday a patient I hadn't seen in years sighed "Covid, AGAIN?" I answered that I never stopped masking.
Now that we know how much masks (esp KN94/N95) reduce respiratory illness, why wouldn't you want your doc to wear a mask to see you? Odds are, I saw someone with a sore throat sometime in the last day or two. I don't want covid, or the flu, or a cold -- and I don't want to give any of those illnesses to you.
When I went in to have a procedure on Friday, I had to request the team wear masks, since I was going to have to take mine down for oxygen. It made me sad the request even needed to be made, because for my last procedure, my doctor didn't wear one.
As a patient, I can tell you that it doesn't feel good to have to be the one to make the request. I wish the medical professional would just always wear one, since they are around sick people most of their day. It seems to me if I knew I was going to be around people who are unwell for the vast majority of my working day, wearing a mask would be the default. It makes it hard to trust the judgement of someone who doesn't feel that way, to be frank.
Anyway, thank you for masking! I am sure for some of your patients it means more than you could ever know. There might be people who keep seeing you explicitly because you make that choice. I know I would!
Jennifer Hamilton, MD PhD
sauc3