A woman who claimed that wearing a mask stopped her from "getting enough oxygen" in an emotional rant on Facebook Live is being ridiculed online.
Holding up the mask, the woman said:
I don't feel good. I can tell you right now I wasn't getting enough oxygen.
Look at the numbers and tell me why everybody's living in fear.
Tell me why we're putting these things on, and not being able to breathe.
I just want to cry. Because you can't see people's faces, you can't make human connection, we can't hug people, we can't hold their babies.
It doesn't make sense. I'm not okay with it. Nothing about what we're doing is supported by the numbers that are out there.
I do care about my rights.
There are 1.61M confirmed coronavirus cases in the US and have been over 96,000 deaths.
The woman's home of Nashville, Tennessee has reopened restaurants and shops, but is asking employees to wear a facemask when dealing with customers.
Businesses can remove customers who refuse to co-operate with their requirements.
Whilst the woman is sceptical of official coronavirus figures, it would appear that she is in favour of alternative remedies and believes that the virus is real.
jesus fucking christ https://t.co/A1Yw3tPXt2— mar (@mar) 1590002461
The video has been viewed 4.2M times on Twitter and people inevitably have thoughts.
@shrimpbinch I have 25% lung damage in both lungs, and asthma, and have no problems with these masks, these people… https://t.co/HHrqSf9JpD— ⛄Winter Holiday Pun⛄ (@⛄Winter Holiday Pun⛄) 1590001929
@shrimpbinch damn you'd think if face masks made you unable to get enough oxygen surgeons doing 18 hour surgeries o… https://t.co/1VCjfHNlVW— peek (@peek) 1590002406
@shrimpbinch @leslieleeiii Amazing how nurses wear them all the time and don’t die of asphyxiation— (っ◔◡◔)っ Scott Morrow, Yeti Enthusiast (@(っ◔◡◔)っ Scott Morrow, Yeti Enthusiast) 1590004608
People are particularly perplexed by her upset that she cannot "hug people" or "hold their babies".
@shrimpbinch Bro whos baby is she trying to hold?????? Whos letting this lady hold their child— Salty (VGHS Arc) (@Salty (VGHS Arc)) 1590008410
@shrimpbinch karen people are dying, you can live without holding a strangers baby????— (๑・̑◡・̑๑) (@(๑・̑◡・̑๑)) 1590002081
@shrimpbinch 1000% this person tries to hug waitstaff in lieu of tipping— System_Shocked (Chilly) (@System_Shocked (Chilly)) 1590002207
People are talking about the "incredible" levels of Karen energy.
@shrimpbinch The Karen energy here is incredible! Quite the blend of condescension and passive aggressiveness with… https://t.co/EQTm6z3sIP— Antifa Commander #BLM 🏴🚩☭ (@Antifa Commander #BLM 🏴🚩☭) 1590015838
@blxnkpxge distilled and purified karen energy— mar (@mar) 1590015869
People are also pointing out that the symptoms the woman describes are like those of claustrophobia or a panic attack. She herself says that "some of it is an emotional reaction" to having to wear a mask.
Of course, these are serious conditions and it's possible that there are genuine cases where people are unable to wear masks.
But her suggestion that the mask is stopping her from breathing and that being asked to wear one is a violation of her "rights" is entirely disingenuous.
@shrimpbinch First off I have COPD and really can't breathe with a mask plus I have MS. I have worn my mask with no… https://t.co/jjjC093TTP— elena (@elena) 1590013977
People are wearing masks for hours at a time to fight for our lives on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. You can wear a mask for 45 minutes whilst you walk around Bed Bath & Beyond, 'Karen'.