COVID-19: are you wearing a mask?

[Brunneria]

No as I do not think this is necessary of effective in any case. \We do need to protect the very frail and elderly and its a scandal that care homes were not the focus of shielding, testing and containment.

I'm struggling to understand this, although I do realise that your mindset is widespread.

Firstly, if there was no evidence that masks were effective, then they would not be used in clinical settings. There is such evidence. They are used. Therefore they are considered to be more effective than not wearing a mask.
(Obviously, the usual caveats apply - they should be doffed and donned properly, and they should be constructed appropriately)

Secondly, how are we protecting our frail and elderly? We are getting other people to go out and do their shopping and then delivering it to their doors. We are asking carers, volunteers and family members to shop and travel to and from work, and live their own lives, surrounded by members of the public and fellow professionals, and then visit the vulnerable, sometimes to drop off shopping or prescriptions, sometimes to help them far more intimately.

If they wear masks while doing that (at all stages), the risk they are spreading the virus drops. Obviously, it doesn't drop by 100%. But I will take a 20% drop (or even a 5% drop), if it reduces the odds of my frail and vulnerable elderly relatives from contracting the virus. Or if it reduces the chance that Covid-19 sweeps through a care home.

There is plenty of evidence that the majority of covid-19 infections are contracted by asymptomatic or presymptomatic spreaders. So that is the person in the queue next to you. The person on the checkout. The person filling shelves. A family member bringing it home with them from a shopping trip, or a day at work.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2009758
Masks help with preventing that in addition to social distancing and the correct use of hand washing and gloves.

ed for typo.

 

[RojoZorro]

I bought mine from Ebay and Amazon.
Mask and Filters pm2.5 xx

FFP3 or P3 is what you need. Pm2.5 /N95 equates to FFP2 /P2, a lower degree of filtering ability.

Sellers on eBay have a lot on sale but beware the price gougers - watch items first to see how bids are going before deciding. Surgical masks are very available, but bear in mind they are not P3 or P2, but only effectively prevent you spreading droplets. Deliveries from China take about a week from order.

 

[RojoZorro]

I've been using an FP3 mask for sanding the walls but not for shopping or exercising, I don't personally see the point.

You need to watch Dr John Campbell's videos on YouTube to understand the benefits.

This Dr is posting daily updates on the progress of the virus from around the world and has much very sensible advice for viewers

 

[JohnEGreen]

I'm struggling to understand this, although I do realise that your mindset is widespread.

Firstly, if there was no evidence that masks were ineffective, then they would not be used in clinical settings. There is such evidence. They are used. Therefore they are considered to be more effective than not wearing a mask.
(Obviously, the usual caveats apply - they should be doffed and donned properly, and they should be constructed appropriately)

Secondly, how are we protecting our frail and elderly? We are getting other people to go out and do their shopping and then delivering it to their doors. We are asking carers, volunteers and family members to shop and travel to and from work, and live their own lives, surrounded by members of the public and fellow professionals, and then visit the vulnerable, sometimes to drop off shopping or prescriptions, sometimes to help them far more intimately.

If they wear masks while doing that (at all stages), the risk they are spreading the virus drops. Obviously, it doesn't drop by 100%. But I will take a 20% drop (or even a 5% drop), if it reduces the odds of my frail and vulnerable elderly relatives from contracting the virus. Or if it reduces the chance that Covid-19 sweeps through a care home.

There is plenty of evidence that the majority of covid-19 infections are contracted by asymptomatic or presymptomatic spreaders. So that is the person in the queue next to you. The person on the checkout. The person filling shelves. A family member bringing it home with them from a shopping trip, or a day at work.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2009758
Masks help with preventing that in addition to social distancing and the correct use of hand washing and gloves.

Totally Agree.

 

[kev-w]

You need to watch Dr John Campbell's videos on YouTube to understand the benefits.

This Dr is posting daily updates on the progress of the virus from around the world and has much very sensible advice for viewers

Oh I dig the benefits, if you could see the amount of dust I've sanded off the walls so far you'd be surprised, if I stamp the carpet you'd expect puff the magic dragon to appear

Edit, I've a Makita orbital sander hooked up to an old Henry vacuum cleaner too.

 

[jinty73]

I work in a children’s residential home and wear full ppe when at work but I’ve not been wearing a mask when shopping or out walking the dog. The masks are most effective for protecting others against anything you may have but much much less effective from protecting you from getting anything

 

[lovinglife]

I am not wearing a mask, but all I do is walk the dog where it is very easy to social distance. I don't go shopping. I can count the number of people I have seen wearing a mask on one hand. As far as I am aware (because I can't see any information about this on the internet, in the local press, or on local radio) I am assuming my small town is relatively free of the virus.

However, we have just received an order of 2 packs of 5 masks from the internet. The firm is
https://elle.co.uk/collections/prot...mask-5-pack-washable-large-size-free-shipping
They arrived complete with a set of instructions within 5 days of ordering. These are in case they become compulsory.

My husband watched an elderly man approaching a queue outside a supermarket. He was wearing a mask. He pulled it down, rubbed his nose with his hand, replaced the mask and grabbed a trolley handle.

I put on another post that I witnessed a supermarket staff member doing this the other day - ironically the said supermarket is one of those that now have the “no touch” policy

I don’t wear a mask but have bought 5 reusable ones just in case it becomes compulsory because if I wait until I really need them I will have more chance of getting rocking horse poop than masks

 

[marzak]

I have mixed feelings about masks. Could create a false sense of security with people not following social distancing recommendations.

I agree. I also have no mask and have no experience of measuring my face for a good fit or fitting one. I have a buff I use for running in cold weather which will be as far as I go. Silk lining gloves and stretch buff and wash them when I get home! I were glasses which I could not wear under goggles so not sure how that could work.

 

[marzak]

Bit of the old pot calling the kettle black that is.

When I was getting some money out of a ATM near Woolies supermarket at the shopping centre, there were a couple of Qld police keeping an eye out.

I think many staff are exposed to each other daily at work using same doors, tills, toilets, towels.... so not the same as 'all and sundry' ie: us, the mix of strangers with our unknown range of contacts keeping a safe social distance from them. It's not a case of pots and kettles it's using common sense to minimise risk. My daughter works in a small, very busy deli and bakery shop and kitchen and they allow 3 into the shop at any one time but the staff can't distance themselves completely but they are very responsible and look after each other.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

I really need them I will have more chance of getting rocking horse poop than masks

Available on Amazon. Isn't everything. I wonder what they taste like. LOL

 

[Amart]

I'm seeing far more people wearing masks when going to the supermarket now and wondered whether people are wearing a mask or not? I've been wearing a makeshift mask but think I may a "proper" one.

x

Common sense suggests using any additional protection to minimise risk of infection.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I don’t wear a mask but have bought 5 reusable ones just in case it becomes compulsory because if I wait until I really need them I will have more chance of getting rocking horse poop than masks

That is exactly why we have bought 5 re-usable ones each. Currently they are in a drawer until it becomes compulsory. We did try one on for size. I found it hard work to breathe and hubby's glasses steamed up, but I guess it is a matter of getting used to them.

 

[Deleted member 475901]

...
\We have lived with viruses throughout our existence and they burn themselves out once enough people are exposed NOT because we've been wearing masks and social distancing. I am not denying that there is a new virus out there or suggesting we should all go to virus parties but I feel that shutting the economy down is a disproportionate reaction to this that is likely to cause unintended harms without saving lives.

No, some of us have lived through viruses in the past, humanity survived but many individuals did not.
During plagues it was common to enforce isolation, to the extent that people had plague signs painted on their door or were even locked in with planks nailed across their doors. There were patrols in the streets to enforce this. I live near enough to Eyam that primary schools here do school trips to the 'plague village'.
And Isolation hospitals still existed when I was a child. Then we got vaccines, and so many serious infectious illnesses are rare now.

I am self-isolating in the hope we will be able to get an effective vaccine. But if/when I have to go out it will be to the GP surgery or hospital so high risk areas. I researched the evidence about masks, and the most effective materials for homemade masks and I will be wearing one (plus a clean one and a plastic bag to store the used one if I need to take it off).
I also researched information on cleaning/sterilising masks.

 

[Maggie_Broon]

Yes i wear a mask if i need to go to shops or to pick up my prescriptions i also wear disposeable gloves. When i walk my dogs there is a tunnel and i will wait if someones coming through to come out before i'll enter. I wear my mask for heading through it though as many people don't have the same mindset as myself to wait until i've exited the tunnel. The tunnel is only about 2 or 3 mins long if that. Then i remove my mask when i've exited.

 

[DCUKMod]

No, some of us have lived through viruses in the past, humanity survived but many individuals did not.
During plagues it was common to enforce isolation, to the extent that people had plague signs painted on their door or were even locked in with planks nailed across their doors. There were patrols in the streets to enforce this. I live near enough to Eyam that primary schools here do school trips to the 'plague village'.
And Isolation hospitals still existed when I was a child. Then we got vaccines, and so many serious infectious illnesses are rare now.

I am self-isolating in the hope we will be able to get an effective vaccine. But if/when I have to go out it will be to the GP surgery or hospital so high risk areas. I researched the evidence about masks, and the most effective materials for homemade masks and I will be wearing one (plus a clean one and a plastic bag to store the used one if I need to take it off).
I also researched information on cleaning/sterilising masks.

Tricia - I'm not trivialising your concerns, but currently I wouldn't say most GP surgeries are high risk.

I have had reason to call at our surgery twice since all this started. Once, right at the beginning, I received a royal rollocking for being there, even though there was nothing to tell anyone they shouldn't be there, and I couldn't get through on the phone.

The second time, I had, on their instructions to pick up a document in readiness for a consultant appointment on Friday. Even though told to be there I was treated like a pariah, and I swear if they'd had one of those litterpicker sticks to hand thaty'd have used it through the letterbox.

My neighbour who works in mental health in the community, out of GP clinics, reports them deserted, with most people, when they have appointments, simply not attending.

Personally, I think a reliable vaccine is some way away, and for me, I would not want to be an early adopter of something only very scantily tested. It strikes me, if they can find a vaccine for this, they will be a fair way towards something for the common cold.

I don't want to derail any further, having already contributed on the wearing of masks.

 

[Maggie_Broon]

Yes i wear a mask if i need to go to shops or to pick up my prescriptions i also wear disposeable gloves. When i walk my dogs there is a tunnel and i will wait if someones coming through to come out before i'll enter. I wear my mask for heading through it though as many people don't have the same mindset as myself to wait until i've exited the tunnel. The tunnel is only about 2 or 3 mins long if that. Then i remove my mask when i've exited. I need to take my glasses off when wearing the mask or i can't see due to my glasses steaming up. Thankfully i'm short sighted so i can get away with doing that but others who are long sighted can't. My mask is also washable. My daughter stays at home as she feels she can't breathe in hers and becomes very claustrophobic. She's 13.

 

[bobandpat]

We use the masks we bought for when we're cycling as I suffer from pollen allergies. I bought some extra carbon inners when this all started. I know they're not the best but they are better than nothing and I don't think we should be buying anything that could be used by key workers. Stay safe xx

 

[Seacrow]

Blimey, I'm not doing that again. Even the thinnest flimsiest fabric became uncomfortably warm after only a couple of minutes. It became a choice between scarf and steamed up glasses or seeing where I was going. Eventually I ended up pulling the scarf over my mouth and nose to cough, and leaving it over my mouth just to breathe.

The supermarket didn't help either. Queuing I get is necessary. Is it necessary to make every single shopper walk through the whole six or seven zig-zag barricades when there are only three people queuing? I got to the head of the queue and got told to go in, and had to explain I couldn't, I needed to rest to be able to breathe and walk again. The guard got alarmed and pulled me out of the queue (nice guy). His replacement tried to make me walk back to the end of the queue again. Don't know what my face looked like, but he changed his mind pretty quickly.

I have decided, social isolation is the best for me. No masks, no social 2 Great Pyrenees distancing, no people, no problem.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

My husband watched an elderly man approaching a queue outside a supermarket. He was wearing a mask. He pulled it down, rubbed his nose with his hand, replaced the mask and grabbed a trolley handle.

I expect we will all see things like this, but it really should not detract from the fact that it is better to wear a mask than not. It does help to stop the spread and will help stop you getting the virus. It is not 100%, very little is. Maybe we'll all end up wearing this. Obviously practical. LOL Just been watch a Swedish epidemiologist trying to explain why Sweden didn't lock down in the same way as other countries. Just looking at their population density is part of the answer. Unfortunately they are now starting to show increasing number of deaths from Covid. The video used in parts of the interview showed what we are led to believe are Swedish people going about their everyday business as usual . . . . . . I only saw one person without a mask. Doesn't prove anything, just makes you think. The research on the other hand is there to suggest better with a mask.

My brother bought me one of these. Now I've had my NHS letter, I'm doing exactly as recommended, no shopping at 07:00. The good old co-op and some wonderful volunteers are helping with the shopping.

 

[UserABC2021]

I wear a mask if I need to go out.

Having had the virus I'm more aware of any potential to pass it on, although the original reason for my masks was for my COPD during high pollen days.