To Mask Or Not To Mask, That is the Question?

deary

deary

Well-known member
Well a couple of weeks ago this wasnt happening.

This weekend loads more people from all sections of society are now wearing them 😷


1st instance I noticed round here was an oriental couple 10 days ago.
Maybe they had better info of what was to come?😳


But it just doesnt seem a typically 'British' thing to do.
Stiff upper lip should be enough to see off old new covid wot, wot!!


Read reports about their 'lack of' effectiveness but surely they cant do any harm?
Ive seen cyclists wearing them which i think is a step too far as the pollution isnt particularly bad now due to the lack of traffic😝.



Was thinking should i take the plunge?
Solo mask or get the full gear with scrubs etc?
Could even perhaps add a stethoscope although i think thats been done before?

Wonder if medical practitioner impersonators may become a 'thing', Will it work on Tinder?

Or should medical style mask wearing be a TOTAL no go for any self respecting football fan
erm unless you are a member of 'The Treatment'

thoughts?

Who on here is willing to admit to donning one?

Photos appreciated 😅

Feel free to share mask sightings or stories
 
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My advice is everyone should do what they believe to be best for their health and others and that i doesn't matter at all whether it is or isn't a thing to do in this country, nor what other people think.
 
Masks with the Tower Power logo on them!,could catch on!. Personally we would have to be required by law for me to don one,i just look at them and think thats way over the top.
 
My view is this:

We were told they are ineffective yet every key worker are given them and every person in other countries seem to be wearing them the world round.

My view is that if this virus is said to move from mouth to mouth or is partially airborne in the form of spray particles then a mask is not going to do you any harm going round the supermarket of having to be near other people.
 
The Chinese use them as much to stop spreading if you have the virus rather than catching it. Which makes sense when for 4-5 days you could be spreading and not know
 
They protect other people ie if you cough or sneeze. I had to pop round to my ma's yesterday because her CH boiler had gone kapput and I put a mask on to protect her.
 
I may have not seemed overly serious in the way i worded my post (my sense of humour) but i do think it is an issue genuinely worth discussing.
Mac & others make very valid points 👍

For instance my auntie had an electrical problem in her house, the tradesmen turned up in mask & gloves & it certainly made her feel better.

My oven has just gone kapput😳. I can live on microwave food certainly but it aint great & will likely mean more trips to the shop.

Do i get it repaired now? This involves letting others in. If so tbh i would also likely feel better if the worker(s) or I were masked up.

What about tradesmen on here like Plumbs. How do they feel now about going into folks homes to give old boilers a good servicing 😉
Are they more wary of coming into contact with punters & vice versa?
 
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Of course they are effective.
But you need one that:
Fits well (they come in different sizes)
Medical grade to stop viruses (the cheap ones don’t)
Know how to remove them safely (proper training given to medical staff)
Can actually make it worse if you wear them for too long or they get saturated- and of course you can’t re-use them
They need to be disposed of properly in a bin

All of which is irrelevant, because they should be prioritised to NHS workers and other key frontline staff, eg DWP and care homes etc
 
To also add:
Shouldn’t be necessary if people use proper social distancing- and don’t pay attention to the 2m rule quoted everywhere- you should be at least 10 feet away
 
There are some people - mainly of Japanese origin - who seem to wear them all the time, pandemic or not.

My resident scientist says that they offer a measure of protection until they get wet - which is quite quickly, given the wearer is exhaling moist air onto them all the time. And they aren't exactly hygienic, either.

In Sainsbury's yesterday, the two women organising the queuing were wearing visors like a couple of Securicor guards. And enjoying it all a bit TOO much, I thought. Our favourite till lady called them a pair of pillocks. 😀
 
I got mine, a P3 which seals the entire mouth and nose, one a few months ago and waited until the virus came North. Now I wear it all the time. At first I was very concious of wearing it and the looks I got. Must admt, the looks were not demeaning or unkind and I countered them in my head with images of patients in northern Italy in ICU struggling to get their next breath so I wear it withour even a thought now. It is what it is.
 
Surgical face protectors protect other people from infection, that is the reason they wear them in operating theatres. The only help they give you really is that they stop you touching half of your face. but you eyes are still open to inection if you touch them. If you show signs of infection then wearing one could reduce the chance of spreading the infection around. Washing your hands regulary is still the most effective way to reduce the chance of you getting infected.
 
tangerine_neil said:
Of course they are effective.
But you need one that:
Fits well (they come in different sizes)
Medical grade to stop viruses (the cheap ones don’t)
Know how to remove them safely (proper training given to medical staff)
Can actually make it worse if you wear them for too long or they get saturated- and of course you can’t re-use them
They need to be disposed of properly in a bin

All of which is irrelevant, because they should be prioritised to NHS workers and other key frontline staff, eg DWP and care homes etc
Click to expand...
I'm DWP but I'd want them to go to NHS and Care homes before me. They are dealing face to face with the vulnerable. Not many of us are.
 
Wizaard said:
I'm DWP but I'd want them to go to NHS and Care homes before me. They are dealing face to face with the vulnerable. Not many of us are.
Click to expand...

Good point the WHO are concerned there may be a shortage for the people who really need them.
Obviously the dodgy ones that most people buy from ebay etc wont be to the standard required by health professionals or care workers but may offer a bit extra protection to your 'average joe lockdown '?
 
Macseasider said:
My view is this:

We were told they are ineffective yet every key worker are given them and every person in other countries seem to be wearing them the world round.

My view is that if this virus is said to move from mouth to mouth or is partially airborne in the form of spray particles then a mask is not going to do you any harm going round the supermarket of having to be near other people.
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Exactly
I wear one for a short duration whilst shopping, it makes sense to protect others from you, and you from them.

On three occasions other shoppers have coughed or sneezed close by😡.

I don’t expect my mask is 100% efficient, but at least I have an extra barrier between me and the nearest snot sprayer!
 
Don_K_Lasher said:
I don’t expect my mask is 100% efficient, but at least I have an extra barrier between me and the nearest snot sprayer!
Click to expand...

Well some family members have asked me to procure some & so I have now also taken the plunge!
Will likely be a while before delivery though.

I did see a 'nice one' the other day with F*** Off written on it. Seems to be all gone now.
I was hoping for a yellow Sex Pistols Never mind The Bollocks Virus version to be made available!
 
deary said:
Well some family members have asked me to procure some & so I have now also taken the plunge!
Will likely be a while before delivery though.

I did see a 'nice one' the other day with F*** Off written on it. Seems to be all gone now.
I was hoping for a yellow Sex Pistols Never mind The Bollocks Virus version to be made available!
Click to expand...
I believe Austria are making them compulsory, but I don't know the full details.
 
Macseasider said:
My view is this:

We were told they are ineffective yet every key worker are given them and every person in other countries seem to be wearing them the world round.

My view is that if this virus is said to move from mouth to mouth or is partially airborne in the form of spray particles then a mask is not going to do you any harm going round the supermarket of having to be near other people.
Click to expand...

It does seem a bit vague MAC with many pros and cons.

I couldn't advise you on whether to wear one or not but perhaps consider how you would put it on and take it off ?

Reading something briefly the other day suggested that you should only wear one if you knew you would be dealing with the infected but I guess you could read something else telling you to wear one all the time.
 
Managed eventually to fly back from Sydney yesterday and had to go to Asda for milk. Apart from me there was only one other person wearing one.

I wore mine because I was transiting through three airports and on two flights. All airport staff and all flight attendants were wearing them, so I’ve decided to keep wearing mine whenever I go out.

Why not, it can’t do any harm and may save you and others from getting it.
 
Watched this video from the Czech Republic yesterday and they seem to be making the wearing of facemasks compulsory outdoors, and the view from this video is that it is making a difference there.

Czech Republic Covid-19 Facemask info

My view is you just can't be too careful in these worrying times.
 
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Yeah, glad you got home mates. Nightmare scenario for you out there.
As for masks, yep it's more noticeable that people are wearing them. Also a lot of people are wearing scarves over their mouth[and nose].
No problem with that at all, but is everyone disinfecting/washing their masks and scarves every time they get back home? Otherwise, they are still at risk as much as anyone else, if not moreso.
Stay safe everyone.
 
Echo what others say very glad to hear that you got back from Oz Matesrates 👍
Many people from the UK are stranded abroad all over the world.
 
Find it weird when they say that masks only protect other people if the person wearing it has Covid-19 .. as surely if you have it, you shouldn't be out anyway!
 
Apparently if you sport a beard they are far less effective Get the razors out boys & circus girls!!

A similar piece was on the BMA site but it has now been removed hope this wasnt because of 'PC' issues?

blogs.bmj.com

Staff wearing beards and covid-19: trickier than it looks - The BMJ

We have lately been asked for an opinion on whether doctors who may be exposed to the coronavirus are under an obligation to remove their beards—and, presumably, any other facial [...]More...
blogs.bmj.com
 
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They've been wearing masks in Lewisham for years, but eventually moved onto womens stockings over their heads when they went to work 😉

#decidelyverminouscommunity
 
Basically my best advice is this:

Ensure you get the right size. They usually come in S / M / L.
They should be close fitting to your face, with no gaps at the side. The better ones tend to have metal bands built in, to shape to fit.
They need to be a suitable medical grade (read the product description). None of those B&Q dust mask rubbish, as they can make it worse, because they get saturated and offer no protection.
Even the good ones should be worn for no longer than a few hours, then safely discarded, and hands sanitised / washed. Don’t keep re-using them, or again, you may be inadvertently increasing your chances of catching this virus.

Most of us shouldn’t be going out anyway, except for food or essentials like pharmaceuticals (but even they can be delivered).
Limit the time out food shopping. Maybe do one bigger shop to last you for a week or longer. Go on your own; going with someone else just doubles your chance of catching this. When you do go to a supermarket - use a decent quality mask, and follow all the other known advice about distancing and hand washing. Disinfect car handles, steering wheel, front door handle, etc when you get back.

Oh, and scarves are a waste of time. You are only kidding yourself into a false sense of security.
 
Good advice Neil 👍

Wonder if shops will allow motor bike helmuts to be worn now? Just they may offer good protection well if they are the older full visor types?
Out of interest where did you get your mask(s) from. Obviously there are a lot of 'cowboys' about cashing in.
I used to shop pretty much everyday but now trying to limit my shopping to once a week.
 
Just before my neighbour came home she told me she had her bloods took,initially the person came over with no ppe whatsoever on,she told her to go away,fuming she was she said. Anyway a few minutes later she came back with full ppe on and took bloods. No wonder some frontline staff are getting the virus. Its ok preaching to the masses to stay at home and save the nhs but a little comonsense from some of the nhs workers wouldnt go amiss. By no means am I saying all,before you lot jump down my throat.😂
 
deary said:
Good advice Neil 👍

Wonder if shops will allow motor bike helmuts to be worn now? Just they may offer good protection well if they are the older full visor types?
Out of interest where did you get your mask(s) from. Obviously there are a lot of 'cowboys' about cashing in.
I used to shop pretty much everyday but now trying to limit my shopping to once a week.
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We’ve had them stored away for a while. My mum bought them when the SARS thing was starting.
 
TITD I was meant to have bloods done a couple of weeks back at docs but it was cancelled. I certainly wouldnt bother now unless it was absolutely urgent.
 
Davepick said:
Saw an middle aged couple walk past the house on Thursday. He was wearing a mask, she wasn't. 😕
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Well it would have interfered with the nagging! 😂
Maybe they only have one & share it!🤣
Or hubby was an annoying bossy boots & she told him to 'do one'?
Its a personal choice though so you will get situations like that.
 
deary said:
TITD I was meant to have bloods done a couple of weeks back at docs but it was cancelled. I certainly wouldnt bother now unless it was absolutely urgent.
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This was on a ward at hospital,its good to get this advice off these medical professionals speaking with these MP's but a type of tool box talk from ward managers to their staff is also important. No hard hat,no work(no mask,gloves) should apply if NHS staff are complacent.
 
tangerine_neil said:
Basically my best advice is this:

Ensure you get the right size. They usually come in S / M / L.
They should be close fitting to your face, with no gaps at the side. The better ones tend to have metal bands built in, to shape to fit.
They need to be a suitable medical grade (read the product description). None of those B&Q dust mask rubbish, as they can make it worse, because they get saturated and offer no protection.
Even the good ones should be worn for no longer than a few hours, then safely discarded, and hands sanitised / washed. Don’t keep re-using them, or again, you may be inadvertently increasing your chances of catching this virus.

Most of us shouldn’t be going out anyway, except for food or essentials like pharmaceuticals (but even they can be delivered).
Limit the time out food shopping. Maybe do one bigger shop to last you for a week or longer. Go on your own; going with someone else just doubles your chance of catching this. When you do go to a supermarket - use a decent quality mask, and follow all the other known advice about distancing and hand washing. Disinfect car handles, steering wheel, front door handle, etc when you get back.

Oh, and scarves are a waste of time. You are only kidding yourself into a false sense of security.
Click to expand...
The WHO say even a home made mask is better than nothing and they are now changing their advice.

www.cnbc.com

Why we should all start making our own face masks during coronavirus—and an expert-approved guide on how

"Most people have the basic materials to make a face mask right now," says Stanford psychology expert Nir Eyal. "It's time to call forth the 'can do' American spirit and encourage everyone stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic to start sewing."
www.cnbc.com www.cnbc.com
 
Yesterday at the Tory daily press conference Prof van Tam and Mr Hancock stated that the general public do not need masks 😳

Today MH claimed that of the 19 frontline health workers who have died from Cov19 none of them died due to no PPE ......eh? 🙄

if someone sneezes in the supermarket and you walk through the droplets then you can get infected! 🤒

any mask, scarf, bandana etc is better than no mask at all surely to f@ck 😷

Almost 900 dying per day now but don’t worry about masks
 
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I think it should be a personal choice.
Obviously frontline health workers need them far more than Joe Public.
WHO dont want everyone buying PPE & there not being enough for those who need it most.
Having said that most of the masks bought online will not offer the level of protection required by someone in the NHS.
 
According to the BBC News in the last hour the frontlines are still short of PPE so MH is lying again.

An FFP1 mask used by contractors in the building trades gives 100% protection from the virus. If it stops the dust when you are using a grinder to cut brick walls then it will stop the airborn droplets.

not sure if the FFP1 is available online ..... maybe
 
Seasider3610 said:
Yesterday at the Tory daily press conference Prof van Tam and Mr Hancock stated that the general public do not need masks 😳

Today MH claimed that of the 19 frontline health workers who have died from Cov19 none of them died due to no PPE ......eh? 🙄

if someone sneezes in the supermarket and you walk through the droplets then you can get infected! 🤒

any mask, scarf, bandana etc is better than no mask at all surely to f@ck 😷

Almost 900 dying per day now but don’t worry about masks
Click to expand...
Did you actually hear him say those exact words because the report I saw was that they did not know how the workers had been infected.
 
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