To wonder whether buying face masks is sensible or not

[movingdilemma1234]

So I've just bought a couple of packets of masks from ebay.
I'm aware of the advise that hand washing is the most useful precaution against viruses and, of course, I'll contuse to do this as per usual
However this virus appears to be gathering speed at an alarming rates.
But will I look like I'm neurotic if I start wearing a face mask in Sainsburys?
Will face masks be the new stock piling for Brexit?

stick a colander on your head youll be fine

You'd be better off wearing gloves surely

You'd be better off wearing gloves surely ooh now that's an idea

normal paper face masks don't do much.
they are designed to work the other way round - to protect others from your germs.
good hygiene (regular hand washing with soap and running warm water) and not touching the face with your unwashed hands is the best way to protect against infection.

I think my original thought was that as this virus is contagious before there are symptoms it may well be a good idea for everyone in public spaces to wear a mask as no-one will know they are infected.
Last count I saw on the news was that 2000 are already infected in China, pretty sure it was only a handful a couple of days ago so it's spreading quickly. I also know that the people in the Uk who have been tested are negative so far but I think it's highly unlikely to stay that way

AwdBovril makes a point - most face masks you'd buy online were probably cheaply mass produced in China. Where do imported Chinese goods sit on the paranoia scale vs breathing the air at waitrose?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I thought you meant the pampering kind.

Those ones are great to clear pores.

Wearing a face mask actually makes it easier for the virus to spread straight into your mouth if wet due to you breathing in and out. Masks great if you sanding some wood and dont want to breath the bits in but useless against a virus unless has filter and you change the mask every 30 minutes unless you taking about ww2 masks

China is a country of over 1 billion and Wuhan city has a population of over 11 million so 2000 people infected, whilst concerning, is only a tiny proportion of the population. Precautions have also very quickly been taken to try and contain the virus and stop it’s spread.

At this current moment there is nothing to suggest there is any risk to the UK public or any reason not to go about business as usual. Honestly, how many people do you know who caught and died of SARS, Mers or Ebola in the UK? All of these epidemics were very serious and led to a large number of deaths but not within the UK so it is somewhat egocentric to assume that just because WHO has declared this dangerous that the risk must occur to you. It is likely large volumes of people may die from this but that doesn’t mean they will be British people and the fact they probably won’t be doesn’t mean it is less deserving of media coverage, but it is a complete overreaction for people in the UK to start freaking out about the risk to themselves.

If you want to help stop the spread of the disease then stop spending money on masks to protect yourself, somebody with almost no chance of contracting the disease right now, and donate to support those working to fight the disease in the epicentre of the outbreak.

Sorry I’m aware I’ve used the term ‘disease’ several times and that it’s actually a virus, before anybody pulls me up on it!

I used to be a theatre nurse, and we learned about surgical masks as part of our specialist training.

The paper surgical masks stop being effective when they become moist all the way through, from the moisture in your breath. At that point they start wicking bacteria and viruses in and out. Or at least, that is what we were told, back in the late 80s.

In healthcare where I have worked you had to be measured for the masks to actually fit you and they were expensive

The cheap paper ones do not really give you any protection

Loads of Chinese people wearing masks in soho yesterday at the Chinatown new year celebrations (which were packed out, not even standing room).

I just flew London to NZ via Singapore and I'd say 50% of people in Changi airport had them on, and then most passengers had them on during the flight - the cabin crew on the Singapore to AKL leg were wearing them the entire journey. It was mildly disconcerting! The lady serving me food and drinks had her nose out the whole time so not much point really!

So you bought a couple of cheap eBay face masks!......Probably from China! How far does your paranoia go? Just wash your hands! YABU

I used to work for the nhs and at the time of swine flu had to have a 2 hour mask fitting training session which involved being tested with various pots of scents to see if I could still smell them or not. A cheap mask off the internet ain’t going to cut it.

NHS worker here. Please dont bother. Wash your hands (worth checking online to revise good handwashing technique, but any handwashing better than none).

Lots of misinformation on this thread.

Face masks - even the most basic kind - do provide protection against viruses. There are many studies backing this up which you can google easily. You have to wear it correctly though - there’s a good video in this article :

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/24/coronavirus-spurs-run-face-masks-do-they-work/

Having said that, unless you live in an area with a vast traffic in and out of China, your chance of catching the Wuhan virus in the UK is pretty low at the moment.

I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I saw you wearing one in Sainsburys. I live in Asia and everyone is wearing them.

My brother is in Beijing. Everyone is wearing them there and he has been stopped to have his temperature taken at the railway station.

To put this latest virus into context, when SARS hit, approx. 800 people died.

Out of a population of 1.3 billion

YABU

I opened this thinking you were referring to face masks as in a facial 😊

They don't really do anything. I'm severely neutropenic so immunocompromised and I'm not wearing one

Possible case in Birmingham. Guy being tested after returning from the region with flu like symptoms. He went to the doctors and they sent him home! I'm concerned that protocol wont be followed properly.

Have you seen the price of some of the face masks on eBay? Some people are really trying to cash in on this! I'm not at the point of wanting to wear a mask, but I would consider it if I had to get public transport.

Possible case in Birmingham. Guy being tested after returning from the region with flu like symptoms. He went to the doctors and they sent him home! I'm concerned that protocol wont be followed properly.

(In Brum ...) I took DW to the GPs just before lunch. They had a big sign on the check in screen that any one who'd been to China in the past few weeks should contact reception.

Achoo !