Are you / would you wear a mask?

[OldTownRoadHome]

Just wondering, are you considering or do you already wear a mask when out and about due to the potential pandemic? I’ve seen only 2 people with them, a Chinese guy and an Uber driver, but we live very rurally.

I am travelling for work this week and seriously considering a mask for the crowded bits eg the tube as I have asthma, as does my sister and elderly parents. But my British need to not look a dick head is saying no!

Yes - you are/would/plan to wear a mask
No - are not/no plans/would never wear one

Masks are not pointless. They provide some protection. They are by no means a guarantee but they do help and to say they don't is frankly dangerous given the likelihood that we are going to see more cases in the UK.

Masks, handwashing and limiting contact with others are together capable of minimising risk.

I'm currently sitting in an international airport... There is only one person wearing a mask (and she has it covering her chin, obviously pulled it down out of the way) , although I know when I'm passing through Dubai there will be more there.
I'm more likely to wear gloves than a mask tbh, even though they say it's airborne, I still feel that is likely to be of more use.

The masks are completely ineffective so no, I wouldn't wear one.

I suspect the "I don't want to look like a tit" factor is prevalent here. The masks are not 'completely ineffective'. That's just nonsense.

I think many people are missing what I see as the main point of masks ( even the thin medical ones) in that they tend to stop the hand to mouth transmission that might happen if for instance you touch a surface on public transport and then touch your face , rub eyes ( without thinking). Most people do this many times an hour without thinking. You would need eye protection as well but covering your mouth and eyes when out would help to prevent this.

You do need to remove the goggles and mouth cover carefully when home and disinfect or throw away etc and then thoroughly wash hands

The argument that the virus could be over/ soaked in the the mask and goggles because it is airborne is spurious since if this were the case and the mask/ goggle's were not there, the virus would.be in your eyes or mouth .

Obviously a mask is no guarantee but I see it as an additional barrier in addition to scrupulous hand washing.

I suspect the "I don't want to look like a tit" factor is prevalent here. The masks are not 'completely ineffective'. That's just nonsense.

This

No

@bumblingbovine49 actually that’s incorrect. Wearing a mask has been shown to cause people unaccustomed to it to in fact touch their face more due to fiddling with the mask.

@HasaDigaEebowai so you think the government and the NHS are advising people not to wear them because they’re concerned people will look stupid?

If the masks were effective then why is treatment protocol for medical personnel not to use them as they are ineffective? Because the NHS likes spending lots of money on respirator masks just for fun?

They really aren’t in the least effective but go and and wear one if it makes you feel better.

The mask is a placebo and nothing more. There’s plenty of official advice showing that they are completely ineffective. But I kind of wish I’d thought of the idea of selling them because someone is making a bloody fortune out of something which is completely useless.

They're not a placebo. That advice is being given because the authorities 1. Want to avoid panic (which would lead to the breakdown in essential services and food supply - much more dangerous than an already dangerous virus and 2. They are concerned that a run on masks will exhaust the supply for those who need to remain alive - medical workers, emergency services and service workers like goods truck drivers.

Hand hygiene should be the priority. I think masks provide a reminder not to touch your face and are a visible symbol to others to keep more than 6 ft away (height of a tallish man for those who think in metric only).

However (and I am a general prepper) I'm not sure anything other than a full on gas mask type thing offers actual protection. You also need to think carefully how you put them on and off because hands on face not a good idea. Also, you need to think about protecting your eyes. So, in short, op, I would prefer to stay at home if the call to do so comes. And practice good hand hygiene.

I'm aware that masks are only affective for a short amount of time - they are NOT completely ineffective otherwise they wouldn't wear them in the medical setting!! does anyone think that government advice is being skewed by the need to conserve supplies for the NHS? I've heard that supply is low and dentist in particular are having to implement rationing if them due to the supply problem.

Typo - are ONLY affective for a short time!!!

@PicsInRed except medical workers and the emergency services aren’t using them because they don’t work.

@lumpy76 no, because the NHS isn’t using them for treatment of coronavirus - the treatment protocol is respirator and hood.

There is no evidence that they have any effect whatsoever. Also, you’d need to cover your eyes as well, as viruses are often transmitted this way. Surgeons wear masks to protect patients, not the other way ‘round. They are very uncomfortable and sweaty as well.

No.."wearing a. Mask makes it more easy for you to catch it as when mask is wet which happens within 20 minutes youve a portal of entry straight to my mouth and nose. Mask is to protect others from what you have not the other way. Hand washing is best defence!

Fenella - medical, emergency and auxiliary workers do seem to be using them in both Italy and China.

It is funny.how wearing of make is pointless and yet no-one tells health professionals that. Yes I know.all the arguments about fitting them well etc and only N95 ones work yada yada. The fact remains that health workers wear masks when working with people with infectious diseases. If they did nothing at all to help or as some have suggested,.or even make you more likely to get ill (), I'd be very surprised that so much money was wasted by health services.

I am not wearing a mask and as has been said will probably prefer to stay home as much as possible but I certainly don't think people who do wear them are being ridiculous. In fact in China where the outbreak seems to be slowing down ( hopefully), wearing of masks is much more widespread. Maybe that has helped the slow down, maybe it hasn't done anything ( impossible to tell). I'd be very surprised to be told that mask.wearimg has made things worse, though I am always open to scientific evidence .

A surgical mask protects mainly others. A P2 or P3 or respirator protects the wearer.

I see what you did there @Toddlerteaplease Bain 😂

@picsinred well, yes. And doctors in China are catching and dying from coronavirus. Thankfully we have better preparedness for the correct PPE in the UK. Also, they will be changing those masks after every patient interaction having scrubbed their hands - think that will be effective for Joe Public strolling around Swindon? If you google NHS PPE you can find videos of the correct protocol for this, Ebola etc. None of them involve the generic paper masks.

no, because the NHS isn’t using them for treatment of coronavirus - the treatment protocol is respirator and hood.

Well that's just being ridiculously pedantic. "Don't wear masks, don't wear masks. Oh but respirator masks do help"

People are talking about masks in general, not just the paper surgical masks.

Masks help to minimise risk for those who have no choice but to mix closely with others (eg going to a hospital, having to use public transport). Surgical masks (the thin flat paper things do not offer much protection at all and are best left for use by those already infected so that they don't spread it further any more than necessary), FFP1 will help more (about £2 from diy stores). FFP2 (N95) masks will filter 95% of airborne particulates. FFp3 (above N95) filter 99% and are available for about £4 from diy stores for disposable ones and for circa £20 for resusable ones which last about a month (which you are calling "respirators")

This is now serious and people need to treat it as such and make sure they have what they need ready in case.

Yes, but I’m chinese. I always wear a mask when I have a cold too. It’s the one thing I can’t get used to in this country, people openly sneezing and breathing, coughing their germs everywhere when they’re ill.