Wearing a facemask when shopping

[Cam77]

I have seen a few people do this. I know the advice is not to do it (or that it is unnecessary), but having spent the morning researching this, I believe the advice is not really "based on the science" but rather social, political, economic factors have been pushed to the fore. I'll start with this, which is typical of advice we've been given the past month and IMO perfectly supports the case for wearing facemasks in certain situations (even though its trying to do the very opposite)：

www.bbc.com/news/av/health-51881555/coronavirus-do-face-masks-actually-work

The lady in the video, like most other health experts in the West (note not in the rest of the world) is advocating against the use of facemasks for the general public when out and about. For me the key sentence is this: (50 seconds in).
"But logically, if you're not close to other people, they're not coughing and sneezing on you, then a facemask isn't necessary"

I have heard variations of this a hundred times. "Facemasks probably aren't very useful". "They will only be of very little use" "Some people won't dispose of them correctly" etc.

Problem - in certain situations, eg shopping, people are close to you. Either through lack of care (often) or sometimes unavoidably, people are often not adhering to the 2 metre guidelines. Therefore there is a significance chance of people encroaching close to you (have found this often). And then there is a chance (although small) of a sudden cough or sneeze. Is that person infected? You don't know because symptoms can take quite a few days to emerge.

The above is of course why they are/were being worn in this crisis by billions of people outside of the West, often under threat of official sanction for not doing so (not to mention social disapproval). The argument against use of facemasks for, eg supermarket shopping, is not "the science" it is Western societies partial/modified application of "the science".

Of course I get the argument about healthcare workers being priorities (if only the government had given a damn about the NHS prior to the beginning of the crisis). However, one person from a family wearing a mask once a week for an unavoidable, often crowded, supermarket trip in which two metres distancing cannot always be adhered to? Maybe this would have been the more responsible action and advice?


Further reading:
"Why Telling People they don't need facemasks backfired"
www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/opinion/coronavirus-face-masks.html

"Why some countries wear facemasks and others don't"
www.bbc.com/news/world-52015486

[PigletJohn]

I'm of the opinion that the UK has insufficient facemasks and other PPE

Therefore, an official statement saying "A facemask will reduce infection" would have the citizens clamouring for something they can't have,

Therefore an official policy "You don't need them, they won't help" will have the effect of calming us down. If we believe Boris and his crew.

If.

[BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser]

No country has sufficient number of face.asks.
That's why while UK shops were selling out of freezers, Czech shops sold out of sewing machines.
People can think what they want to about masks. We will never agree because even the professionals can't agree! But I've seen and amazing things. People, including my family members, sitting at home (no work to go to for many🤷🏻) and sewing and sewing and sewing. Hospitals were very grateful. Virologists said it helped.
My mum keeps donating hers to random people and shop assistants (boiled and put in a bag after they dry). It brought up this amazing and generous side in people. And I love it. And I am also awaiting shipment of mine because I can't sew if my life depended on it😂
(Pic for illustrative purposes )

[HildaTablet]

I make 2-layer masks - from a very good pattern - which can have an additional filter layer (of non-woven material) inserted for once-only use. The mask is machine-washed after every use and I don't touch it when I'm wearing it. I wash my hands a lot as a matter of course.

I don't wear masks for just walking about when I can maintain a reasonable distance but I do when I go to the supermarket (with disposable gloves too) as people round my way seem to have completely abandoned any concept of keeping 2 metres apart. This after obediently queuing up outside according to the 2-metre marks.

I use the app when shopping so I can pack as I go, then pay on the self-pay tills. They regularly broadcast messages about maintaining 2 metres distance. The other day the tills were all busy so a cashier invited me to pay at her till. She had some problem getting my transaction to load so called over a colleague....who came up behind me in the aisle bit and brushed right past me. Barely 2 inches away let alone 2 metres.

I'm not a scientist so I don't know whether my mask was providing any worthwhile degree of protection or not but I felt glad I was wearing it at that particular point.

[MsMeNz]

Meta data ATM shows about a 75 percent reduction rate in spread when using masks in an enclosed space. I have medical issues and wear one while shopping and I won't be shamed for doing so. The reason this country has been discouraged especially in thr first month is so was because of lack of PPE for NHS etc. Read overall science papers and meta data that's been peer reviewed where possible and not individual scientists touting what the Media or government message is.

[Hagisonthehill]

This is what were wearing in hospital in ITU ,the ffp3 masks don't fit a lot of women and supply is iffy.We and other hospitals are using them as it works out cheaper than the disposable and we will always have something at hand that fits.
NHS staff are NOT wearing ffp3masks when looking after ward based Covid patients these are for aerosol procedures only(ITU,theatres mainly),we wear water resistant and this appears to be sufficient along with scrupulous infection control.

[DamnYankee]

some people in Europe are outright hostile to people wearing them in a crowded supermarket

That's weird. We (CO, US) have been asked to wear them where we cannot socially distance - like the supermarket. It was stressful at first, I'll admit. My inner "alarm bells" were ringing like crazy!
Many people are wearing them out of doors (running! biking), which seems mad, b/c/ we have lots of room out here. I'm a runner and I cannot tolerate it.
I'm doing it out of politeness at the store, really. Mine's a homemade one (DD, 11), with hair ties for ear loops! . I don't know that it is providing someone else with too much protection.
Wearing it in the summer might be too much, though, especially where there is no AC.
And not excited about putting them on anyone under age 18.

[cologne4711]

If everyone wears a mask it will reduce transmission. You can't cough or sneeze over someone if your face is covered, you'll cough into the mask.

But you only need them in closed areas like shops and trains. You don't need to wear them outside.

As for pushing through a supermarket, you can pass somene within 2m if it's a split second. Some aisles in shops aren't 2 wide so you have no option unless you decide that everyone has to wait for everyone else. Well I'm not waiting half an hour for someone to decide what flavour jam you want. If you're looking away the virus can't get you anyway, it's not going to leap from my (covered) face onto your back and crawl around your body and up your nose!

We need rational behaviour and some simple precautions. 2m away WHEN POSSIBLE, masks where advisable and stop believing the virus is moving around like radioactivity.

And I can wear a mask AND wash my hands. I don't wash my shopping, but I wash my hands before I go, when I get back, and when I've finished putting it away.

[cologne4711]

some people in Europe are outright hostile to people wearing them in a crowded supermarket

I thought most European countries were advising/requiring people to wear them?

I get a bit judgey if I see someone wearing an obviously medical grade one, but on the other hand they may be very vulnerable and not have help.

[OnlyThenWhen]

I wear them because I work in a high risk environment and don't want to be an asymptomatic spreader. I alcohol-gel my hands just before I go in, too.
It's to protect others, not myself.

[AJPTaylor]

When I go back to work I will wear one on the train. It seems sensible to prevent me spreading it and it will remind me not to put my hands on my face/mouth. Beyond that no.

[TalkUsernameYoudLike]

I have been wearing N99 (better quality than N95) respirators to the supermarket and I see a lot of other people wearing them. I ordered them through this website: //www.uk-respirators.co.uk

[Mencho]

Think of masks or face coverings as snot and spit catchers. If everyone in public wears them we can reduce transmission by cutting down the large droplets we spray every time we speak, sneeze, or cough. They don’t need to be high grade N95 or N99 because they are supposed to stop transmission at source. The virus isn’t floating around like pollen in the air - it’s contained in the relatively large droplets we expel (unless you are in a situation where it can be aerosolised like in an operating theatre).

Mask wearing and hand washing aren’t mutually exclusive.

The dampness inside the mask actually helps keep the virus contained in nice big droplets inside your own mask (according to a scientist in Japanese tv!).

Nobody enjoys wearing masks but you soon get used to them. I find that that I touch my face less when I’m wearing a mask.

I live in an Asian country and mask wearing is very common here anyway. This is not due to pollution but as courtesy. People wear them so as not to pass on coughs and colds or as extra protection in flu season.

[Khione]

I would wear one if travelling on public transport.

Other than that it seems pretty pointless except to protect me from social media censure.

@Goingmadathome Thu 26-Mar-20 09:40:56
I'm genuinely curious about this.
I heard it could be spread by just talking by one expert. I have no idea what distance but surely as soon as you go to a local shop you could be potentially affected just at the counter seeing hundreds of other people have been in store too.

totally agree with this

[araiwa]

No wonder uk has high rates with these attitudes. Fucking bonkers

[Coka]

The country I live in masks are the norm and the total Covid cases are way way less than the UK. We are not allowed into supermarkets or other enclosed spaces without one. People working in shops wear a lot of protection. It's so hard to imagine everyone in the UK wondering around without them. I assume its because if the gov advise them everyone will panic buy.
I feel pretty safe here and dont feel the need to wear one but I do as a courtesy to other people as people look nervous if you dont.

The people saying they saw someone wear one walking down an empty street....who knows where that person was going, u arnt supposed to take them off and put them back on lots.....

I agree its bonkers.

Mencho has good points.

[Lordfrontpaw]

They are a pita when you wear glasses!

[Lemonsherbets78]

Neighbour's daughter has been wearing one of those disposable thin paper mask for weeks when going on walks. I asked her mum when she was out at 8pm last Thursday where she was getting masks from, and she told me they just had the one and both 10yo and 12yo daughters use the same old disposable mask when they take turns to go out...

Saw a little girl on Instagram (posted by her mum) today wearing a mask and a visor. So weird to see. We have hand sewn masks that my mum sent us, but don't go anywhere other than walks and we rarely see another soul so haven't really worn them

[lazyarse123]

One thing I don't get is, the people I see at work (customers) are reusing disposable masks surely once you have touched it if there is anything on it then you've transmitted it to whatever you''ve touched, eg keys, door handles.

[Fuzzyspringroll]

We are in Germany and have to wear masks to enter shops and to use public transport.
It's a bit annoying but you get used to it. DS is under 6, so doesn't need to wear one.
School has provided me with a visor to wear when teaching my class because we felt masks were unsuitable in that situation. The kids don't have to wear a mask but are allowed to, if they want to.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

I loathe them, I need to see people's faces to feel comfortable communicating and can't wear ones which are tight to my mouth and nose due to my ptsd. I have however ordered some playmobil ones for the whole family. Dh loves the idea, not only is he planning on lots of Darth Vader impressions but it's also an excuse for him to avoid 99 percent of social interaction.

Seeing so many people use them incorrectly though. Dh said the checkout staff in our local supermarket were constantly moaning about how hot they made them/touching them. From his video chats in Costco, I'd also say those wearing them are more prone to ignoring social distancing (obviously very small sample).

[nocoolnamesleft]

Me wearing a mask won't protect me much. Everyone wearing a mask will protect everyone quite a bit. So for supermarket shopping I am starting to wear a mask.

[OverTheRainbow88]

Personally I think face masks protect from contracting and spreading the virus. I feel our government messed up and didn’t have enough for the doctors in the frontline let alone the rest of the population, instead of admiring to this they said they aren’t necessary. If they aren’t necessary why would GPs wear them and ask the people to wear one for appointments!