Dodgy face masks/ expensive

[melonslicexx]

I was asked to send a box of face masks from Amazon to someone's house. I ordered a pack of 50 and then read the reviews. Strings breaking. Tearing. All different sizes.

I kept searching. The prices were shocking on some. So I nipped on boots. £30 and more for masks.

So I went on superdrug. Terrible reviews on the sensible priced ones.

I went back on Amazon and found 10 washable ones for £10.99. read them. Good reviews. So I sent them.

The person who I sent them to rang to say on the box it says.

Not intended for medical purposes.
Will not protect against viruses.
Not intended to be used as a preventer or medical device.

Why are legit shops charging the earth?

Why are there so many people trying to make money and providing a poor quality product. If it's mandatory then it should be affordable considering how expensive life is a d many are on lower pay at the moment.

If anyone knows a safe genuine online shop to buy masks at a sensible price let me know

You need to work out whether you need medical grade masks or just a 'face coverings'.

they will all have a disclaimer on them as they don't want to be sued if someone gets infected despite wearing a mask. everyone needs to understand that masks only reduce the chances of spread and don't fully protect so they should still be cautious. I think most of the cloth masks for sale are designed more for stylishness accessorisation rather than safety so I have made my own following WHO guidelines.

I've got a few from Etsy. I found a lovely seller (FussyBe) who makes masks in soft jersey, and the have a gap for a filter if you want extra protection. They are very comfy, and come in a range of sizes, starting at about £6.00 for a washable mask.
Have a look on Etsy, there are loads of sellers selling masks. There are different shapes so it might be worth thinking about which shape would be more comfy. I have a couple from FussyBe, after trying a different shape, which I found a little uncomfortable. Good luck with your search!

Yeah that makes sense. They look awful. I'll not be going out now. It's put me off. I don't want my kids wearing them. You can't breathe properly in them either. Not good for our overall health. It's a waste of time after 5 months anyway. The government has been a joke with everything.

@EeeByeGummieBear thank you.

I'll look. What's a filter for them?

I worry about breathing in micro plastics from them.

Amaia kids do some lovely face coverings with filters, Gap have also started selling them in different patterns.

Yeah I know. Breathing back in what you breathe out isn't healthy either.

I don't know what to make of it all. I will stick to online shopping. I'd be a hot mess walking a mile to town with two kids and a pushchair. Then wearing a cloth over my face.

Yabu. They're loads of fair price ones now. Why do you need medical grade? If you do, then just buy disposable ones.

What makes you think they aren't good for overall health?

We'll be using motorbike neck tubes pulled up to our noses. Probably useless but no more useless than 99% of the other stuff folk will be wearing.

Does it have a little pocket to put a 3rd layer in? Masks for the masses generally aren’t medical grade. If they’re cloth, you want a very tight weave, double layer with a pocket so you can out some kind of filter, like absorbent towel or something, so you end up with 3 layers.

@Haggisfish - do you consume water?

All people need is face coverings and masks that stop cross contamination between hands face and nose.. medical grade not required .

@melonslicexx

Yeah I know. Breathing back in what you breathe out isn't healthy either.

I don't know what to make of it all. I will stick to online shopping. I'd be a hot mess walking a mile to town with two kids and a pushchair. Then wearing a cloth over my face.

You don't need to wear one while you're walking, just in the shop.

Please use washable ones. So called "disposable" ones just mean you chuck them in landfill. Or on the ground, judging by the number I see in the streets and pavements these days

@Floatyboat

Do your research. Breathing in your crappy air you have breathed out. It's not going to prevent the virus. Eyes are still exposed. Masks are not 100%. The virus is small enough to get in the masks or out. They don't fit everyone the same. It can still get on your hands. Trolley. Bags. Food packages. Handles you touch. Card machines. It's not going to do much at all after 4 months is it. Abit late to be trying to see if masks will help.

Also pubs and restaurants and gyms and school children and nursery children are not wearing them. Children also won't be wearing them in shops. So what exactly are they going to achieve when drunk Dave is walking home at 2am with his drunk buddies and they are hugging and walking together.

With all the meeting up outdoors and days out reopening what is it going to do that only adults have to wear them in shops?

There are many things opened up now that don't require masks.

People can go to the pub and out to eat. No masks. Nip to the gym soon too. Then they have to pop a mask on to buy a breadloaf.

But yes I'm unreasonable. Not everyone has a spare £20 for a couple of masks right now.

Why don't the government provide them if they are a must so we all have the same!

If you think masks are uncomfortable and interfere with your breathing, try Covid-19 & a respirator....

Youre making a big deal out of nothing, obviously you wont wear it whilst you walk the mile into town, you dont need a medical grade mask so of course the masks have disclaimers on them - they all will regardless of who the manufacturer or suppliers are.
Enjoy your internet shopping, im looking forward to getting out and about.

They are to protect OTHERS from you.
They need to contain any particles you breathe out or that come from your mouth, so you don't cause infection to others.

I do, but I don’t breathe water in.

Go online, there are plenty of patterns to make yourself. There are even none sew patterns. Ones made out of old T-shirt's, bandanas etc. All free and easy to find with a quick google search.

@RedRumTheHorse post above for them-it’s a bit random otherwise!

Online sellers have seen the opportunity to sell masks that look like the real thing so they are making them cheaper. The string breaks on the medical grade ones too and they are disposable so aren't very sturdy. I managed to burn one the other day. Boots are probably selling the real masks from a reputable source.

There is a study that has shown well made fabric masks are better then the blue and white medical ones. They seem to protect people more.

As a PP has said most companies will put a disclaimer on to cover themselves.

Ok but why are people in shops selfish if they don't wear one. But it's ok for socialising in pubs.

How is it ok when people want to get drunk? Or eat out? How can the rules be so different.

It's still a pandemic and a pub or cafe is still a public space

It seems they can change the rules to suit themselves and they can't open the economy back up without letting the rules slide for people out having fun. Yet people trying to shop and stuff have to do it or get called allsorts for being whingers.

Unless you’re working in a medical setting with at risk patients then you don’t need medical grade equipment with filters. Just get a couple of washable cloth masks.