to suggest NOT wearing masks, but instead wearing . . .

[Durgasarrow]

the charmingly named Neck Gaitors? They have been my all-purpose solution to the Great Mask Dilemma of 2020. They're washable, lightweight, stylish, useful, versatile, you can wear them as a scarf and pull them up as needed, or as a hairband or even a bracelet if it's too constricting to keep it around your neck. They're cheap to order from Amazon by the half dozen--they have seriously helped me keep my sanity.

@TrustTheGeneGenie Possibly, but that would be lying wouldnt it?
Precisely; no different from what Boris and his merry men do every day.

@GinDaddyRedux

Jesus I actually can't even write what I want to.

What is wrong with the ego of British people that they can't get their act together and just wear a proper mask?!

Get a grip. I don’t know where you are but Where we live you stand a better chance of finding tartan paint than a “proper mask”

Nothing to do with ego - it’s just thst when my one reusable mask is being washed I cover my face with a pashmina- I have 2 surgical masks thst I’m keeping spare for DP and I to wear when I give birth as the hospital is totally Covid secure.

You could soak your gaiter, mask, snood etc in salt water and let
them dry naturally fora bit of extra protection.
The dried crust of salt is supposed to kill virus/germs on the mask.

But this isn't VISIBLE enough for you to be considered a paragon of COVID VIRTUE
In fact, it could be mistaken for the crustiness of COVID filth!
Covering your sin-holes (mouth and nose) isn't enough - it need to be the RIGHT covering to stop the filth from the sin-holes from coming out!

[quote wanderings]**@TrustTheGeneGenie* Possibly, but that would be lying wouldnt it?*
Precisely; no different from what Boris and his merry men do every day. [/quote]
Well quite but I don't support that either...

crustiness of COVID filth

This would be an excellent death metal band name.

...and you can guarantee a death metal band would have good masks!

I’ve been wearing a gaiter as well. I find it comfort and because it’s round my neck I can’t lose it at the bottom of my handbag.
I’m also guilty of popping my nose out of it when there is nobody else around me in the store.

I await my flogging.

@Thomasina79

These are a good idea. I have found using a deep headband also good.

It’s not a question of the British ego’ whatever that is, but that what is tolerable for one person is not for another. I cannot abide the ones with elastic over the ears and I have tried them but find them very painful. We are all different shapes and sizes with different shaped ears and heads so of course what suits one person will not be comfortable for someone else. Let’s have a little tolerance and understanding

What I don’t get on here is all the bullying and unpleasantness that is around.

Gransnet is much kinder!

It has nothing to do with being kind or tolerance. IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE!! that people wear the correct type of face covering that actually stops droplets coming/going through.

I can be a perfectly nice person by default, but the level of stupidity in this mask question and how people are trying to find alternatives that defeat the purpose just brings out the worst in me.
NO, a turtleneck, bandana, etc is NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

You say that let's be tolerant to x, y, z as " what suits one person will not be comfortable for someone else" Don't care. I'd like to be out and about freely as soon as possible, but that can only happen if everyone abides by logical rules. There are masks that are not behind the ear but have to tie them and still be protective enough, but coming up with bandana like waffer thin cloths to mock masks is just irritating.

This whole distancing, mask issue is NOT POLITICS, human rights. IT'S BASIC BIOLOGY!!!!

But @TheSunIsStillShining we've been told "face covering" haven't we. Not a certain type or grade of mask. Not even any type of mask. A face covering.

@Plimpy

LadyHofH

I salute you and would happily buy you your next can of coke!

You're on, Plimpy.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

But *@TheSunIsStillShining* we've been told "face covering" haven't we. Not a certain type or grade of mask. Not even any type of mask. A face covering.

That is the point where I loose my shit.

1. do we really have to live in a nanny state????
2. can't people remember anything from those biology classes? And if not: can't they read up? It's 10 mins to get the basics
3. This government is so shitty that it can't even convey a simple message!!! They are all too occupied with brexit - although that shitshow is in shambles as well.... so the public would need to step up against those idiots.

Democracy doesn't really work and the UK is the glaring example of that. :(

@Durgasarrow have you checked they actually function as a mask before telling people to buy them and wear them?

If they are thin and lightweight how do you know they are any good? You need to wear one and make sure you can’t blow out a match. If you can then you shouldn’t be wearing them.

@TheSunIsStillShining most of us have limited knowledge of novel viruses. It absolutely is up to the government to be clear on what will work and what will not.

I don't think it's "nanny state" to want clarification on what consists of an acceptable face covering.

We have never been in this situation before.

@Plimpy I gather you were being sarcastic but honestly if course if has to be the right type of covering. Jesus Christ why do you think face masks are advised? I just can’t understand the sheer stupidity of so many people around mask wearing. The mind boggles

[quote TrustTheGeneGenie]@TheSunIsStillShining most of us have limited knowledge of novel viruses. It absolutely is up to the government to be clear on what will work and what will not.

I don't think it's "nanny state" to want clarification on what consists of an acceptable face covering.

We have never been in this situation before.[/quote]
That is a valid and fair point. And it makes it even more infuriating how the gov is handling this whole thing.

I have a background partially in communication and the FIRST RULE of crisis communication that you put clear, concise and consistent messages out which are backed up by facts and arguments.
This willy-nilly mode that bojo is doing is just the opposite.

But I would argue that if the gov is obviously not doing their job than in a democracy we are free and mandated to actually do our own research?

@TheSunIsStillShining I agree the messages and delivery of them have been shite.

I think expecting people to research things they know nothing about is a bit of a reach. A lot of us have more pressing worries and more important things to do than to research masks.

@TheSunIsStillShining if democracy doesn't work what are you proposing?

It's becoming more 1984 every day.

I think expecting people to research things they know nothing about is a bit of a reach. A lot of us have more pressing worries and more important things to do than to research masks.

I've researched the fuck out of masks. Conclusion? They cause way more harm than they do good.

I can be a perfectly nice person by default, but the level of stupidity in this mask question and how people are trying to find alternatives that defeat the purpose just brings out the worst in me. NO, a turtleneck, bandana, etc is NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

The law is that you cover your mouth and nose. So actually yes, a bandanna, a turtle neck or a scarf is plenty good enough. You're not the self appointed mask police.

You do what you want to make yourself feel happy, safe, superior or whatever, but many of us just want to get on with our lives and will comply with this ridiculous rule in whatever way we feel comfortable. That may be wearing a mask, a scarf or nothing at all as is our right.

And in response to an earlier poster, I'm not wearing a fucking mask to protect others, I'm covering my face when able as per the rule. You can't catch covid from me, because I don't fucking have covid. And even if I did and was asymptomatic, you still won't catch it off me from passing me in a shop, magic mask or no magic mask.

In fact the only way you may catch covid of an asymptomatic stranger is if you start a slagging match with them in a shop when they haven't got a mask on. If you just ignore them and give them a wide birth they are no risk to you.

So how about we have a new slogan - mind your own business, leave people alone and stop the spread.

Alabamawhirly
Yuss!

I've researched the fuck out of masks. Conclusion? They cause way more harm than they do good

Would you care to say how masks cause harm?

And before you start, the misuse of masks is not a reason for not using them, just as wearing crash helmets and the associated risks of an increased risk of a sense of safety on the part of the wearer resulting in less safe riding is not a reason for not wearing them.

Same with seat belts.

Here's one from the past, Wilfrid of the Bash Street Kids:

So to summarise your post @Alabamawhirly1

I don’t WANT to wear a proper mask stamps feet wah wah wah I don’t care about anyone else. I will wear want I want stomp stomp

Thanks for your input

@Alabamawhirly1 well said!

I'd also welcome an understanding of your research and how masks cause 'way more harm than good'.

And before you start, the misuse of masks is not a reason for not using them,

Yes it is. The misuse of masks can lead to a greater chance of self-infection which I'd say is a major issue since you can only really pass COVID on from your sin-holes if you have it already yourself.
Note that there is an update to this study, which pretty much seeks to deny the conclusions of the study, but without a good explanation as to why - which shows you how political everything has become.

Here is another in depth study: web.archive.org/web/20200509053953/https:/www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/face-masks-dont-work-revealing-review/

Note that this study has been saved to the web archive. It is no longer housed where it was first published, due to it being 'no longer relevant in our current climate'. - with no explanation as to why not.
This is more evidence to show you how political everything has become.

Here is Deborah Cohen's [[[[https://twitter.com/deb_cohen/status/1282244768257499136
account]] of how difficult it was for her to host a balanced debate on masks on BBC's Newsnight.
Note that sources told her that the WHO only changed their stance due to political pressure, and that when this was put do them, they 'Didn't deny it'
Do you see what I'm saying about the politics?

Remember how all the advice was that masks don't work, up until about a month ago when they started to want to relax restrictions?
They'll say that the 'science has changed'. What's really happened it a scrubbing clean of evidence where they can, applying pressure to alter where they can, and just sheer bullshitting everywhere else.

The harms of mask wearing are not just the increased infections, but the increase of hate crimes against the exempt (those with disabilities) and many other things that loads won't have even thought of, such as the increased likelihood of falls which can be fatal the elderly.

This is not about protecting the vulnerable. Masks HARM the vulnerable.
This is politics - a terrible misguided attempt to bring back confidence to shoppers. Confidence the government and the media stole in the first place.

When I say that all of this - the hideously harmful lockdown, and now the masks, is due to corruption, incompetence, and lack of balls - I'm really not kidding.