To ask about the inequalities and economics of face masks?

[Pepperwort]

This is now an extra compulsory expense of life at a time of economic issues for many. I’m wondering how easily most / all people can add this to their bills.

There are also luxury varieties appearing on the market offering increased protection, despite the lack of research on them so far, which conceivably might reduce chances of catching it. I’m wondering about both elements.

Given that 1 needle, a role if thread and an old t-shirt easily make 4-5 i doubt its an economic issue....

That was comprehensive, @agonyauntie2020, thanks. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a vaccine too.

Disabled people have to pay for all kinds of things and nobody seems to mind that. Buying a few face masks is noting

Well said.

The extent to which society is prepared to ignore the needs of the weak/vulnerable has been exposed by the pandemic. People only care when it affects them, and even on left-leaning MN it's all about normality for me and people like me, even if that brings risks and costs and isolation to people like you.

In theory, you can just use a scarf, which I had planned to do, but so few people are doing that so I feel conspicuous.

I have a long, thin scarf that I wind round my neck and if I go into a shop I lift it over my mouth and nose, pull on the two ends and it's fine. FAr more comfortable than a mask.

There are so many sites where you can download 'exemption certificates' though, getting to be silly.

Yes just use a scarf, I use a thin silk one too, pull it over, knot it then done.

Soon as I come out of the shop down it comes and back into my bag for next time.

@Vintagevixen

Yes just use a scarf, I use a thin silk one too, pull it over, knot it then done.

Soon as I come out of the shop down it comes and back into my bag for next time.

Don't you wash it before the next time?

No. I have little fear of catching Covid myself, it really doesn't worry me at all and to me the science is very flimsy for face masks/coverings. Have read the Oxford uni meta analysis etc with original sources referenced, though the author comes down very weakly on the side of face coverings. Far to many "maybes" and "probably" in her analysis for me, then I went and read the original studies at source and wasn't convinced. There's not one randomised controlled trial done on face masks, most studies are observational.

As its mandatory I will cover my face, but I feel its just a placebo TBH. So a silk scarf does me, steams my glasses up less, sometimes swap it out for a bandana.

I would far rather wear a mask in shops than walk around with a scarf around my neck in this weather.

Just as easy to remove a mask once you leave the shop as it is to take a scarf off your face.

I wear glasses and apart from for a few minutes the first time I wore a mask my glasses never get steamed up. Maybe it's just a case of getting it in the right place.

I'm more than willing to wear a mask if it's likely that they help us all protect one another, even if the science isn't exact on how effective they are. Isn't that why surgical teams always wear masks, to protect their patients?

Although, given the amount of people I see out and about wearing them tucked under their noses rather than over their noses, it's likely that a lot of the masks that people are wearing will definitely make no difference at all to anyone.