Worried about contamination while in the supermarket. Want to wear a mask-too much?

[NotFattyBomBom]

So I think supermarkets are one of the biggest risks of infection now due to the sheer amount of people in and out of them, many people with possible symptoms are going to be in them as they need to eat and a lot of people won’t/can’t ask for help.

Currently take a wipe or a bit of kitchen roll soaked in disinfectant to give the trolley handle a good wipe over, and the self scanner handle as self scanning means less queuing as less people use it, quicker time in and out as no loading onto conveyer belt which someone may have coughed over etc. Also use the sandwich bag I’ve stashed the disinfectant wipe in to cover the keypad when I put my pin in. Shop staff are constantly wiping down but still.

If I’m only picking up a few bits, I take my own bag and put stuff straight into it so don’t need to pick up a basket and only need to wipe the scanner.

I’m now thinking of using a face mask and wearing my glasses. Too much? I get that they are saying face masks are ineffective but they would surely stop some of the droplets if someone sneezes near me?

I have thick fabric ones that DS wanted last summer to wear with his Chemions which will go straight in the wash afterwards. I watched a video compiled by a Spanish doctor which said that if we have been in an indoor space, we should also remove clothes and put straight in the wash, then get straight in the shower as the virus sticks to hair and clothes and can obviously then be transferred to mouth/eyes/nose when we touch ourselves!

What a palaver. Lucky I only intend to go every 4/5 days. DH is still working but will follow the same protocol of clothes in the washer and straight in the shower when he gets in from now on. DC will only go out on supervised walks keeping away from others.

I know we’re all probably going to get it but I’d rather delay getting it for a few months until the ventilators and hopefully a treatment is ready, and until the warmer months which may weaken the virus.

No one in my area is wearing masks though.

Anyone else feel like this about the supermarkets.

[LeGrandBleu]

@Branster sorry! The link was missing

coutureetpaillettes.com/mes-coutures/masques-tissus-prevention-coronavirus/

Scroll down for the two patterns

[VivaLeBeaver]

VivaLeBeaver - do you think keeping it in a bag is sensible? Genuine question, I just wouldn't know how to handle a mask that's been worn.

I honestly don’t know. I took it off by the straps, dropped it in a bag and have left it. Then washed hands. I have 4 masks in total. So reckon I could easily rotate them as only going to the shop once every few days for food. If bugs can only stay on the service for a few hours/days and if the mask isn’t touched after use for some time I think it lessens the risk.

[Lifesavesocialdistance]

Ie got one of those and 2 fp2.

So I'll save the p3 for any longer food shops! Once a week!!

[Lifesavesocialdistance]

Good idea nell!! Number them.

I washed bread package and milk this morning.

Tonight will be harder however with an ocado shop!!

[HasaDigaEebowai]

FFP3 are the best ones

[Lifesavesocialdistance]

viva

I didn't buy masks but remembered we had some in the cupboard from years ago. I have three

Fp3, they are the good ones arnt they've?

So you think they will be good to use once a week?

Then left for a week and so on the?

[nellodee]

I'm doing the same as some others. I have a number of disposable ffp3 masks that I am numbering and rotating after use. I am going to try to leave a week between uses.

I also leave tinned goods away from my usual store for several days before rotating in. I wipe everything coming into the house. I treat the fridge as only a semi-safe area and wash hands before and after food prep and disinfect all surfaces following use.

[HasaDigaEebowai]

That's rubbish. If you have an FFP3 or FFP2 mask that will help and is the same as the masks they are using in hospitals.

The WHO has simply been trying to get people to understand that masks alone are not going to prevent you from getting it. But if you have them use them.

[Fantasiaa]

A mask that you will have access too will not help you.

In fact, it will actually make you complacent.

Another example of Karens on Mumsnet thinking they know better than WHO and actual medical professionals at the NHS.

Ta

[Northernsoullover]

I am doing a degree in public and environmental health. We discussed face masks way before we had even heard about Coronavirus. They are not hugely effective but they do stop you touching your face. For that reason I am wearing one.

[MrsMGE]

Oh yes, and also wash my hands before and after food prep and before meals, too.

[HasaDigaEebowai]

why on earth would you be leaving things outside for 48 hours?

Because its easy and I don't want to waste the cleaning product that I have.

And I'm not scaremongering thanks. I trying to persuade people not to go to the supermarket every 4-5 days. It isn't necessary

[MrsMGE]

I wash my hands as soon as I get home from the shop, before touching anything. Then unpack the bags. Then wash my hands again. I also wipe my phone, keys and cards as I handle them with unwashed hands at times. I hope that's enough! I don't wipe the packaging of the items I bought.

I wouldn't know where to start if I had to take off a mask though. There's a part of me that would worry about cross-contamination at that point.

[Branster]

Yes, after putting stuff away and before preparing any kind of food, even a sandwich or cup of tea. And disinfect any kitchen handles or door edges as well. Technically, if an infected person touched your sealed bread loaf, you could pick up the virus on your hand and re distribute it. Small chance but why take it. You could wear gloves whilst you unpack as my understanding is that the skin on our hands is the main vehicle of transmission through surfaces and I don’t see how gloves would pick the virus from a plastic packaging, it’s not like skin. Similarly placing a Contaminated plastic package on your kitchen worktop wouldnt transmit the virus to the worktop as they don’t jump from surface to surface but we simply need to be as careful as we can.

[Samcarpy92]

@HasaDigaEebowai why on earth would you be leaving things outside for 48 hours? Your more likely to bring in germs and bacteria doing this than just wiping things down before putting them away if you’re that concerned.

Also we are not at war, There is no shortage of food in the supply chain stop scaring people into buying more than they need it’s not helpful at all.

[Branster]

ilovemydogandMrObama it’s plastic that’s been proven to allow viruses to survive (I don’t know what type as in hard surfaces more than thin flexible plastic?). I haven’t seen any actual reports from testing fabric - which is not to say it doesn’t get contaminated) but my understanding is that more porous material are less susceptible to harbouring the virus or that the virus doesn’t survive for as long. Also, the longer the virus remains on a surface, the weaker it becomes.
All my posts on this thread are so bloody unscientifically expressed - I apologies for this, trying to pass on the little knowledge I gathered as fast as I can.
There isn’t a lot of clear evidence abd a lot of advice is based on behaviour of viruses from the same family but we don’t know for certain this virus responds the same.
Wash hands, wash hands, don’t touch face, stay away from people. That’s all we know for certain.

[RickOShay]

Thank you @Branster.
So wash your hands after putting stuff away?

[HasaDigaEebowai]

I wore a mask when I had to leave the house very briefly to go to the pharmacy on Thursday. I got some strange looks in the (very busy) village but I don't give a fuck. They do work, the virus is airborne and why would I take unnecessary risk when it can be avoided.

I would urge you though OP to go to the shop less than once every 4-5 days. Why would you go this frequently. Buy different things if you are limited on quantities of the things you would normally buy. We need to remember how they did things last time food was restricted (in the war). Buy what is there not what you would generally buy. Viral load is a massive factor (i.e. the more you're exposed the worse you are affected) and so we shouldn't be leaving the house unless absolutely essential and certainly shouldn't be going to the shops any more than we have to.

I'm leaving things outside for 48 hours (unless they're frozen or need refrigeration) before bringing them in the house.

[PlanDeRaccordement]

It’s not the UK Gov saying masks do not protect you, it’s the WHO. The WHO also say that wearing gloves is no better and could be worse than just washing bare hands. Go here:
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

And here:
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

[Branster]

RickoShay there’s nothing stopping you for plastic packaging but the advice is that as long as you wash your hands you should be OK. There’s no evidence yet that it transmits through eating (presumably because when you ingest food any potential viruses are swallowed as opposed to being breathed in through airways?).

[mistermagpie]

I went to the supermarket yesterday for the first time in about a week. I put hand gel on then rubber gloves, wiped down the trolley etc. Didn't take my bag or purse, just one card so it was easier to clean. Went by myself.

I saw so many whole families in there! Just wandering about as normal, no gloves or anything. Mum, dad and kids so there was no childcare need involved in them all being there, clearly just treating it like a little trip out.

It wasn't especially busy (late-ish Sunday evening) so that was good and I could stay well away from people, but loads of people weren't remotely trying to keep distance in the queue and aisles. I was really shocked and the whole thing made me very uneasy.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

Am looking at ditching re usable bags for the duration.

It pains me to do this, but think disposable is the best way of ensuring no cross contamination.

Unless anyone has scientific information?

[RickOShay]

What about wiping down shopping?
This is bothering me.
Should we be doing it?

[MrsMGE]

VivaLeBeaver - do you think keeping it in a bag is sensible? Genuine question, I just wouldn't know how to handle a mask that's been worn.

[calpolatdawn]

why on earth are people attacking people for wearing face masks? probably tbat people got off the Internet, NHS isnt struggling for face masks because Gary got 5 off Amazon , its because they arent being supplied and supported properly by the government.