Are you wearing a mask when you have to go out to buy food?

[SoleBizzz]

No supermarket delivery slots available.

No, but I'm wearing disposable gloves, and using my precious hand sanitiser on the trolley handles. I'm trying to go only once a week, and at a quiet time of day.

A mask would protect others from you to some extent, but if you are coughing you should not be out anyway.

I would and have.

It's not a good look though

As time passes, I think its getting more and more risky so definitely would be wearing it and f* what anyone has to say about it.

No, i'm not coughing. If someones infected droplets reach me it could be through surfaces or me touching my eyes/face.

No because I don't have any and it's been reported that they aren't that effective.

What I have done is soak some cloths in Zoflora to make "wipes" that I have in a container and I've been using those to sanitise things I've needed to touch plus diligent hand washing.

Once used the wipes go into a different container and are being hot washed before being re-used.

So far my only "symptom" is very dry hands that have needed copious amounts of hand cream - but if that's the price I'm happy to pay it.

No, they aren’t effective

It's bullshit that they aren't effective. Why are other countries making them mandatory then??

I wear one at the shops. Only because my fellow shoppers are totally incapable of social distancing.

It's a two way street - protecting others from me even though I am asymptomatic and protecting myself (mostly from touching my face - a habit I am really struggling to break).

I am only going out when absolutely necessary for essentials.

Even if we had wanted to I haven't seen any for sale.

Not sure that I have ever seen any for sale even before cv broke out! Or where I would start to think of looking for them!

Have you heard of the internet @wibdib?

Before all this really kicked off, there were lots for sale. I got mine from a local DIY store (not a big chain). They were perplexed at people like me purchasing masks normally used for those doing building work, they asked me if I was buying due to the coronavirus.

If you have them, wear them. If not, make some homemade (better than nothing) and stay as far away from others as you can xx

When used properly and changed regularly and disposed of properly wearing masks can reduce the spread of the virus in certain situations (i.e. in hospital where you have a patient shedding virus and a HCP caring for them). Wearing them to the supermarket is not effective and reduces their availability to those who are caring for patients and really need them.

Nope

They are effective. Not totally , or course, but they stop most direct spread from droplets reaching your mouth and nose, and they stop you touching your mouth and nose.

There is a lot of discussion here in Hong Kong about masks. Almost all locals wear them. Many wore them in winter even before the pandemic. In fact they became commonplace after SARS. I currently don’t wear them, except on public transport. I don’t allow my children out without them, as in the current climate they may get bailed up and berated by over cautious Mask wearers. Actually my kids won’t be going out at all now that we’ve had a big jump of imported cases.

Emotions are running high, so I avoid any discussions about their efficacy.

My DD has a fabric one and says people swerve out of her way when they see her wearing it so is effective in that way.

I have ordered the same one from China but it won't arrive till April. I know they have limited effectiveness but some effect is better than none.

I wish I knew where to buy gloves.