there should be a government campaign to make your own masks...

[jobhunter7]

Surely this would help if as many people as possible were wearing masks... and understandably perhaps the government want to make sure medics have them first...

I agree that wearing as mask makes sense, and I would do it but.....

I don't have the fabric or skills to make a mask.
Good luck getting everyone to do it when people can't even cope with the idea of staying in their houses.

do you not own a scarf?

Of course, but you said to make one.
Anyway, I'm not going out so it isn't an issue.

a bandana or a scarf would help too... i think the point is try to help make as people as safe as possible...

If everybody had to wear masks where would that leave people like DD who has to see people's mouths in order to understand what they are saying?

I am hard of hearing and live in a country where the language is not my native language, so I sometimes struggle if there is a lot of background noise. If I have difficulties I just move further away and ask people to lower their masks for a few minutes (yes, you can do this safely by touching the elastic loops). I have never had a bad reaction.

The point of mask-wearing is, if most people wear them more-or-less correctly most of the time, it slows the transmission of the virus. We don't need everyone to be 100% perfect all the time. It's fine if it has to be lowered occasionally for something essential, and it's fine if small children or people with particular special needs do not wear them.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-new-york-mask-executive-order-wear-face-covering-cuomo-a9467301.html

Yes, NY has taken the wrong course here and I hope the Uk does not follow suit with this foolish idea.

Trying to halt a pandemic is foolish Xenia ?

Really, how long would you like it to go on?

Masks do not work and WHO advises against them so if we mandated them we would be making things worse.

I don’t see how a bandanna or a scarf will work.

The coverage has to be as fitted as possible and it needs to stay out. A scarf will be need to be adjusted and there will be fiddling with it.
You also need to know which side is in and out, and again that’s difficult with a scarf, you can’t really only keep one side in.
Also, it needs to be able to withstand frequent washing and ironing at high temps, so that might not work with all scarves.

Keep up, this is a live pandemic, research is ongoing. Advice is constantly evolving.

www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3078407/coronavirus-world-health-organisation-reverses-course-now-supports

The World Health Organisation says it supports government initiatives that require or encourage the public wearing of masks, marking a major shift from previous advice amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The WHO added that surgical masks should be reserved for medical professionals, while the public should use mainly cloth or home-made face coverings.
The updated stance comes as more scientific research points to the positive effect of wearing masks in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, with more governments in Europe requiring people to cover their noses and mouths in public.

Has the government or Public Health England said it would be beneficial for people to wear masks?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8243385/Experts-tell-UK-wear-DIY-facemasks-wipe-coronavirus-government-misses-16m-NHS.html

Surely this is a bit of a no brainer... to just try and wear something to cover your face when you go shopping or get on a bus/train...

Parker not yet, they seem to be a wee bit slow off the blocks. The Government had only just announced they are going to be ready for contact tracing in a few weeks.

I have more faith in places like Hong Kong for advice, they have been paying attention to SARS like diseases for years and doing research.

Scientific and medical experts don't get always it right...

Maybe we should just use our brains to protect ourselves and others...

If the government want people to wear masks they will have to provide them but as they can’t manage to provide front line medical staff with the correct PPE, the general public are way down the list.

Yes if they want it to be mandatory perhaps... but they could campaign to ask people to wear something that will cover your face when you visit the supermarket or take public transport.

Parker the Government want you to wash your hands, do you expect them to provide you with soap?

The idea is that we wear simple, home-made, cloth face coverings, not medical grade PPE, Parker. Most of us can rustle up an old cotton tshirt or two.

I’m a nurse and I don’t wear a mask outside of work. OP, you say you don’t touch your face when wearing your mask, but I bet you do. We all touch our faces constantly. They are bloody uncomfortable, useless when damp from our breath , and unless they are a tight fit, allow germs in and out. I think a lot of people just like the drama.

Xenia did you ever bother to read the BMJ article I suggested? You are harping on like a wind up toy 🤣 masks do reduce spread and there is EVIDENCE to support this.

I don’t have thread and needle to make an ineffective mask. I’ll just carry on with the usual hand washing. DH is a doctor on a COVID ward and only wears a mask in the hospital.

The Indian Government disagrees with you Runme
telanganatoday.com/union-government-urges-people-to-use-homemade-masks

Your work masks are a completely different kettle of fish to the home-made ones. Different masks different purposes.

Runmybathforme: you are spot on. Making useless masks is just a diversion from all the safety first tactics we should be adopting. We need to keep our distance, not go out if we are a bit ill and sneeze (I rarely sneeze) and wash our hands as much as we possibly can.