Please Boris get on the BBC asap and tell people to start making masks...

[jobhunter7]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZtEX2-n2Hc

@onalongsabbatical

The Mother's Union?
Valerie flipping Singleton?
Is it 1969? Have I been asleep?

Both still alive and kicking.

The point about home-made masks not being as good as medical ones- they don't need to be for everyday use. The idea of a home-made mask is that you are protecting people from your possibly asymptomatic spray of corona. The idea of a medical mask is to protect the wearer from a potential corona case. Nurses/drs should not be treating patients anyway if they have the virus (and ideally should be tested regularly for this reason but that doesn't happen here).

A home-made mask which stops or mitigates asymptomatic spread is very helpful to stop community spread.

The Czech Republic made it illegal to go outside without a mask and issued templates of how to make one, including out of an old t-shirt. Everyone has an old t-shirt so it's not something impossible to do.

It's a different mask and it doesn't have quite the same purpose.

Masks only work if you use them properly. Most people don't know how to do this so encouraging people to use masks without educating them about their proper use simply lulls users into a false sense of security.

Craft away if you want to - it will probably help your mental health - but won't necessarily help to keep you virus free.

There is evidence to show they are of use.

Only of limited use. Besides, which type of mask is the evidence referring to? If it's surgical masks, then yes, they are of some use as they are manufactured to exclude virus particles. If they are worn properly, of course, and NOT if they become damp! Masks need to be regularly discarded when they become damp, unless they have a changeable filter. So you'd need a good supply. Also, they do not protect the eyes. For the wearer, they can prevent a cough spraying virus, that's about all I will concede they do.

Masks can lull people into a false sense of security because when wearing one you may think social distancing matters less. You may touch your face more, or touch the mask. Other people's corona-laden coughs may land on the outside of your mask, you may touch that and so spread the virus, so you'd need to remember to keep washing your hands just as often, also after taking it off, as it could then be contaminated.

I am not sure what else to say re 'getting things under control'. What things, exactly? Less infection being passed on, do you mean?

What @helpfulperson said. I often do DIY that means I have to wear a mask. I touch my face hundreds of times more than i normally would when I'm wearing it.

@QueenOfToast

Masks only work if you use them properly. Most people don't know how to do this so encouraging people to use masks without educating them about their proper use simply lulls users into a false sense of security.

Let's do both.

I’d never wear a mask. Even if it was mandatory

@CrunchyCarrot

Some science:

www.fast.ai/2020/04/13/masks-summary/

For the wearer, they can prevent a cough spraying virus, that's about all I will concede they do.

Well if we all start wearing that would help a lot surely.

Masks can lull people into a false sense of security because when wearing one you may think social distancing matters less. You may touch your face more, or touch the mask. Other people's corona-laden coughs may land on the outside of your mask, you may touch that and so spread the virus, so you'd need to remember to keep washing your hands just as often, also after taking it off, as it could then be contaminated.

I think that would depend on the person. I don't touch my face much if at all when I wear one to go shopping. But then I don't touch my face much anyway and I am conscious not to when I go out shopping.

@Lovinglockdownlife

That's fine if you don't leave the house...

Here's the public health England guidance.

Maybe we should think of the people who work in supermarkets or work on public transport.

Just been said that evidence is ‘variable’ on face masks for public, no trials.

Maybe we should look it at this way - if you have somebody in your life who is particularly at risk - perhaps they are elderly or already ill - why not make a few masks or repost the czech film... and encourage others to do the same... until we get a little snowball effect...

Loads of people signed up to be NHS volunteers when the call went out... government just need to do the same to get people making masks...

I understand that wearing a mask will stop you firing out the virus (in simple terms), but as the mask becomes wet, if there are virus particles around from non-mask wearers near you, (in Tesco for eg.), aren't you increasing your own risk?

Does a wet home made mask attract and absorb the virus more than an uncovered nose/mouth would?

I wonder what is the point of posting anything at all, since the OP can maintain a whole thread all on their own.

OP, if you want to wear a mask, go for it. I will never wear one and a MN bully won't make me. There is NO scientific basis for your tantrums. From WHO advice "...the wide use of masks by healthy
people in the community setting is not supported by current
evidence and carries uncertainties and critical risks."

Just because a crazy bunch of politicians in a few other countries who nobody would ever listen to on anything else says it should be compulsory in their country doesn't make it the right thing to do.

And by the way - if Boris told me the stars were in the sky I'd fact check the statement. I have no intention of doing anything he instructs. He's a Prime Minister, not a dictator.

@Moondust001 👏🏼 👏🏼

I tried wearing one today It made my face feel hot I felt claustrophobic and faint. I lasted three minutes. And i touched my face more in those few mins to try and be comfortable more than i had done in the previous couple of hours.

Just because a crazy bunch of politicians in a few other countries who nobody would ever listen to on anything else says it should be compulsory in their country doesn't make it the right thing to do.
so
India is crazy
US is crazy
Czech Republic is crazy
Slovakia is crazy
Jamaica is crazy
China is crazy
Hong Kong is crazy
Taiwan is crazy
Bosnia and Herzegovina is crazy
Austria is crazy
Morocco is crazy
Turkey is crazy
Poland is Crazy
Germany is crazy
or
There’s no easy way to put this… Sometimes the crazy one may be you.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_masks_during_the_2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic

I missed a few dozen countries, you can check for yourselves.

Why is the science different in the UK?

Not too long ago we also had people proclaiming their utter refusal to change their international travel plans for the virus. Give it time with the masks too and you’ll have no choice.

You are on a hiding to nothing here OP. I agree with you though. Its clear from the scientific paper you posted a link to that it may be helpful in reducing transmission. There isn't much evidence that is true. Perhaps scientists were remiss in the last Coronavirus pandemic... oh wait this is unprecedented isn't it?
Masks can become wet and covered with virus? Remember we are only talking about reducing transmission here. Not going frontline on a Covid ward.
Mask hot and stuffy? I agree its not pleasant but 30 minutes shopping is just about bearable.
People fiddling with it? Again we are trying to reduce aerial transmission. If people want to take risks then its not ideal but perhaps education and guidance is the best way to deal with this. Same applies to social distancing. New campaigns should stress that you still maintain your 2 metres.
If one small action can potentially reduce the spread then that is something we should at least all try.

There's evidence there might some benefit.

There's also evidence it will be of no benefit and make it worse.

Yesterday, on 2 news programmes several medical people pointed out that xiuntries like china, who have worn masks for years didn't ever see a drop in respiratory illness when they started wearing them. Viruses, flu are still spread on those countries at the same rate. There's no reason to think that same wouldn't happen with covid.

And yes, people using them wrong (not washing reusable ones, not taking them off properly, ignore social distancing, facing with them, practising poor hygiene) means that they could, potentially, make the problem worse.

Some people on another thread believes people could simply be trained to use the correctly. Yes they could. But people use safety equipment wrong all the time. On our local news, last night, there was a carer being interviewed with a mask, pulled down to her chin, on to her neck. Which is a big no no.

Even people who are trained will forget sometimes. Its known fact that some people react to being given safety equipment, by being more complacent.

I always wonder, as well, why people only talk about wearing masks outside the house. Masks provide some protection, from you, if you are symptomatic. How many people, who are convinced they will solve everything, wear them in their home?

If you believe wearing a mask will protect those people around you, incase you have it but but no symptoms.....why wouldn't you wear one 24/7 (changing regularly) inside the house when around your family.

The posters claiming they will NEVER wear one do you plan on staying for a yearthrn? I'm willing to bet we will all be in face masks by June if we want to go out.

So do you suggest that masks should be worn at home? Because that is where you are closest to people for extended periods of time and most likely to pass it in.