Why don't supermarkets ask everybody who comes in to wear a mask?

[newfunkychicken]

Or am i being thick?

[SquirtleSquad]

@HeyMicky I saw someone wearing gloves pull their phone and and start texting with their gloves (that they're using to stop the germs getting on their hands) on and then put the phone up to their face so all the germs on their gloves ended up all over the phone and then straight onto their face - people are fucking idiots and don't understand how to properly use PPE to stop cross contamination!!!!!

Making these sorts of morons use PPE is a waste and gives people a false sense of protection!

[newfunkychicken]

What about people who are not showing symptoms?

But then you wouldn't be coughing

I thought it could be passed by asymptomatic people, I read.

[Shitsgettingcrazy]

Its odd.

Because on the pro mask threads, peolle insist those that where them do so correctly.

Experts in h&s claim that if you tell people how to where the properly, they will stick to it. And social distabcing and hand hygiene.

Since I also work in H&S, I believe the opposite. Personally, I am coming round to the idea that masks will make things worse. Not better.

[00100001]

masks would make things qworse, because the wearers will have the mentality of "I'm protected/protecting others" - which will mean they're more careless wih touchign things and hand washing etc.
kind of a fasle sense of security.

[Ofitck]

I assumed they would. I live in Spain and gloves and masks are handed out at the door. There's a one in one out policy and markers outside for queuing.

[MH1111]

Because some adults want to make their own decisions

[newfunkychicken]

From healthline.com

Now, as the United States faces an increasing number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has started advisingTrusted Source Americans to wear masks, too.

“We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms,” according to the advisory published by the CDC. “This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity — for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing — even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.”

“In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission,” the advisory stated.

[Teacher12345]

Presumably it isn’t being asked because they are struggling to source them for the NHS. They would be buggered if the world and his wife started buying them!

[newbingepisodes]

Where would I get a mask from?

[Sparklingbrook]

Why single out supermarkets? And as PPs have said where are they expected to get these masks?

[Chillipeanuts]

LongPauseNoReply

“I wouldn't be able to shop because we have no masks, no elastic in the supermarkets to be able to make them and delivery on Amazon is showing as JUNE.”

They have them on Wowcher now, for delivery in 10 days. Not medical masks (which I’d feel uncomfortable about buying right now atm anyway tbh, given the shortages), but pretty substantial looking, reusable fabric masks. Under £20 for a pack of 10, about £4 delivery.

[Shitsgettingcrazy]

Why in supermarkets?

Why wouldn't you wear one at home if they are so effective.

That study from the US has lots of holes and lots of scientific evidence that contradicts it.

Since when has 'well the Americans are doing it' become the UKs goal?

[CoronaLonaNameChange]

Because we don't have enough masks and if we all buy them, there won't be enough for the NHS

[BeetrootRocks]

Where do the rough living guys outside our Sainsbury local get a mask from when they want a sandwich and lots of cider?

Where do I get from? And I am no where near in those dire straits.

[BeetrootRocks]

£25 is non trivial for a lot of people

Even those who aren't at rock bottom.

[MrsWooster]

The fact that so many people focus on ‘masks don’t stop you getting it...’ is very telling. Surely the point of mask wearing is to prevent asymptomatic people spreading the virus around? Even if people don’t do it perfectly, mask wearing prevents some spread from people who feel perfectly ok and, quite rightly, are going about their (lockdown appropriate) business.

[Shitsgettingcrazy]

The studies say they don't have to be medical grade. So that theory doesn't make sense.

If you are saying the public can't be trusted to not try and take PPE from medical staff, when told to use home made masks, then I get why the government wont endorse it. Especially, given its not conclusive that it will help.

Will be the toilet roll situation all over again. People buying bog roll they don't need, whilst being unsure why they are buying so much of it.

[Sostenueto]

Who is going to supply and pay for them?

[BoxOfShapes]

I hope that the tide is turning on this and that people will be advised to wear masks before long. Homemade is fine, and this site has some easy, no-sew patterns if you scroll down: masks4all.co/how-to-make-a-homemade-mask/

Other scientific articles/discussions advocating use of masks:

www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=42&v=3WuPLfTua2k&feature=emb_title

www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/everyone-should-wear-masks-in-covid-19-crisis-say-cambridge-researchers

www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30134-X/fulltext

But OP, to address your question, I suspect that unless/until there is clear, official guidance from "above" advocating use of masks, supermarkets will be unlikely to ask customers to wear them.

[BeetrootRocks]

Zero answer to this

'Where do the rough living guys outside our Sainsbury local get a mask from when they want a sandwich and lots of cider?'

There are plenty of people who for whatever reason could not or would not wear them. Is this plan for all shops or just large supermarkets? What about other outdoor spaces?

Interested to hear some detail and how there will be consideration of certain groups.

[Purplewithred]

If people can’t manage to wash their hands they aren’t going to manage to use masks properly and safely. From what I see of half the people wearing masks in public they are probably doing more harm than good - wearing the same mask for hours, pulling it up and down their face, taking it off touching the mask bit, putting it In their handbag presumably to wear again later. Urgh! And don’t get me started on gloves....🤯

[YappityYapYap]

If masks don't protect you and only protect others, why are NHS staff wearing them to deal with coronavirus patients? 🤔. They surely wouldn't need a mask to protect the coronavirus patient because they already have it. It's to protect them. It's a myth that they don't protect you. Of course they do. If worn correctly and put on and taken off with clean hands, you literally won't have anything going into your mouth or nose. Does the virus jump off of things and onto face masks or something? It doesn't, you'd have to touch the mask with dirty hands, put your dirty hand under the mask or rub the mask along a trolley handle or something to get the virus onto the mask and near your mouth and nose.




We subconsciously touch our faces way more than most people think. It's a deterrent, if worn right. They need to stop treating us like imbeciles that wouldn't be able to wear a mask

[LilacTree1]

Yap “ If masks don't protect you and only protect others, why are NHS staff wearing them to deal with coronavirus patients? ”

This.

[BogRollBOGOF]

There's more risk of harm from feeling falsly protected by a damp, ill fitting, poor quality mask that you've been fidgeting around with or reusing.

I've been using a sweat band on my wrist to rub on my face instead of my hands, and sanitise on entering and leaving the shop then washing on getting home and after putting the shopping away.

I live in one of the early hotspots, where it will have been spreading around at the point where it was a struggle to buy sufficient food during panic buying, and going into town to settle errands before any potential lockdown. That was by far the riskiest phase, but I got through it without consequence.

It was suggested at a briefing earlier this week that although assymptomatic shedding is not risk-free, by far the greatest route for transmission is from close, prolonged contact with someone showing symptoms. They should not be in the supermarket anyway. If the supermarkets were that awful for spreading, how have the supermarket workers not all been off ill, plus they don't have PPE and reluable 2m distancing.

[Weregoingonanadventure]

@YappityYapYap
They were masks and eye protection, that will protect them. You need to cover your mouth, nose and eyes.

They are also in close contact with confirmed cases; they will be breathing in the air which patients have just coughed into as they cannot remain at a safer distance.