If fsce masks become compulsory?

[Plump82]

Is there anywhere that shows you how to use them correctly?

Is it true that once you take it off it can't be used again? So if you say had to go to work you would need one for going to work and back home?

Do the homemade ones need a filter?

Sorry for all the questions. Im just concerned if they do become compulsory that i dont use them correctly and then the whole thing is pointless.

I've tried a few homemade methods with varying degrees of success.

I want to just buy some now but which ones? There are loads on Ebay. Either the blue disposable ones, the black ones with a filter or cloth ones?

I just got some of these - quite comfy although make my ears stick out!
elle.co.uk/#

I have also got a Seasalt Handyband which I will wear because I can just pull that up over my nose and mouth, they are quite expensive though

No Plump. If you wear it on the train and take it off then you do not put it back on.

We wear disposable ones at work. We wear each one for no longer than 4 hours at a time.
So if you just wanted one for your work journey then you would put on a fresh one each time. I'd keep two plastic bags - one for clean ones and one for dirty ones to be washed.

So some conflicting advise here about how often they can be used before being washed?

Currently making a bunch today although the cat has taken over the pipe cleaner I'm using for the nose gripper thing. I like sewing. It keeps me occupied.

Wearing a mask is to protect others from you and your germs.
If your mask comes in contact with the virus then there's a good chance your nose and mouth will too.
Only a proper mask, N95, which we can't get, will help prevent the virus from penetrating through to your face. And the health care workers have to have these masks correctly fitted. They filter out about 95% of particles.
A fabric mask only impedes about 2% of airflow.
Almost everyone I've seen in a mask fiddles with it. When I'm out do not touch my face at all. I use hand gel in the car and wash my hands thoroughly at home.

So some conflicting advise here about how often they can be used before being washed?

I think that's always going to be the way with all such CV-related things!

Personally I would wear the mask for a day, putting it on and taking off as appropriate then wash and hang up to dry at the end of the day, for next day's use.

They are of minimal use except in extremely close proximity wher socail disatncing cant happen. They are largely ineffective unless used as in hospitals. I think they will mostly be optional

Hope this link works.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=525241098400814&id=100027447856111

I agree it doesn't "protect" you and it barely protects others from you. But it appears to do the latter a bit in so far as it makes you remember not to touch your face. But if you don't use it properly, it can make you more at risk.

I meant to add it also reduces ever so slightly the spread of your "droplets ". It's not a fix all. At all.

I'd rather make than buy. At least I'm not wasting my money and know what I'm getting.

I see the charcoal filter in the etsy ones are not approved medically

Nothing is really going to be that good so I would probably wear what is most comfortable, easy to wash and cheap.

Teaching in a mask? It would be soggy pretty quick🤔

I wear surgical masks all day at work and it's vile. Suffocating, dry, hard to talk excessively without feeling breathless etc. Whatever is over your face will become quite damp unless you do nothing in them so they will need changing regularly, probably every couple of hours.

I won't be wearing them outside of hospital as I don't believe anything other than medical masks offer the protection that isn't offset against how relaxed it makes people feel and they stop social distancing, hand washing etc.

"that's a really important question"!

Sorry wrong thread!

There are many different kinds. Some protect the wearer more, some are to prevent the wearer from sneezing and coughing over others.
Here (Italy) we've been in them (and gloves) for weeks- not compulsory, though some places won't let you in (some food shops) unless you're wearing one and all shop workers have been in them for about 2 months.
We have homemade cotton ones. If you have homemade washable ones, advice here is to put a tissue inside then you can wear the mask more than once.
As we enter "stage 2" on Monday with more places opening up, and people being allowed out again to do more than shop, I have a feeling the mask wearing will become more strictly insisted on.

Google the topic OP, there is a great deal of info around. I've been making masks for weeks now and there are so many groups on FB etc, with much discussion of different styles, how to care for them etc. BTW the ones linked to - 7 layers seems a bit excessive! Not sure how you would breathe, it seems to be mostly recommended that 2 layers are sufficient, perhaps with a removable filter.

Nothing you can make will be hospital grade . I'm making some for us because I can sew. I've told dh just to use a scarf. He has a shemaugh thing which would work in the same way any cotton face covering would work which is not very well. And only better than nothing if you don't kid yourself you are protecting yourself.

CDC says use a coffee filter. I've seen the suggestion of a dried out unused baby wipe.

For the inner filter that is. Which seems a bit "put a paper bag on your head in the event of a nuclear strike "