Facemasks are to protect other people from us

[Singinginshower]

Just that really. Wanted to spread it round

Just a note, no one is “compelled” to stay indoors.

The government has not put certain people under house arrest due to their health.

We are ‘strongly advised’, there is no element of force in there... that would be incredibly awful really, if people think it through.

It’s really upsetting that some people really do seem to think that it does work like this:

Become extremely ill => then get stripped of your civil liberties & become a lesser person in the eyes of the law.
All dressed up as ‘protecting that person’ but it’s actually about that person being forced against their will to sacrifice their lives in order to keep the nhs running for everyone else.

Thank goodness this isn’t actually the case.

Shielding makes sense for many, but not all, and that has to be ok, as our society allows free thinking & decisions around our own lives.

(If it becomes a danger to society at large, then the government will have to act, but there’s no evidence that’s happening, :) ).

Sorry, end of soap box. Caught me on the raw somewhat.

(I’m young, a single mum, with cancer and complications around treatment. I’m shielding. But it’s hard. Really, really hard).

@WellThisIsShit totally. I’d just rather my dad wasn’t fannying around in Tesco when he doesn’t need to as we get his shopping delivered. He didn’t even end up buying anything apart from crisps. He was just bored.I’d rather he minimised his chances of catching covid, which is why I lost my shit.

I think your Dax is trying to tell you something though Connie. In his way. Some people really do need to go out and get beck a tiny bit of normality.

My mum lives in a small town. Her close is 50% bungalows and quite a lot of elderly and retired people. One of them organised a street party on Friday. Mum ended up being the star attraction as she celebrated VE Day outside Buckingham Palace. They had music with war time tunes. She had a fantastic time. I’ve no idea if they all social distanced. I’ve actually come to the conclusion that if she dies, she’s died on her terms. She needs to do what pleases her. Your dad was pleased to buy a packet of crisps. He’s frail and elderly and just wanted his life back for a bit. Maybe it’s kinder to accept that rather then go mad?

Mum is 96 by the way. Apologies for typos.

These mask are non-medical, so not up to the standard that HCPs (should) have

I live in Germany, which has relaxed lockdown

As part of the measures to replace this, masks / face coverings are mandatory for those aged 6+

in shops, taxis, public transport, stations, bus stops
and everywhere indoors where different households mix

Several other European countries have similar laws now
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore have much stricter rules e.g. for all staff & kids in schools

Maybe it's an idea to look at what other countries do and not assume they are all fools

@BubblesBuddy oh I know. But he’s a really difficult person at the best of times. He’s already said if he got I’ll he’d expect me to go and look after him 150 miles away. I’m pregnant with my own health complications, there’s not a chance.

I’ve already stepped back to be honest, it’s a long story but he’s been lying to me non stop. He’s been pushing to come and move in here since lockdown, just last night he was lying that he’s been self isolating so he could, but keeps letting slip all the places he’s been out and about. It’s a very long and complicated story and relationship and there is a reason I moved far away. I saw red today because of a few things he said.

Yes but some masks protect the wearer too.

I went to supermarket today, more masks being worn. Lots of people not wearing them including me. Also quite a few who are wearing them over mouth only.

Unless they make it mandatory to wear them in shops etc, I plan to go without. People can side eye me as much as they like. Closing stable door after horse has bolted. It is a step too far for me.

I bought one made of thick material (from Wolford) and I can't breath in it. It is so claustrophobic, I would not be able to wear for any length of time. I have a few paper ones as an emergency.

I strictly adhere to social distancing. I go to shops every 7-10 days. That is my only contact with anybody other than DH. So, I have decided to be a social pariah once a week in the supermarket.

Might be a good idea to think about the fact that we were told not to wear masks because they were in short supply and they were needed for the NHS. It simply isn't true that face coverings do not give you any protection. Face masks do offer protection for the wearer (but they're not a complete shield), particularly FFP2 and FFP3 masks.

But yes they also of course protect others.

Why are people still perpetuating this lie?

Face masks do offer some protection to the wearer.

No, they don’t offer 100% protection. Yes, they can be used improperly. No, they don’t protect your eyes. Yes different kinds have a different degree of protection.

But they do offer you some protection.

@NewChapter11

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/304397?fbclid=IwAR0oBj-BerzustpibrYwBrSlpomhoqqAOR_fV6uoeY5C3Ox5IqGaELwb72c

I am not in favour of them, and will seek to not wear one in most normal situations. HOWEVER, I recognise that the biggest benefit is protecting others from you, so I will wear one in small shops (not supermarkets whilst social distancing is on, they're practically deserted by the time I go in the evening), public transport etc. I will not be wearing one out for a walk in the countryside (like some people in my village!).

Yep. And..

(To the op)

It's not mandatory to wear masks for going out for a walk in Italy (pp said it was) One region has made it mandatory iirc.
It is mandatory to wear one (and latex gloves) to go into most shops.

Clear the PPE masks protect the wearer from catching the virus. Hence why none of the patients are wearing masks and all of the NHS staff are wearing masks.

@Summerflowers79 the nhs guidance to healthcare settings is to insist that a suspected covid patient wears a mask before we see them where I work. I’m wearing a mask to protect my patients as statistically I’m a much bigger risk to them than they are to me

@HasaDigaEebowai a ffp3 mask with a one way valve will not protect others just the wearer (assuming it fits properly, is tested and out off and on correctly). The valved masks are designed not to impide breathing out as much as possible so they are easier to wear. They may reduce the area of droplet spread as it’s focused through the valve but they are specifically designed not to filter out breaths and if the other person is near the valve I guess they may get a concentrated “jet” of out breath, they were not designed for the situation of protecting others in small spaces and give a very false reassurance of that. IMO a home made face covering will protected others better than a valved mask.

Correct

The most important purpose of civilian-type face masks is to make it less likely that you will infect others.

However, they do appear to provide some protection for the wearer as well, especially when combined with things that protect your eyes as well (goggles are ideal, but plain old glasses, sunglasses, hats with brims also help), because they reduce the amount of virus you are exposed to, and in particular form a physical barrier that keeps most of the droplets out if someone coughs or sneezes near you.

Remember, the dose of virus appears to be important with COVID19, just like it was for SARS. Reducing the amount of virus you are exposed to seems to mean a lower chance of infection and a lower risk of developing a severe case of the disease.

(If everyday cloth or paper face masks provided no protection at all for the wearer, we have to ask ourselves why the government of the UK was telling people from early on that they should wear a face mask if they are caring for someone who is ill in their family.)

"Facemasks are to protect other people from us"

Not everyone is that bothered about protecting others tbh. Overheard some young people discussing it in the park, saying that if it wasn't going to protect them, then they wouldn't be choosing to wear them as it was too uncomfortable . Also know a colleague who has made a homemade one out of very thin net fabric just so they won't be confronted about not wearing one in shops, but it's so thin it won't provide any protection.

@BigChocFrenzy the arrogance is astounding, isn’t it? Britain’s performance in dealing with the virus is an embarrassment, yet people still look at what more successful countries have done and insist they know better!

How is this even still a debate? “hmm should I cover my face in the midst of a respiratory viral outbreak where people don’t show symptoms for 3-5 days? No thanks”

I was sworn at on another thread when I said here we have to wear them in shops or we won't be let in.
It's not like I made the rule up!

@missyoumuch absolutely spot on