Why are people not wearing masks?

[FergusComeLately]

I’m queuing inside my local supermarket, I’ve see one other person wearing a mask.

Does it not make sense to just TRY to protect other people and try and keep infection rates down. Even a scarf wound round your face?!

I think they should be compulsory when you are inside. Is it the PPE shortage which is preventing Boris from making it so?

Talk to me about masks!

@canigooutyet

Thanks. I recognise there is an argument about letting people live and let live here. I wonder what the reaction of the public in Italy, France, Germany etc is to the measures put in place there...

I am sure there are people here in France who object, but we have just come out of a much stricter lockdown, so a mask feels like a small price to pay. I am watching the lunchtime news about secondary age children going back today and the pupils are wearing masks and plastic visors in class.
I do wonder how many people would get over their dislike of masks if they have to wear one to get a haircut.

Fine if you want to wear one although there is evidence that though it may reduce the risk of spreading the virus it can make the risk higher for the wearer.

This image sums things up perfectly:

Thanks for the screenshot of some other randomer on another forum.
Except the WHO don't recommend them for asymptomatic people and they are a bigger (the clue is in the name 'world health) organisation but, again, you do you. Wear your mask or don't wear it. Whatever makes you happy.

Just out.

amp.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3084779/coronavirus-hamster-research-proof-effectiveness

"The study, which the team called the first of its kind, found the rate of non-contact transmission – in which the virus was transmitted via respiratory droplets or airborne particles – dropped by as much as 75 per cent when masks were present."

To be confirmed, but it suggests that it's a bit more than just "giving confidence".

The problem with covid is that transmission is happening from people who don't show symptoms, so you don't know if you're infected and shedding viral particles.
How important is this transmission is debatable, and remains to be calculated properly, but to keep numbers low, it's a relatively cheap and easy measure to allow the economy to bounce back with less risks.

And it pains me to say this about the WHO, as I've defended them more than not, but they've been too conservative on the side of not enough caution, IMO.

I do think their current advice is to ensure health services don't run out of PPE, or that it doesn't reach (even more) prohibitive prices.

I've only been to the shops about 4 times since lockdown so my observations probably don't have enough examples to draw any proper conclusions. But I've found that all the people wearing masks seem to throw social distancing out the window. They are the ones leaning over me to get stuff off shelves and standing inches behind me in the queue like the small piece of cloth on their faces have somehow made them invincible.

Because I’m in denial that I’m living in a world where we’re all expected to wear face masks and avoid human contact for goodness knows how long. Because I don’t want it to be normal

Same here, @Rainycloudyday

because they aren't recommended for people with respiratory illness. I have asthma, and breathing in them makes me feel like I can't breathe, and then causes an asthma attack.

But you go ahead and carry on judging.

I completely agree OP. Went to a huge Tesco today, I saw 2 other people wearing masks

The people who say 'I don't want to' - do you think I do? That is just the height of selfishness.

Those of you that say 'I can keep 2m away in a supermarket' - are you really sure about that because at least 5 times, someone walked closer than 2m to me to get something from a shelf and a member of staff had to come over to ID me at the scan and shop section.

They don't need to be medical grade masks so you're depriving healthcare of anything - a simple cloth mask is fine and there are thousands on eBay. A scarf would do.

Myself and a vulnerable family member were verbally abused twice and very obviously laughed at by about a dozen people last week whilst wearing masks. The second incident of verbal abuse was a mother encouraging her 4 or 5 year old to goad us.

My father had a taxi driver refuse him service (to collect medication) simply because he was wearing a mask. He wouldn’t have even been in the cab!

They seem to provoke a strong reaction in some people. Quite frightening really.

I've been to shops a few times since lockdown and most people seem to be keeping their distance most of the time. Maybe less than half were wearing masks. I didn't notice a massive difference between the behaviour of those with masks on or not. And most people with masks on were behaving recently nicely to those without masks on vice versa. I was slightly surprised not many staff were wearing them but a few were.

In pre-corona times, dentists and surgeons would wear the disposable barrier surgical masks over mouth and nose when involved in (reasonably normal-risk) treatments.
Genuinely, can anyone tell me why this was? I'm interested. If they're of such little use in improving hygiene - presumably around other bacteria or virus exposure - why were they part of the protective clothing?
(Going on this, I intend to wear a face covering when it makes sense to).

Poor dentists. I feel sorry for them. It's going to be a really high risk job in future.

There's a lot of sprayed blood alongside bacteria and viruses, I presume the masks and goggles are for that. Not good enough for preventing coronavirus transmission that close up though, they will need proper masks that totally protect them.

The funniest thing on this thread is the ravings of @Whataloadofshite.

@jobhunter7
I can only talk about the people I know in France. Not happy at all because of the blatant double standards. Banned the Burqa but a mask is ok?
Anything else, search the news.

Also wonder how many now happy wearing a face covering were moaning not long ago about similar things. Seems all those things that everyone was outraged about suddenly not an issue. Well, until told oh don't need them anymore.

Because it's not compulsory, you don't have to.
I think it makes people more complacent as well - people with masks on always seem to be edging closer in the supermarkets for example or wandering about way too close, like it makes them magically immune or something!

I do think their [the WHO's] current advice is to ensure health services don't run out of PPE, or that it doesn't reach (even more) prohibitive prices.

^^This. Spot on. They don't want the rich developed world to outbuy PPE supplies so the developing world are left with sod all or can't afford to buy what there is.

The trick in Portugal (elsewhere too?) was to make wearing any mask (they call them "community masks") mandatory. People will wear better or worse masks, but there's a barrier when you sneeze, cough, speak or just breathe.

Bit if advice for the UK is, in a crowded area, to wear a mask then does it not stand to reason you can get closer in them?

Where I am it is mask and 2 m

So reminiscent of the “I won’t wear a seatbelt” discussions of nearly 40 years ago.

I would feel like a dick if I wore one. I think social distancing and hand sanitizer is enough. Isn't the rainbow a sign of LGBT?

And it pains me to say this about the WHO, as I've defended them more than not, but they've been too conservative on the side of not enough caution, IMO.

To disagree with the WHO is the realm of fake news.

What's the exit criteria for masks, then, or are they a kind of forever fixture?