Well, well, well face masks mandatory on public transport now

[Cherryghost]

It's now mandatory to wear face mask on public transport with exceptions for disability, young children etc.
This should have been done ages ago.
They also admitting face masks offers some protection

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

@Noextremes2017

"Shame Sharma didn’t have CV. Then the whole cabinet would have had to isolate and we would not have seen any of the useless wankers for 14 days.2
What a vile thing to wish upon someone, especially as they are from the BAME community and, if he did have CV, is more likely to die.

[WatchingTVagain]

"Well, if face-coverings help reduce the risk enough to get back to something more normal that’s fine by me."

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for getting back to normal and if wearing face masks allows us to to this then great if that is what the science says. But this is the shit shambles of the UK government. Wearing masks with social distancing, frequent handwashing and being aware that you still can't leave the house if symptomatic - great. Wearing the same mask for 7+ hours in a class of 30 kids with no social distancing, not so frequent handwashing and parents sending their symptomatic child in because they're wearing a mask then not so great. I can just see the government using masks as a way to ease the fear to get kids back to school and workers back where 2m can't be maintained. But like I said, I'm rather cynical when it comes to the government announcements.

[rwalker]

there as many pos as there is neg also ages ago public transport practically empty so no value to having face covering .
The situation has changed transport will be busier so advice changed.

[Sockwomble]

."if it causes you problems with breathing you shouldn't be going out anyway ."

And who are you to decide that.
This is going to give the 'parking police' a lovely new hobby. I bet they can't wait to spend hours around bus stops glaring and conducting their 'enquiries'.

[Drivingdownthe101]

if it causes you problems with breathing you shouldn't be going out anyway

So because I have severe claustrophobia with panic attacks I should never leave my house? Makes sense.

[BamboozledandBefuddled]

if it causes you problems with breathing you shouldn't be going out anyway

Utter nonsense. And that's putting it politely.

[Drivingdownthe101]

If your uncomfortable wearing one don't go out

As I already stated, that is what I’ll be doing. But thanks for the advice.

[jackie2669]

If your uncomfortable wearing one don't go out .Has no one seen the videos how far a cough or sneeze travels .wearing a mask protects people around you .if it causes you problems with breathing you shouldn't be going out anyway .it's so simple wear a mask when out help protect those around you .

[Derbygerbil]

@FizzAfterSix

Also, don’t you realise that air molecules are fractions of nanometres in diameter... the droplets that face coverings are designed to stop are around 10 micrometres.... ie 10-100,000 times larger. Air passes readily through a face covering. I’ve never heard of anyone suffering CO2 poisoning from wearing a scarf over their face. Stop clutching at straws.

[feellikeanalien]

Oh well, look on the bright side. At least the people who have been shaming people for not clapping for the NHS will have something else to focus their attention on now that the weekly clap has stopped.

[Derbygerbil]

@FizzAfterSix

Yes, just like I should have the right to smoke should be fine to do on buses too....

[Kazzyhoward]

And now all staff in hospitals will have go wear them, no exceptions. Non clinical back office staff included.

About time too. Covid was rampaging through some hospitals back at the start. Patients who'd gone in days/week before suddenly contracted Covid - it was clearly being spread by staff. Same with care homes - some have been in isolation with only staff going in and out (no new patients, no visitors etc) and cases have happened weeks after lockdown (again, could only be staff bringing it in). Back office staff will be touching surfaces, coming into contact with clinical staff etc and clinical staff will be going into back offices, communal kitchens/toilets, touching files provided by office staff etc. Hospital transferred infection must be controlled and if face coverings may help that, then it needs to be done.

[PestymcPestFace]

Alec is that revised from the 2004 SARS advice that wearing a mask was a good idea?
Or is it revised from the 2019 advice that wearing a mask in a flu pandemic was a good idea?

[BamboozledandBefuddled]

So here's the revised guidance re masks:-...

So it would have been just as 'scientific' if they'd said 'Do we ask the audience or should we phone a friend?'

[FizzAfterSix]

No one should have to wear a mask on public transport. It is a matter of choice, besides, it's hardly healthy to keep breathing in your old CO2.

[nextslideplease]

good point re: the PP about reducing the 2m to 1m in time for schools going back but what about the winter season when inevitably numbers will go back up?

[AlecTrevelyan006]

So here's the revised guidance re masks:-

www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

"Results from cluster randomized controlled trials on the use of masks among young adults living in university residences in the United States of America indicate that face masks may reduce the rate of influenza-like illness, but showed no impact on risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza.(62, 63) At present, there is no direct evidence (from studies on COVID-19 and in healthy people in the community) on the effectiveness of universal masking of healthy people in the community to prevent infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19."

Ok, so that seems pretty clear that if you are not sympotmatic, it's all a big waste of time.

However, here is the conclusion:-

However, taking into account the available studies evaluating pre- and asymptomatic transmission, a growing compendium of observational evidence on the use of masks by the general public in several countries, individual values and preferences, as well as the difficulty of physical distancing in many contexts, WHO has updated its guidance to advise that to prevent COVID-19 transmission effectively in areas of community transmission, governments should encourage the general public to wear masks in specific situations and settings as part of a comprehensive approach to suppress SARS-CoV-2 transmission (Table 2).

Now let's look at the words used:-

"observational evidence" - so the very non-scientific evidence that WHO would rail against.

"individual values and preferences" - so I prefer to wear a mask is what's required to persuade the WHO as to efficacy. What value system underpins a mask!?

So in other words, there is no science. It's just more political bunkum and safely ignored. All of the evidence suggests it's pointless, so err, we recommend you use them.

And if this is not Orwellian enough for you, this should do the trick:-

"Advantages"

reduced potential stigmatization of individuals wearing masks to prevent infecting others (source control) or of people caring for COVID-19 patients in non-clinical settings;(70)
• making people feel they can play a role in contributing to stopping spread of the virus;

reminding people to be compliant with other measures (e.g., hand hygiene, not touching nose and mouth). However, this can also have the reverse effect (see below);

[Catastrofuck]

Ferret27 Who here has said they won’t wear a mask? Even those who are exempt on medical grounds have said they will probably just avoid public transport (which they shouldn’t have to). Why are you reading people’s discussions about concerns as though they won’t actually wear a mask when required to do so?

[Beastieboys]

Greygarden88..... A bendy straw!!

[Ferret27]

Reading this thread ... you really understand why we have 40,000 deaths and an R rate that is in some places around 1!!

Some of you really need to stop being so self centred ... you can and should wear masks ( unless medically exempt)
If you want this to end quicker ..look in the mirror and ask yourself could you have given covid to someone? Could someone have given it to you ... chances are you can’t answer that ...
For a few months in your life you are being asked to try and help others stay safe .. stop whining and think ...

[MadameMarie]

It's British arrogance that has our little island leading the death toll alongside Brazil in USA. The fact all three have right-wing populists in charge who have been clueless how to deal with the problem, and didn't want to, is at best a coincidence.

[ShirleyB25]

It’s a face covering so a scarf will do, and I think the evidence shows they do little good and can do harm, as people will not stop fiddling with them, and they provide a false sense of security.



Below is a little summary of all the countries in the world that have made face coverings mandatory. Obviously in the UK we are different to the rest of humanity and might as well just ignore what others are doing


WHO now backs masks as coronavirus precaution: Live updates
today
In an attempt to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, an increasing number of countries have made wearing face masks mandatory in public spaces, with citizens facing a possible fine if caught without one.

There have been a number of conflicting opinions on whether face masks can prevent the new coronavirus from transmitting from one person to another. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that healthy people do not need to wear a mask, but those who are feeling unwell and are coughing and sneezing, as well as caring for someone who is infected, should do so.

More:

Doctor's Note: Do masks protect us from coronavirus?
Wearing a surgical mask is now mandatory in some countries
World opinion shifts in favour of masks as virus fight deepens
"Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water," WHO said.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said despite there being no evidence for self-protection, covering the mouth and nose can trap infectious droplets that are expelled when the wearer is speaking, coughing or sneezing. That is, face masks are designed to protect people from the wearer.

Other governments, such as the United Kingdom and Singapore, have urged the public not to wear masks in order to ensure enough supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not specifically advocate the use of surgical masks but does advise the use of "simple cloth face coverings" made from common household materials to slow the spread of the virus and prevent asymptomatic people from transmitting it to others.

In Asian nations such as China, Taiwan or Hong Kong, masks were relatively common even before the coronavirus pandemic, which is credited to populations used to wearing coverings because of either pollution or previous experience with the SARS and H1N1 outbreaks.

Venezuela was among the first countries to impose the mandatory use of face masks in public back in March.

Vietnam made face masks compulsory for people to wear in public on March 16.

On March 18, the Czech Republic became the first European country to make wearing masks mandatory in supermarkets, pharmacies, and public transport.

Slovakia followed suit on March 25, and in an attempt to dispel away the stigma associated with face masks, President Zuzana Caputova wore a red one that matched her dress during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government.

On March 29, Bosnia and Herzegovina made it mandatory for its citizens to wear a face mask or a cloth covering their mouth and nose while walking in the streets or outside their homes.

On April 4, Colombia made wearing face masks compulsory on the public transport system and public areas such as stores, outdoor marketplaces and banks.

The United Arab Emirates also announced on the same day that face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home.

Cuba followed suit on April 6, and a day later Ecuador decided to make the use of face masks obligatory in public spaces.

On April 6, Austria also made masks mandatory in public spaces, with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz acknowledging that wearing them would require a "big adjustment" because "masks are alien to our country".

In North Africa, Morocco made wearing face masks mandatory on April 7, with the government warning anyone who fails to comply faces a prison sentence of up to three months and a fine of 1,300 dirhams ($130).

On the same day, Turkey ordered all of its citizens to wear masks when shopping or visiting crowded public places. The country has surpassed Iran in becoming the heaviest affected nation in the Middle East, and the government said it will deliver masks to every family free of charge.

On April 8, El Salvador made face masks mandatory in public, and Chile's health ministry announced that face masks must be worn while using the public transport system.

On April 9, Cameroon imposed masks for people leaving their homes. A dozen more African countries followed suit soon after: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Zambia.

Nigeria is expected to join them in early May after state governors asked President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the compulsory use of face masks in public.

On April 12, Israel made it mandatory for its citizens to wear face masks while out in public.

Argentina made face masks obligatory for everyone using public transport and out in public on April 14.

On April 16, the Ministry of Health in Poland made covering the face with either a mask or homemade piece of fabric such as a scarf mandatory. This applies to green areas such as parks and beaches as well as public places such as roads, squares, religious facilities, commercial facilities, and marketplaces.

On April 20, Luxembourg made the use of face masks mandatory in public places where it is not possible to keep enough distance between one person and the other, such as public transport and supermarkets.

On April 21, Jamaica imposed a series of new coronavirus restrictions such as a revised curfew and also made it mandatory for citizens to wear a face mask in public spaces.

On April 22, Germany became the latest European country to make the wearing of face masks compulsory when on public transport and while shopping in all of its 16 states.

On the same day, Bahrain made wearing face masks in public areas compulsory for citizens and residents as well as shop workers.

On April 26, Qatar made the use of face masks mandatory for government and private sector employees and clients, shoppers at food and catering stores and workers in the contracting sector. On May 17, the Gulf state made wearing masks in public mandatory, with violators facing up to three years in jail and fines of as much as $55,000.

On May 3, Honduras made face masks obligatory for people going outside their homes.

On May 5, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda said every person who leaves their home must wear a cloth face mask to stop the spread the COVID-19.

On May 10, France made the use of face masks in public mandatory, as the country is set to emerge from its coronavirus lockdown the following day.

Spain made it compulsory on May 20 for everyone older than six to wear masks in indoor public spaces, and outdoor ones when it is impossible to keep more than two metres apart.

Starting from May 26, South Korea made it mandatory for people to wear masks when using public transportation and taxis nationwide. On the same day, Lebanon announced that it would begin issuing fines from May 29 of up to 50,000 Lebanese pounds ($33) to anyone not wearing a mask in public.

On May 30, Pakistan made it compulsory for people to wear a face mask in crowded public spaces including mosques, bazaars, shopping malls and public transport.

[AlecTrevelyan006]

I’m going to go full on Daft Punk

[Gwenhwyfar]

@Thewordgame

Was thinking of digging out my burka to wear but am afraid of looking like a letter box,

Oh wait, everyone else will be looking like one too now!

I was actually thinking a niqab would be a more comfortable prospect than a mask, but there is a risk of offending people and I also read an article stating that niqab and burkas can make it worse, so not sure...