Surgical vs cloth masks

[ItsNotAGameOfSubbuteoMatthew]

I haven't needed a mask till now as I have barely left my village. Given we're heading into summer is a cloth or surgical mask more likely to be comfortable? Are there any things I need to consider with either type?

[Boulshired]

I have cloth ones with disposable filters. Have some surgical ones provided by DS2 respite service but will probably only use if the R rate rises locally.

[buckeejit]

I have a few surgical ones and have made some cloth ones. I won't be on public transport ' will only wear them in shops so not for long.

I have used them & left them in the car until next time as it's always more than 3 days between uses so assume any virus would be dead by next use.

I will make more cloth ones, think the nose wire is important for glasses wearers so they don't get steamed up

[Inkpaperstars]

I think another poster who worked in the medical field said that most of the 'surgical' masks widely available to buy are not medical grade or of a standard that could be used in a medical setting.

I have worn surgical and also worn a cloth mask with pocket for inserting a filter if wished. I found the cloth mask well made, much better fitting, more comfortable and cooler. I need to wear both types on more occasions to see if this comparison is consistent in different settings and temperatures.

The surgical one has no adjustability and for me it had huge gaps at the sides.

I spent about £20-25 on each cloth mask (got some for others), not sure if that is typical but the cheapest types probably aren't up to much.

[B1rdbra1n]

I heard on the radio that silk does a better job than other fabrics but I don't know if that's true 🤔
Shelbourne, on the subject of the deaf and hearing impaired I wonder if a visor would be an option 🤔

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

I'm making masks from 4layers of cotton with a pocket to put a filter in. (Planning to use kitchen roll).
They've got adjustable ties and nose wires. The benefit of making my own is I can adjust the size if I need to.

[B1rdbra1n]

Do you not find four layers of cotton a bit much though😯?

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

I havent worn them for any length of time yet (havent been anywhere) but when I tested them at home I found them easier to breathe through than the blue disposable ones we used at work.

[buckeejit]

I'm part of a group that has been making scrubs etc for HCPs etc through the pandemic . Someone had been making masks with a transparent panel to help with lip reading.

As far as I know, wearing masks is not a bonus to you just to be helpful to help others so home made masks should suffice. Just make sure you knoe how to use them & how to make amendents

[TimeWastingButFun]

I tried the surgical ones but they break easily and have to be thrown away. I got a load of soft cotton ones and keep a bunch in the car along with some kitchen roll which I use inside the mask - folded in the middle then folded into three. I have a small box with car bin, sanitiser, masks and k roll so it's easy, just get loads of masks so you can put them in the wash basket.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

but if you were actually trying not to catch the thing this seems ridiculous because if any particles were sitting on your mask, you are then holding them directly below your nose and mouth in an ideal position to be breathed in aren't you? But you're not wearing a mask to avoid catching, you're wearing it to avoid passing it on. So presumably the Covid particles have come from you and are on the inside.

I can understand the advice as relating to medical grade masks worn for the user's own protection, but I can't understand it as relating to cloth masks worn for other people's protection.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

WHO guidance which differs from UK government guidance is unless you are over 60 and/or extremely clinically vulnerable you don't need a surgical mask. So does that mean as 70+ we should be wearing surgical masks not cloth ones?

[ItsNotAGameOfSubbuteoMatthew]

I want to buy something that actually works and both helps prevent me from getting it from strangers and protects strangers from me if I do have it without symptoms.

Honestly I don't like how many people are behaving and want to protect myself from their behaviour. What is best for that?

[conveniencestore]

@ItsNotAGameOfSubbuteoMatthew Look for a surgical mask FFP2 or FFP3. Warning: they are highly overpriced, but worth it probably if you only need a couple for occasional hospital trips etc.
People will try to make you feel bad as if you are depriving the NHS. The NHS has the largest purchasing power in the whole country. A couple of FFP3 masks purchased of some small-time Amazon shopfront is not going to impact the NHS. The mask you buy is like a grain of sand along the UK coastline.