Wearing Face Coverings Safely

[Sertchgi123]

We urgently need a public health campaign telling people how to wear a mask/face covering properly.

Daily I see people wearing them under their chins, under their noses and I see them fiddling with them..

People just don't know that if you have the virus and touch their mask, it's then all over their hands and any surface they touch will be infected.

Completely with you on this one. As someone who has to wear masks in the icu, it is my biggest bugbear to see people pulling them down and up and touching them to adjust them constantly. Or have them hanging off one ear. If people are being asked to wear masks it is important that they understand how to wear them otherwise they pose more of a risk to themselves than without one.

Don't even get me started on gloves...

@muddypuddled

Completely with you on this one. As someone who has to wear masks in the icu, it is my biggest bugbear to see people pulling them down and up and touching them to adjust them constantly. Or have them hanging off one ear. If people are being asked to wear masks it is important that they understand how to wear them otherwise they pose more of a risk to themselves than without one.

Don't even get me started on gloves...

I'm so pleased to find someone on the same page. I've emailed my MP today and the Department of Health, pointing out the need for educating the public. It won't happen.

My husband gets really annoyed with me complaining so much about other people's mask wearing when I go out but even he as a non healthcare worker is starting to realise when watching people's behaviour how bad they are with a mask on. It also annoys me that people wearing a mask will stand right next to you too, just because they're wearing it it doesn't mean you can do whatever you like!

Government tweet on how to wear and wash face coverings.

twitter.com/HMGNorth/status/1281577442751188995?s=19

Community mask wearing is not, and cannot, be subject to the same rules and requirements of mask wearing in a medical environment. It is just not attainable, especially when you can wear any kind of "face covering". As they are supposed to be used in addition to social distancing and hand washing, their use is as an additional protection for those around you, not yourself. If you have the virus, it will mostly be contained within the mask, so shouldn't be on the outside anyway.

Additionally, most masks (other than properly fitted PPE), don't fit most people.

I caveat all of this by assuring you I do wear masks in enclosed spaces, but haven't yet found one that fits without gaps, and that includes the medical mask I wore this morning to visit my DM in her care home. The irony being they asked my to use their mask, which doesn't fit, over my own mask which was smaller, and therefore a tighter and better fit. Care home staff all had poorly fitting medical masks too.

I've had to attend my GP surgery twice in the past week.

You must wear a mask. You then must queue 2m apart to get to the intercom where you have to press a button to operate it, just like every other patient. I used the car key to press the button but there is no sign there suggesting you do this to avoid spread of germs.

It is impossible to make yourself understood through a mask and the intercom for the receptionist to hear your name/d.o.b. On both occasions, after three attempts at annunciating with comic clarity and raising my voice and not being understood, I had to remove my mask to give my details and then replace my mask. It makes a mockery of the guidance.

People are only expected to wear “face coverings” which could include a scarf, neck buff etc. Far better to reiterate that wearing face coverings doesn’t stop you needing to practice good hygiene such as handwashing

[quote Carlislemumof4]Government tweet on how to wear and wash face coverings.

twitter.com/HMGNorth/status/1281577442751188995?s=19[/quote]
That's actually pretty good. I hope they show it on TV, as many people aren't on Twitter.

That's actually pretty good. I hope they show it on TV, as many people aren't on Twitter.

Agree, I imagine there will be TV ads. The linked page on the gov.uk website is good as well.

Have just seen these tweets from Number 10 and BBC news, the campaign does seem to be stepping up now masks are mandatory in more places.

twitter.com/10DowningStreet/status/1282591763002200064?s=19

twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1283060900753268736?s=19

If you are not accustomed to wearing a mask it is hard to remember to not fiddle with it. I find myself adjusting my glasses over it without thinking. I also knew I was going to sneeze when I was wearing one in the supermarket and had to deal with that. It will take people time to get used to wearing one and how to deal with it.

But you don’t have to wear a mask to comply - just a face covering

I was watching the Grand Prix on Sunday and Lewis Hamilton couldn't leave his mask alone! I kept wanting to slap the man's hands away...