Re-wearing cloth masks without washing

[EnolaHolmes]

I work at a primary school and we’ve been told we have to wear masks at all times now, except in the classrooms, which is fine. The email said we need to use a cloth mask and should keep it in a plastic bag for repeat use during the day - am I wrong in thinking this could increase the risk through touching and putting back on your face something that you’ve already breathed all over and has been exposed to others?

I had a quick Google and it looks like Ottawa’s health department says this is OK and I guess that’s what secondary teachers and pupils do, so I’m not sure if I’m being OTT about it as I don’t like the idea.

I send my son in with two and bags to put them in when he is finished with them but he only needs his for the journey there and back currently

Do you have an iron there? They say you can iron and reuse

It doesn’t sound great - I’d be tempted to buy a large multipack of plain black ones to cover two or three days using fresh each time and wash midweek.

I am in Secondary school and I am using 4-5 washable ones a day, wash each night. I have enough for 2 days before washing them though in case I forget plus some spare disposable ones that live in my car.

I was doing that when I was in the office. I had a clean mask each day but I'd have needed about 10 a day if I didn't put them back on. I touch my face so much more when I where a mask that it probably didn't make a lot of difference anyway!

Yup fabric mask wearing is completely pointless and probably spreads germs and viruses.
I will do what I am told, I wash mine each day and wear two or three per day as they get damp and even more uncomfortable, I don't think for a minute that I am protecting anyone.

If I am in and out of shops I will re-use, I won't if I am needing to wear one to see someone at work.

It doesn’t really matter if you put something back on you’ve breathed all over! Just make sure you take on and off by elastic and use a bag big enough for you to be able to take it out by elastic. Then make sure you fold it so inside is always hidden (ie in half with the inner on the inside). If you do that it’s no different to it being on your face for a few hours. Maybe change 2-3 times a day.
Do you was your face regularly at work? No, exactly. I think people are too hooked on thinking masks are full of germs when your skin would otherwise be getting the germs. They do an important job and I think even a dirty mask is probably better than no mask.

Thanks all We don’t have an iron but that’s good to know for other times. I think I’ll do as suggested and buy a multipack of extras so I can have five or so for each day and wash them at night.

I keep a couple looped over the gear stick in the car and rewear them. Havent died yet so it should be ok

@dementedma it's not to stop you dying.

I wondered this, we only use them once before washing them when we go out but when at school that's a lot of handling as they're on and off all the time. Or a lot of masks! My sons school doesn't use masks but it's a smaller school and they're in bubbles.

If my kids forget to put them for the wash I have ironed on a hot iron, pretty sure that kills at least a few germs.

Secondary. I have a couple of wet/dry nappy bags that have two compartments. Clean masks are kept in one, dirty in the other. When finished, the whole lot goes in the wash. I have had to buy a lot of masks to make this work but I am happier with it than the taking off and putting on again.

Although I am currently at home awaiting test results so what do I know?!

@EnolaHolmes

Thanks all We don’t have an iron but that’s good to know for other times. I think I’ll do as suggested and buy a multipack of extras so I can have five or so for each day and wash them at night.

I use a kettle!

Cloth masks are not exactly useless. See e.g. wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/10/20-0948_article

“ Cloth masks have been used in healthcare and community settings to protect the wearer from respiratory infections. The use of cloth masks during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is under debate. The filtration effectiveness of cloth masks is generally lower than that of medical masks and respirators; however, cloth masks may provide some protection if well designed and used correctly. Multilayer cloth masks, designed to fit around the face and made of water-resistant fabric with a high number of threads and finer weave, may provide reasonable protection. Until a cloth mask design is proven to be equally effective as a medical or N95 mask, wearing cloth masks should not be mandated for healthcare workers. In community settings, however, cloth masks may be used to prevent community spread of infections by sick or asymptomatically infected persons, and the public should be educated about their correct use.”

And www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/fmb-2020-0112

“ Despite some early concerns relating to the benefits of public masking in preventing viral spread (specifically influenza virus) [16], a recent meta-analysis by Chu et al. [17], involving 172 observational studies across 16 countries and six continents, strongly suggests that face masks reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. MacIntyre and Chughtai [18] support this view, suggesting that all sectors of society (the community, sick and healthcare workers) will benefit from masking. Indeed, this growing consensus is in line with the findings from the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, which show that widespread public use of face masks, together with frequent hand washing and living quarter disinfection, significantly reduced the risk of viral transmission [19]. This, together with evidence from trials with other epidemic respiratory viruses [20], suggests that widespread public masking might be a useful strategy in controlling community spread of SARS-CoV-2.”

If an iron works, then I guess hair straighteners would too...?

I wash mine when I remember which isn’t that often. I’m only wearing them because I have to, not because I think they are actually any use/

The advice at DC's school is that you must sanitise your hands before and after putting on or taking off your mask. I guess that minimises some of the risks you're concerned about?

Clean mask on each time = 4 for school (1spare) plus up to a further 3 fir attending extracurricular activities. Have a stash of around 40-50 masks, washed regularly. Wearing a mask that has been damp after breathing into, plus exhaled bacteria etc is unhygienic to me

What about hanging them outdoors in UV light?

Interesting idea Heffa. How do you know whether a mask is receiving enough UV for long enough? And how does it penetrate into the folds? Plus exhaled air dries up into it. Simpler and easier to wash

How indeed👀

I should have written re school - we are in an area where masks are worn inside buildings and taken off when sat at desks. Masks come off for eating/drinking and students get a break from masks when they go outside into the schoolyard

Should read - Not taken off

Hair straighteners is a genius idea, thanks for that!