can anyone HONESTLY say they are doing this mask thing properly?

[RaspberryCoulis]

Yes it's another mask one, sorry.

Most people where I live are complying with the compulsory face coverings, in settings where they are mandatory.

But nobody I know is doing it "properly" according to the government guidance.

Disposables - clean hands before putting it on, put it on, don't touch it, clean hands before taking it off, take it off, bin it, wash hands again.

Reusables - clean hands before putting it on, touch only the straps, remove after use and immediately place in sealed plastic bag, wash your hands, launder your mask.

Or do most people do as I do - have a range of paper and fabric masks in the door pocket of the car, coat pocket, handbag, in the boot. Grab whatever's nearest and use that. Chuck it in the wash when you remember. Is there ANYONE really doing the plastic bag thing or chucking out a paper mask after a quick 5 minute scoot round the local corner shop?

Nope. I’m doing it purely because it’s mandated and I want to enter shops etc without any hassle. Masks get stuffed into pocket afterwards and are washed occasionally when I remember. Only use reusables because I’m appalled at the amount of waste the disposable ones generate.

Frequently when I’m out and about I’m pushing a buggy and in sole charge of a 3 year old. No way would I be able to follow the guidelines as stated above while going about my business and effectively communicating with a toddler.

I'm still doing it more or less by the book - clean reusable masks are kept in plastic bags by the front door to grab on the way out. When out I only ever touch the mask by the ear straps. I use sanitiser before putting the mask on or taking it off. If shopping in the High Street it stays on between shops. If going from supermarket to somewhere else, it comes off in the car then goes back on again at the next port of call - with hands sanitised again. On retur home it goes by the washing machine for the next wash.
My pet hate is seeing people pull up their masks by the middle where it is most likely to be damp from breathing and then touching other things ( without washing/sanitising)

I’d also add that everyone else I know (bar my elderly parents, who are a bit more diligent) is doing the same - mainly young parents of small children.

No.

I am not particularly worried about the risk to myself and based on all the research so far the risk of fomite transmission is relatively low. I hardly doubt I will catch COVID by touching a “contaminated” mask that I have worn in a supermarket or public transport. In fact, I am pretty sure I will not.

I do wear mask to reduce risk to others. My level of infectiousness through air droplets or airborne particles does not depend on how often I remove my mask or how frequently I sanitise (or do not sanitise) my hands.

Yes, I put it on with clean hands and don't touch it until I take it off, if I'm in the car it goes into a bag I sanitise my hands after touching it go home a wash it. I never wear the same mask more than once and am really careful. I just assume everyone has covid but me which makes me less blasé about it all.

We all still need to get on with life but with sensible precautions. I don't think people have figured out yet that mask wearing isn't to protect the wearer but others so I do get a bit pissed off when I see folk with noses out or under their chins because ya know 'it's only flu'

Tell that to people who are suffering from devastating losses.

One thing I have seen more and more throughout this year is just how openly selfish some people are.

So relieved to read this.i use a disposable mask for quite a few times before throwing it out. I do try to only touch the straps but it lives in my car just lying in a pocket.
I replace it when I think I need to, the other day I sneezed with it on so it went in the bin after that.
Also have reusable ones which I try to wash regularly but not after every wear.
If I was going into hospital or care home I would (and was) a lot stricter.

The kitchen towel liner in the 'filter' pocket gets binned.

The what now? Filter pocket?

Didn't take long until someone popped along to say those of us reusing masks multiple times and whatever else are "selfish". Bingo!

If you follow the line that the masks are there to protect everyone else from me, then that protection still applies if I haven't washed my hands and have been using the same mask for a week. If my manky, germy habits mean I catch something from my own festering mask, how does that affect anyone else?

No, it’s an extra layer (literally) to confuddle me. Various masks of uncertain age knocking around, scarves, one time I had to take off my vest and use that, borrowing tatty disposables from the bottom of boyfriend’s rucksack. Fail.

The absolute best thing I have seen was a dad with his toddler daughter's pink cardi tied over his face.

Hahaha!!! 😂

of course not..i have one disposable one which I have re-used since the beginning if I go somewhere (rare) where they have to be worn. Thats it.

Well I thought we were but reading about the multi stage hand sanitising we're not. I don't really understand why you need to sanitise your hands before taking it off mind- surely that's superfluous.

Anyway IMO the main thing is I'm wearing it properly over my nose and mouth (despite fogging up my glasses awfully) and I'm nice and low risk anyway seeing as we all work from home in our household and haven't been allowed to go anywhere in months.

No. It lives in the car and I just put the same one on each timel. I am not sure I've ever washed it. But then again I use it about once a week to pop into the local shop. I don't go anywhere else around people, other than that, at the moment. I tend to pick up what I need, pay wirelessly and get out asap. So maybe it doesn't really matter.

I don't really understand the point of all that. If I'm going into a shop I usually put the mask on just outside, use their hand sanitiser, and when I've finished I take it off, put it in a pocket or into a pocket on the car door and take it in to wash it when I get home. I'll be careful not to touch my face till I have got home and washed my hands there. I can't see how any of that puts me or anyone else at greater risk. No-one but me goes into my car. I guess I could theoretically put germs on our front door as I open it and go in, but the same applies in relation to any stranger who comes to the door so if we really wanted to we could take specific precautions around that.

*low risk to others that is, pretty sure I'm tipping into vulnerable myself but that's my own lookout.

Same here. Wear it purely because I have to. Wear whatever is in my pocket or in the boot of my car.

I have already had covid though.

I am reusing disposables a few times before binning but every time I touch it to take it off, put it on or adjust it, I'm sanitising my hands before and after so definitely making an effort but not to a clinical setting's standards.

I can only do what I can do.

I'm generally rummaging around to find one on the floor of the car before I go into a shop. Think that answers your question.

It's all a pointless pantomime which was never going to make any discernible difference to the infection rates. The sooner the pantomime is over the better as far as I am concerned

Oh no, not a mask thread again 🤦🏼‍♀️

Didn't take long until someone popped along to say those of us reusing masks multiple times and whatever else are "selfish" - BINGO

I think you will find that you can't call BINGO until someone has mentioned ventilators, or called another poster a murderer.

Nope

I have a stash in the car door pocket, my bag and various coat pockets

I do take them on and off by the ear straps though

I use the disposable ones - I’m extremely claustrophobic and the fabric ones feel so oppressive on my face and make me panic, the paper ones feel much lighter so I can cope with them longer. I usually use the same one all day, but other than a big shop, I’m not out and about in places I need to wear one for any great length of time

Not at all. Too much else to worry/think about.

Genuinely amazed that people are doing all that. We're popping into a shop, not performing open heart surgery. So yes, my mask wearing is basically for show. I wear a cotton one two or three times before washing it, but otherwise it gets stuffed into my pocket or bag.

I use reusable ones, the paper ones are far too big for me and get in my eyes, I bought a five pack from Tesco and they are fab and a great fit. I use a fresh one when going out shopping and turn it inside out when I take it off then sanitise my hands. I live in a seaside town and saw a large family this summer with their names written on their disposable masks, I wonder if they hung them up like Christmas stockings at the end of each day
I also snip the ear loops of DH's disposable ones as I worry about the seagulls on landfill sites.

This is one of those 'perfection is the enemy of good enough' situations.

DH works from home so only leaves the house to do the weekly shop by himself.

I do the school run and have a collection of reusable face masks. Take them off and put on by only touching the straps, but just put in my pocket after use (use once before going in washing pile). Wash them when I'm running low.

But I do regularly gel my hands e.g. after touching a traffic light button or handle.