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?

I do my best re the masks as they do cut transmission a lot.

Thanks for the thread OP. This has reassured me enormously because I’m not doing it properly either!
I have several reusable masks and disposable ones, the disposable ones are used until they literally fall apart and washed in the kitchen sink occasionally.
The reusable ones (homemade) were 2 layers but I cut a big hole in the inner layer because I couldn’t breathe in them. No one can see the inner layer.
But I am complying with the law! 🤷‍♀️

@RaisinsRuinEverything I think the overwhelming majority of people aren't doing it strictly according to the guidance. Unless they're a doctor or something.

Nope I’m not doing it properly. I throw one on when I go out as I really can’t be arsed with funny looks from people and can’t be bothered to defend myself for not wearing one even though I’m actually exempt. I re use my masks a few times before binning and I don’t wash my hands before putting it on. I’ll prepare to be flamed.

No Fleming here, most posters have said they do exactly the same.

I was thinking this the other day. I work in a school where kids leave them lying on desks and on the floor constantly. Although there is sanitiser everywhere and we are cleaning desks etc, many people are paying lip service to the guidelines. Children tell you they have sanitised their hands, but they haven't.

Nope. Definitely just for show.
I've got 2, they live in my coat pocket.
Been wearing them since March.
Never washed them yet.

Still not caught Covid.
Still not passed it on.

I have a set of masks from Etsy with the days of the week on them. So I know they've been worn for one day, then washed. It helps me to keep track of masks and also what day of the week it is.

Never again will I spend all day Thursday thinking it's Friday, only to be disappointed when colleagues say 'see you tomorrow' at the end of my shift.

Mine only get washed when they’re so covered in lipstick I can’t wear them anymore

I have to wear a mask all day every day at work. I use reusable ones and I have a new clean one every day. They can look pretty manly at the end of the day

But I don't get a clean one for popping to supermarket and going out. Just wash it when I can't remember the last time it was washed

Purely for show here too

Nope! I have reusable ones, same one lives in the car or my pocket for about a week before i was it.

I wear it because i have to so i can go in the shops. As soon as we don't have to wear it i won't

Nope.

I have one scrunched up in my coat pocket and it gets used over and over again for school pick-ups and popping into the shop.

Same as you OP.

@thecatneuterer

I'm certainly not. I'm doing it for 'show' and nothing else

Me too. There’s one in every coat pocket along with the dog treats. I wash them on the very rare occasion that I think of it.

I do it properly when I have a child with covid symptoms that I have to take to the medical room to isolate until they are collected (although I've not once had the heart to insist 4 and 5 year olds keep theirs on while im waiting with them, I'd rather take the risks) The rest of the time the mask is in my pocket as we have runners. I need to be able to grab it to go after them. I do wash and take a new one each day though. And I have one in my car door for shops

I didnt know you were supposed to put them in a bag. Mine lives in my pocket comes out for the shop and is back in my pocket the second I get outside.
The way I see it if they were really that important the government would of done a segment about proper use/which ones to use etc.

@thecatneuterer

I'm certainly not. I'm doing it for 'show' and nothing else

Ditto I wash my masks in one lot about once a week. No idea how many times I wear each one in that time, I just grab whichever one is nearby. Certainly not putting it in a sealed plastic bag and throwing in a boil wash after wearing it for 1 minute to buy milk.

Gawd, you lot are grim!
Agree with a PP that you don't need to faff with the clinical sterility thing when you're only doing it so you don't cough / breathe over people nearby.
But honestly people, a fresh one every day please, whether it's disposable or washable.

I'll just leave this here ...

I have a 'covid bag,' that i carry in my handbag which is an old make up bag where I keep my masks when I'm not wearing them and also my hand sanitiser. Apart from that, no, I wouldn't say that I am. My masks are washed regularly though and I do wear one almost all the time when I am out of my house.

I have a mask bag hanging on the back of the coat cupboard door from which I take a clean mask each morning.
It goes on the front seat of the car till I park at work when I put it on to go in.
During the day I put it on and off again a number of times. In between, it sits under the monitor on my desk, face down. I wash or sanitise my hands very regularly across the day, and only ever touch the mask elastic with clean hands.
On leaving work, the mask goes in the outer pocket of my rucksack, then into the dirty linen basket at home to be washed with the next normal load.
I stay 2m away from people apart from passing in corridors, so the mask is unlikely to have a direct viral hit.
I also have a box of disposables in my car boot for use in emergencies, but I think I have only used 5 or 6 since March, and given away a similar number.
I don't find it hard now - it's just part of the routine of life.

I have to touch mine to adjust it as it steams up my glasses when I breathe, especially with the cold weather. Anyone have any tips to avoid that lol.
I don't wash it every day but I literally wear it for 5 mins in the school playground and I stand away from everyone.
Loads of parents are stood by each other's cars talking, not socially distanced or wearing masks, then put them on to go into the school.
I saw a teaching assistant talking to a parent the other day stood right in front of her, mask on her chin and the parent wasn't wearing one at all

I don't always manage to wash my hands before removing, and I do sometimes have to adjust a bit while wearing which is annoying. But I have never reused a disposable and I am placing all masks in plastic bags before and after use, am using straps to remove etc.

I guess it depends where you have been ...if you wear a mask in a fairly high risk environment there is a decent chance that virus particles from other people are on it, so I wouldn't really want that rolling round my bag or against my phone. Equally if you have breathed germs onto your own maks and then keep putting it back on, having it touch all your other belongings etc...the chances of you having those germs on your hands while out and about, touching other items is greater....and so you are raising the risks to others. It's not that hard to practise basic hygeine but that said, I have always assumed that people being what they are most will not be doing it properly!

The thing I do find very difficult to avoid is when going in between outside and inside, since being pregnant I am finding it quite stifling and feel out of breath so I am desperate to pull it down in moments outside but then have to handle it to put back on.