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?

Same as OP. I don't need to wear one often but when I do I don't bother much with the taking on or off. As far as I can see that puts me at additional risk rather than other people? I do try to touch the straps only.

@ineedaholidaynow

Maybe the numbers aren’t going down as people aren’t wearing them properly

58 cases per 100K of people in my town, despite me not wearing my mask ‘properly’. Honestly I’d like anyone preaching about the ‘correct’ way of wearing one to try doing it when you have a developmentally delayed toddler with you at all times, who tries to pull it off and can’t understand a word I say when I have it on. I wear one, that’s enough.

@ineedaholidaynow

Maybe the numbers aren’t going down as people aren’t wearing them properly

But the numbers are going down. R rate nationally now below 1. Pockets of higher rates (North Kent, Leicester, Slough) but overall rate of spread is slowing.

I'm not. I do it because its politeness towards other people if I wear a sneeze catcher.

Plus no bother to put a mask on me or dc before we occaisionally go in shops or to church or through the leisure centre foyer to swimming - as thats all we ever do.

Yes.

@ineedaholidaynow

Maybe the numbers aren’t going down as people aren’t wearing them properly

But the numbers ARE going down. Lockdown and stopping people mixing is what's effective.

Not masks.

I'm exempt. But I know for a fact my teen doesn't.. Under the nose, screwed in pocket etc. I have to nag to put it in the wash..

Think the worst I saw tho was a gent in the shop. He had a disposable one on and honestly it was the worst thing I've seen. It was grubby with grime.. And round the bottom nr the mouth bit was black.. I can only assume mould it had that pattern. It looked like it was the only one used since March! He was a very well presented man who clearly just did it because ' he has to'

Yes...because even pre covid I wore masks for work so I have been trained in how to use masks properly for a LOOONG time . It's really not rocket science though...there's a way of wearing them (the disposable ones) they are easily worn with safety glasses (and without them fogging up too!) I can't understand these ppl who complain about them being awkward and not being able to see etc etc it is 100% manageable...myself and my colleagues have been doing it for years

I've worn a mask and visor at work for 25 years as a dental hygienist so also trained in how to use masks properly for a long time. It's definitely not rocket science. But, and I don't know why, I find them really hard to wear outside of work. They always steam my glasses up and I'm constantly having to adjust my glasses so I can see properly (so increased touching of my face). They also make me feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable in shops and I find it more difficult to communicate with others (probably due to slight hearing loss in one ear). So I can sympathise with people who can't tolerate them or who are not wearing them correctly. There are so many reasons why people might struggle with them.

Outside of work I only wear mine where they are mandated and they go on at the last possible moment and come straight off as soon as I have left the store. No hand sanitising. I also re-use and now it's cold I just use a scarf.

Thanks @TheyPavedParadise

Yup.
No one I live with has caught Covid.
No one in my social/support bubble has caught Covid.
The people I work in very close contact with (SEN, no masks, no social distancing) haven't caught Covid.

So I reckon it's pretty safe to say.
I haven't infected anybody

And no. I'm not as skanky with the rest of my laundry.
I'm just not a paranoid clean freak about Covid.

100% in line with government advice - no. However in line with science - yes.

I dont sanitise before putting a mask on because I'm not seeing lots of people, dont have a child at school and am reasonably sure I've not got, or had, covid. I do sanitise or wash hands when I take them off. I take it off by the straps, dont fiddle with it when on, it covers mouth and nose and if I dont wash it I dont wear it again for a week.

I also have a UVC light so use that on them. I mask up when we have food deliveries.

OH is less careful.

I put it on with the straps, fold and put it in my pocket, and sanitise my hands.

I still this face coverings are a good thing, even if people aren't doing it perfectly.

But won’t masks you have been wearing for months be grubby, it’s not just COVID.

If you find a sweet that had been festering for months on the floor in your car would you eat it? Why would you put a mask on your face that has been doing the same?

My face isn't dirty. I don't wear my mask for hours on end. It is in my coat pocket. It is hardly festering on some manky floor where other people's shoes have been.

@ineedaholidaynow

But won’t masks you have been wearing for months be grubby, it’s not just COVID.

If you find a sweet that had been festering for months on the floor in your car would you eat it? Why would you put a mask on your face that has been doing the same?

Yeah, because thats exactly the same . I wear my mask outside for 5 mins every morning and every afternoon on the school run, outside. It’s hardly festering.

Closing the pubs has brought cases down but masks also bring cases down. In America some places have mask mandates some dont - virus grows a lot more slowly in the mask wearing areas and maybe wouldnt grow at all if more people actually complied with the mask mandates.

Masks reduce virus spread even when not worn properly - because there is plenty of real world data to show that.

If worn properly masks cut out upwards of 40% of transmission (cotton mask). Its 60% if both people are wearing cotton masks, more if they are surgical masks. (Japanese study of masks on covid emitting dummies).

Only someone who has has not bothered to research can claim masks dont work.

Numbers are down because they have closed restaurants and pubs.
Outside my local they have all been stood sharing cigarettes and their arms around each other.

No, I'm definitely not doing it right. I use disposables and have reused the same one many times, just grabbing it out my coat pocket and putting it on. I'm only doing it so as not to receive any backlash. If it wasn't mandatory I wouldn't wear one.