CEV and masks...

[Warhertisuff]

I know lots of CEV people are understandably
anxious at social distancing and masks not longer being a legal requirement. But given cloth masks aren't fully effective and people don't always abide by social distancing, I'm not sure why wearing FFP3 masks or the equivalent wouldn't be a solution, rather relying on others?

FFP2 and FFP3 can be expensive and should have proper fit testing (but even a video showing you how to do it yourself would be better than nothing).

Why governments aren’t willing to pay for that though… 🤷‍♀️

If you are cev - buy yourself ffp2 or 3 mask and wear it, what is the problem? Do you need to be told constantly what to do?

@GoldenOmber

FFP2 and FFP3 can be expensive and should have proper fit testing (but even a video showing you how to do it yourself would be better than nothing).

Why governments aren’t willing to pay for that though… 🤷‍♀️

A quick google shows ffp2 masks for sale from boots for £10. Easily accessible and affordable for most (yes I know there will be some who really can’t afford that but the majority can). The government don’t need to spoon feed everything, people should use their common sense and wear these if they’re worried.

The government should fund masks for the CEV.

@VioletRiemelt

The government should fund masks for the CEV.

Why? Masks are cheap and accessible. They have many, many things to pay for at the moment. The government can’t pay for everything, people have responsibility for themselves.

@VioletRiemelt

The government should fund masks for the CEV.

Why? They haven’t funded masks for anyone else when a legal requirement.

A quick google shows ffp2 masks for sale from boots for £10. Easily accessible and affordable for most

They’re non-reusable. £10 a time adds up.

It would cost for the government to do it. I still think offering vulnerable people masks that protect them would be more workable than expecting everyone else to wear cloth masks consistently and reliably enough to protect others.

If it was such a deadly virus people would have spent £100 on one mask

Well short term it would make sense instead of restrictions and lockdowns which cost billions.

I'm using a Cambridge one, FFP2 and reusable. Not the cheapest though

FFP3 needs to be specifically fitted by someone trained to do it as it needs to fit really tightly to offer good protection. That's why hospital staff on covid wards literally has bruises on their faces from how tightly the masks fit. It isn't really a good option for most people on a day to day basis (plus they are very expensive).

FFP2 is a good alternative.

The problem is that it's not just the CEV person themselves that is at risk though - if anyone living with them catches covid then they could bring it home.

When the CEV group was first created I was worried. Worried that the "protect the vulnerable" would soon turn into "forget the vulnerable" and that other people's compassion and understanding would soon get old. Over the past few days I have felt that more and more as the tone and attitude of many people has altered. And as I said it another thread, freedom for others actually means the opposite for many who are CEV. It's been, for me, the most nervous time of all.

Unfortunately by it's very nature many of the CEV group have breathing difficulties and/or lung problems meaning a FFP2 mask is impossible to breathe in. But of course that only applies to some.

However, during the course of the pandemic like other CEV people I must have received 8 or 10 letters from the Health Secretary with advice and guidance. I wonder why, not ever, have they ever mentioned a FFP2 mask, not ever (well unless I missed a letter of course). They've mentioned almost everything else but not that.

Thank you to everyone who continues to be kind.

Let's remember CEV people are people too with issues around mask wearing like everyone else, that have to pay for the masks like everyone else and have to deal with other medical conditions in a lot of scenarios.

It's not us and them.

@Heyhohi

If it was such a deadly virus people would have spent £100 on one mask

@Heyhohi

What a ridiculous thing to say. I can afford £100 but many people absolutely cannot.

@Warhertisuff

I know lots of CEV people are understandably anxious at social distancing and masks not longer being a legal requirement. But given cloth masks aren't fully effective and people don't always abide by social distancing, I'm not sure why wearing FFP3 masks or the equivalent wouldn't be a solution, rather relying on others?

Because not one medic or scientist has suggested this on an individual or collective level ?!

@Heyhohi

If it was such a deadly virus people would have spent £100 on one mask

Forgetting that many CEV people are surviving on disability benefits and many are unable to wear a mask.

I have bought some for occasions when I do need to go into riskier situations. As pp have said they aren't cheap for daily use. They're also difficult to fit on yourself if you have any issues with your hands.

FFP2 masks are £2 per unit in Boots (£9.99 for a pack of 5).

Today I had reason to wear a mask 3 times. That's reasonably average for me, so that would be £180 per month down the drain if I used FFP2 (and did so properly, disposing of the mask after every use).

That's not affordable/an acceptable household expense for me. I'll be scaling down my activity and limiting myself as a result, having seen so many people deciding not to wear their masks (which would protect me). I don't mind doing so on a temporary basis (I'm pregnant in third trimester so it's not a long term thing) but I feel incredibly sorry for people who will have to limit themselves for an unknown period due to the expense of buying an effective mask for protecting themselves.

But people are wearing cloth masks for weeks without washing them and you would be happy if they wore it. But they are useless.

FFP3 masks aren't cheap and accessible for a lot of people, what ignorance. They're also nigh on useless unless fitted properly, and really uncomfortable. Its nice how some people think rather than everyone wear actually cheap and accessible masks, those who are CEV should because its their fault obviously that they're vulnerable.

I didn’t say it’s there fault! But they need to take a personal responsibility too.

I’m wearing FFP3 masks for my own protection : they are expensive

My solution is I have several, I write a no on them, leave for several days after use and rotate (5 days is ideal)

A new one each time WOULD be ideal but in the height of the pandemic hospital doctors in US were using 1 mask for a full week…

Its nice how some people think rather than everyone wear actually cheap and accessible masks, those who are CEV should because its their fault obviously that they're vulnerable.

How have you twisted “government should give CEV people better access to more protective masks” into an attack on CEV people?

@GoldenOmber

Its nice how some people think rather than everyone wear actually cheap and accessible masks, those who are CEV should because its their fault obviously that they're vulnerable.

How have you twisted “government should give CEV people better access to more protective masks” into an attack on CEV people?

I haven't, did I say everyone on this thread thinks x? No, but some seem to.

All we’ve used through out are FFP2’s and now FFP3’s.

Sadly not everyone knows that cloth masks don’t offer any protection to the wearer. I’ve got a CEV friend who wears a cloth mask.