why are most mask-wearers now wearing the inexpensive surgical masks (blue/white) rather than fabric ones? Safety or just lost interest in having beautiful masks?

[loveyouradvice]

Just that really - I'm still wearing fabric ones and was thinking of getting some silk ones for people as christmas presents....

What do you think?

I assume it does something to increase airflow from inside to out.🤷

I've been into town twice today and made sure I looked at everyone's masks. I noticed that many of the surgical ones didn't fit properly, but most of the fabric ones did. Also the people not wearing masks correctly generally seemed to be the surgical mask wearers - the fabric ones are usually a bit tighter and not so easy to wear under your chin. (When I say fabric masks I mean properly made ones, not bits of cloth over faces btw).

I find fabric masks harder to breathe in as the material is usually flat against your face and they are not as effective. I wear FPP2 / N95 masks for greater protection and because they have more of a gap between the mask and my face.

I wear a fabric mask, ds wore the surgical ones but has changed to the FFP2 ones with filters as they work out cheaper. How much longer will we be having to wear them, it was costing me £25 every time ds needed a new box.

I have never owned a fabric mask. I wear disposable ones in places where a mask is compulsory (I work in a school so is required on corridors) but at no other times. Fabric ones are disgustingly unhygienic. Was given one last year by my boss as an Xmas gift (!) was immediately binned.

“ (When I say fabric masks I mean properly made ones, not bits of cloth over faces btw)”

What is the difference?

I have a large stash of fabric ones that I make with a double layer of fine cotton and the option to insert a non-woven filter. I sew in a strong nose strip and replace that when needed They get washed after every intensive use (supermarket trip) though if I just popped into the local small shop for a minute, then I reuse. But I've come to realise that they're simply not as effective as the FFP2 masks I originally started buying for a flight to see family in summer. The fit round my face is great and we know they're just better at filtering more out. So my family now use these for anything high intensity (school bus, lecturing, supermarket, baby group etc) and my fabric masks come out less and less. I miss them but they've served their purpose.

(We reuse the FFP2 masks for a bit - they get quarantined for a day or two then rotated.)

(When I say fabric masks I mean properly made ones, not bits of cloth over faces btw)

What is the difference?

I mean masks which have been produced by a clothing manufacturer, or made properly by someone - not a scarf or other piece of material draped across the mouth. Many of the manufactured ones here have the piece of wire in the top.

Fabric ones are disgustingly unhygienic.

How are they any more "disgustingly unhygienic" than any other mask?

I wear fabric masks most of the time

I wear paper ones to work, anywhere where its difficult to wash stuff (on holiday), and whenever I’m going to be somewhere for a long time…theatre etc

beacuse they give out the surgical ones at places they are stricter on it like the chemist i thin end up keeping it in my pocket for if i go to another masky place

When DH went to A&E he was wearing one of the blue masks but he had to change it for an identical one that they gave him. That seemed like a waste to me.

Yeah, mine is worn purely for show and not through any actual desire. Risk is minimal, imo, and since the law has changed I've not worn one in any supermarket etc as I'm not required to. Work still requires it (actually, they only started enforcing the mask wearing AFTER everywhere else stopped, causing no amount of grief from service users) so I wear it then. The mask is worn only when I'm in the office and is then taken off and shoved in bag or pocket. It is then pulled out when I next go to the office. Disposable isnt really disposable - I only wear it cos I have to and I certainly don't police changing it every hour or some such shite

I know someone who works for an independent cotton mark company, they are double layered with pockets for filters. They are worn and stay on the face until home and are washed. They give disposable masks at medical facilities and some other places to ensure the mask on your face has not been contaminated.

*mask, not mark, sorry!

The fabric ones are less effective. Here in France they are not allowed. Ie if you go in a shop or setting where mask is obligatory, only ffp2 or the surgical (blue & white style) are permitted. No DIY or fabric masks. It’s because of the filtration quality- fabric masks have very little effect & harbour bacteria. Xo

I tried with (well made) fabric ones for several months but I could never get a good enough seal for my glasses and fogged up glasses are just plain dangerous on escalators and stairs. I slipped down the stairs at work one day. The washing, drying, putting new liners in and replacing the nose wires was some work too. Basically when it became clear it was going to be a thing for years (I'm a teacher and commute on public transport) I decided the disposable ones were best as you can keep a box at home and work.

Yeah, we do use disposable most of the time. Tbh I have only been off our property about 5 or 6 times since pandamic began.

@Hannahthepink

Because most of the people I still see wearing them are older people that don't give a damn about throwing them (along with their disposable gloves) straight in the bin after every trip to the supermarket. They've never worn fabric ones and were prepared to buy them at extortionate prices at the beginning of all this to ensure that they were doing mask wearing 'correctly'.

Like others have said, if you bought me any mask, even a nice one, it would go to a charity shop, I'm never putting one on again, and I don't want to be reminded of them on Christmas Day especially.

Never putting one on again, haha you’re cute :).

You know practically nobody is doing that, don't you @BlowBadness? Boiling fabric masks, removing disposables by loops and immediately discarding?

Most people bung fabric masks in the wash with everything else, and reuse disposables repeatedly. And if they are in England, might be not bothering with masks at all.

This is not what is "driving the pandemic".

I get mine free from work so that's why I wear them...I have never bought a fabric one.

This is not what is "driving the pandemic"

What is, in your opinion?

Don't ask me, I'm not a scientist.

But it's not just one thing, is it? You can't argue that the fact that people aren't boiling their cotton masks is the cause.

It's a myriad of reasons - asymptomatic transmission, people not isolating when they should, not understanding symptoms, gatherings in pubs/nightclubs, schools, people who have refused to be vaccinated just for starters.

But mainly, because covid is a virus doing what viruses do.