Face masks from the chemist

neilmcl

gettingtheresometime said:

Have you got a buff - wouldn't that do the job as well- some would say better as it can be washed?

If someone coughs or sneezes on you then probably not, plus let's remember the virus can get in via all moist areas and that includes the eyes.

[Deleted User]

How to Significantly Slow Coronavirus? #Masks4All

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhNo_IOPOtU

bertdaniel00

neilmcl said:

SnowMan said:

Masks aren't on their own going to stop the virus spreading but they do seem to be extremely effective along with other lockdown measures, as China shows

China hasn't shown the effectiveness of face masks in the population at all. As I mentioned earlier, countries such as China routinely wear face masks but that didn't do a lot for the community spread of the virus there. What was effective was the severe lockdown conditions and mass testing, contact tracing and subsequent isolation.

I'm not going to say a mask has no little affect but this affect is minimal unless the whole population uses them, they're worn correctly including taking them off without further contamination and disposed of, and backed up with the much more beneficial method of good hand hygiene.

Cannot agree more!  If only a person wearing the mask is far more from enough, it need the whole country to do same thing in a same correct way. But this will be a huge price to accomplish that, I don't know how China achieve that. I think it may be enough for common people to stay at home, keep the social distance and wash hands frequently. And for the country level, the leaders should make more strict policies to let people stay at home for at least 1 month to reduce the pressure of the medicals and let the country to have more time to do tracing and testing. Hopefully the effective medicine could be produced soon, but in a fair price. I need to work, staying at home make me worried

SnowMan

neilmcl said:

SnowMan said:

Masks aren't on their own going to stop the virus spreading but they do seem to be extremely effective along with other lockdown measures, as China shows

China hasn't shown the effectiveness of face masks in the population at all. As I mentioned earlier, countries such as China routinely wear face masks but that didn't do a lot for the community spread of the virus there. What was effective was the severe lockdown conditions and mass testing, contact tracing and subsequent isolation.

I'm not going to say a mask has no little affect but this affect is minimal unless the whole population uses them, they're worn correctly including taking them off without further contamination and disposed of, and backed up with the much more beneficial method of good hand hygiene.

I agree my answer was badly worded in relation to China. You brought up China as evidence face masks don't work. Clearly face masks don't work on their own as the R0 is still well above 1, but that's all the China experience shows, and that is because the virus is relatively infectious. So it is completely possible that face masks kept the R0 down but to nowhere near one because other measures weren't happening alongside in the early days in China.

Places like Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and the Czech Republic where face masks are used and are being used alongside other measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, contact tracing, testing etc, seem to be having more success in slowing the spread of the virus than countries that aren't using face masks. That shows association not causation but it is still evidence.

You seem to be saying that the wearing of face masks is only as effective as the number of people wearing them. That is stating the obvious and isn't an argument against face masks.

You are also stating that the affect of wearing face masks is minimal unless correctly fitted etc. You are stating this as fact but where is your evidence to back this up? A well fitted mask will provide more protection than a badly fitted mask but pretty much any mask still provides a material affect in stopping spread as studies have shown.

Just_a_person

Struggling to believe there are people that still deny masks work.

Pollycat

Just_a_person said:

Struggling to believe there are people that still deny masks work.

WHO are rethinking their previous stance:

Official advice on whether people should wear masks in public could be changed after new evidence emerged suggesting they could protect people from coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has consistently said that only those who have symptoms or are caring for someone with COVID-19 should wear masks.

But a new study and evidence from Hong Kong indicates masks may have a protective benefit for the public and a panel of WHO experts is due to assess the evidence today with a view to potentially changing their guidance.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-masks-advice-could-change-after-new-evidence-emerges-11967357

neilmcl

Just_a_person said:

Struggling to believe there are people that still deny masks work.

On their own their benefit is negligible unless the whole of the population is wearing them and for the reasons explained the added risks will possibly outweigh any benefit, despite what may be being looked at by the WHO and others.

I know someone who purchased loads of FFP3 masks after the last big Flu epidemic and has been wearing them since this all began and has been telling anyone who would listen about how we should wear masks, and guess what, he's currently in recovery from contracting the virus. 

neilmcl

SnowMan said:

neilmcl said:

SnowMan said:

Masks aren't on their own going to stop the virus spreading but they do seem to be extremely effective along with other lockdown measures, as China shows

China hasn't shown the effectiveness of face masks in the population at all. As I mentioned earlier, countries such as China routinely wear face masks but that didn't do a lot for the community spread of the virus there. What was effective was the severe lockdown conditions and mass testing, contact tracing and subsequent isolation.

I'm not going to say a mask has no little affect but this affect is minimal unless the whole population uses them, they're worn correctly including taking them off without further contamination and disposed of, and backed up with the much more beneficial method of good hand hygiene.

You are also stating that the affect of wearing face masks is minimal unless correctly fitted etc. You are stating this as fact but where is your evidence to back this up? A well fitted mask will provide more protection than a badly fitted mask but pretty much any mask still provides a material affect in stopping spread as studies have shown.

It is fact, ask any NHS frontline medical professional. Ask them why they have be trained on how to correctly use PPE and als ask them how many of their colleagues are going down with the virus for not wearing the correct type of masks. I don't deny that any type of barrier will limit the spread of virus from an infected person but an ill fitted, generic surgical mask does very little to prevent someone from getting the virus into their system. Every time I go to the supermarket I can safely say that about 90% of people wearing masks aren't doing so correctly and probably their actions and false sense of security is creating a greater risk to them than not wearing one at all.

Sure, if the government came out and said from now on we all have to wear some sort of mask when leaving the house or the supermarkets prevented anyone from shopping without them then there would be a difference seen but this isn't going to happen now. I personally think this current conjecture is confusing and possibly harmful as it takes away from the very good advice we've been getting so far to stay at home, social distance and the most important one of washing our hands.

KxMx

I'll be wearing a mask when I visit Asda next week, my first trip to a shop since 20th March.

I'm aware of the pros and cons, I will also have two pairs of gloves with me and hand sanitizer.

I'll be cleaning my hands at every opportunity and again with soap and water when I get home. Then take a spray cleaner to anything I've touched at home. 

Any barrier to stop virus getting in is better than none, it's also better to stop any virus I may have getting out. 

I have a few surgical masks left over from when I had a cat (PTS last Easter, used the masks when changing litter).  So I know just how much they have gone up!! You could get 25 for a couple of quid easily. 

I've also ordered a washable fabric mask with filters for the few occasions when I'm out, been lucky with food deliveries so far. 

InA

Here's a guide on how to make your own face mask:

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/6860-printable-face-mask-tutorial/ded6e67bb78f2599a7ff/optimized/full.pdf#page=1