Face Masks in shops

Am in complete sympathy Marydoll.
We are not being asked to sacrifice our firstborn, just wear a b****y face covering, to help keep others and ourselves safer.

Sorry for the rant and going off piste! I guess I am angry!

I'm not angry, Lucca just full of despair! If everyone had the attitude of masks being totally useless, we shielders will never be able to go out.
Yes I am being selfish!

I did everything I was asked to do, so as not to put a burden on the NHS, which I certainly would have done, if I caught it. Unless you have been shielding, you have no conception of what it is like. It is not the same as self isolating or being in Lockdown. It's the implication of why you have to shield and the extremely high risk of dying, the implications of being advised to discuss with loved ones whether you wish to be resuciated or not, the postponement of urgent treatment etc, etc...

We should all be pulling together and showing a bit of humanity.
If everyone does their bit, we might actually get back eventually to some semblance of normality.

Two wolves. I presume you have evidence that wearing masks is either of no benefit or positively harmful ??
No ? So it might help? So why not just wear it and stop making such a fuss. Surely this is what “we’re all in this together actually means”.
I’m sure you don’t care but your posts have made me really angry.

Why do you think that the countries where mask wearing is normal have done so well in controlling the virus if "they are totyally useless" TW?

TwoWolves I'm happy to change my opinion on the efficacy of face masks if you can provide me with scientific evidence that they are totally useless.

A recent paper in the Lancet discussed this.
It was found that no single strategy was effective it on its own.
The conclusion was that a combination of factors helped prevent the spread of Covid19, i.e social distancing of 2m or more, frequent handwashing and the use of suitable face masks.

As scientists and doctors learn more about Covid, our knowledge is changing daily, however until someone provides evidence to the contrary, I shall follow the guidelines and try to keep myself as safe as I can.

It's a bit of a wake up call to be told you will probably die if you contract Covid and I still have a lot of living to do!.

I added a mask to an order from Iceland. It was £2. I haven't tried it yet because I haven't been anywhere but I have it in case.
People aren't wearing them in the street here but are keeping away from each other. The streets aren't very busy so it is not difficult to do that.

rowanflower0 no need to give up on your local high st shops because of misty glasses. Plenty of tips available to remedy that problem.

Mask as high as possible up to the bridge of your nose and wear your specs a bit lower down the nose on top of mask works perfectly for me. Or as others have suggested, fold a tissue into a narrow strip and wear it across the nose and cheeks under the mask. This absorbs any moisture.

Have a little practice in the house. Then get out and support local businesses while we still have them

Have only had to wear one once - when I went for a haircut, burt was having to remove glasses to clean them every 20 seconds, as they kept misting up - will not encourage me to shop at all, if I can avoid it - shops can vanish from the high streets - will mean nothing to me/

No, Marydoll, you misunderstand me. I don't think facemasks are of any use for myself or anybody else I come into contact with. It's nothing to do with "so long as I'm ok, that's all that matters". It's to do with the fact that they are useless and I resent being told to wear something useless. Obviously, I'm going to have to because I need food but I strongly dispute that the masks will protect anybody.

Jane10 Agreed but, when you pull the scarf back down, you are contaminating your hands and then wearing the contaminant until the scarf is removed. Far better, I think, to carry a couple of clean masks in your bag and something to put them in until they go into the washing machine.

“ A face mask may give the wearer more protection from the coronavirus than previously thought, according to a new study commissioned by the World Health Organization.

The updated study alters health experts’ previously held beliefs that a mask helped protect others from the virus more than the person wearing the mask.”

Actually there is a growing body of evidence that face masks/coverings may well offer the wearer some degree of protection.

It has been said that the face masks are not for the wearer's protection, but for others, especially those who are vulnerable.
You could be asymptomatic TwoWolvesand unknowingly infect someone.
I suppose as long as you are ok, that's all that matters. ?

Why do you find my post insensitve and offensive Marydoll? Was it because I've pointed out why I think it's pointless to wear facemasks? The reasons I gave for thinking them pointless are legitimate and reasonable.

Or was it because my mask contains the word F***? I'm not usually a swear-word-on-clothes wearing person, so I might blank out the F word leaving 'This is Pointless'. Less offensive, do you think?

And Grannynannywanny if I arrived on a ward expecting care and a nurse was wearing a mask like mine, I'd agree with her, I really would.

Anything's better than nothing I'd have thought.

Some funny chap/chapette has posted this clip of Trump and set it to the Star Wars music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhv0AdRZNzw

Actually the fact Trump is actually wearing one is quite outstanding. I recall his speech when he was saying Presidents, Queens, Dictators would never wear them

Tweedle- er yes of course. Scarves can be washed just the same as fabric masks.

Eriel Sadly it is not the person not wearing a mask who will need the respirator but, the person they breathe on.

I don’t like the sound of people relying on scarves as face coverings. Using a mask properly involves washing hands or using gel before putting mask on, avoiding touching the front of the mask, putting mask into a paper or plastic bag when removing it and cleaning hands again. Can all those things be done with a scarf?

MawB thanks for the information re visors, as I suspected. When this all started we were told masks didn't work, and were not needed by us, the general public, which many then accepted. Almost certainly this was because the Government wanted all medical grade masks to be left for NHS and other care workers.

Now they have done an about turn, no wonder people are confused and doubtful.

I think if EVERYONE in shops, staff and customers had to wear one, this would be best. Why customers and not staff is madness.

I don't like them but accept it may help reduce the spread. It's a bit like the seat belt situation. Only when it was law did most people comply.

The wearing of masks has been mandatory in Scotland for the past two weeks. Yesterday in Lidl not only were shoppers wearing masks but all the Staff were too.

Two wolves cannot believe that you think such a mask is acceptable. Seems to me that science is telling us that it protects others not the wearer....fair enough, it would selfish not to wear one.

If my nurse and doctor can wear incredibly uncomfortable masks for 12 hour shifts in order to save my life, I hope I can put up with wearing a simple mask for 20 minutes whilst out shopping.

Arguing about the why/when/who etc is pointless. Masks will help protect the vulnerable. That is something I wish to do and I would hope everyone else does also.

TwoWolves my daughter is a
nurse. I’m wondering how you’d feel if you arrived in her ward expecting care and found her to be wearing a mask like yours?

Is it really too much to ask for us to wear a mask if there’s a chance it will offer protection to others?

Vulnerable people have been shielding for months and are about to take their first tentative steps out and about. Is it not daunting enough for them without having to worry about mingling with folk who are hacked off at having to wear a mask?

Please read the last line from government advise

When will face masks be compulsory in shops?
The policy comes into play on July 24, although ministers made the announcement today in order to give 'people time to prepare', according to the Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Mr Hancock said: "The death rate of sales and retail assistants is 75% higher amongst men and 60% higher amongst women than in the general population."

He added: "There is also evidence that face coverings increase confidence in people to shop."

Staff themselves will not have to wear a mask

and tell me if this makes sense How on earth can we Police people coming into the shop if we are not wearing masks

Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon asked people to support those of us who are shielding by wearing a mask, to allow us to get out after 18 weeks of incarceration.

I find your comments offensive and insensitive TwoWolves.

The reason masks weren't introduce months ago is because Boris is absolutely useless!
I'm not a great fan of the SNP, but Nicola S is doing a far better job than that dithering fool.