Will you be wearing a mask?

BlueSky ...free of charge in Italy....? Not true.
Some of the wealthier local councils have supplied two masks per family unit. The Venice Region has supplied free masks but it seems they are totally useful as they are porous.
My (broke) council has not supplied us anything.
We have ordered surgical masks via Amazon but these will not reach us until the second half of May.

Definitely yes! I bought some on line prior to the lockdown when I still thought we would be flying off to Seville. I always wear one when I do my weekly food shop and will continue to do so. I think they will become mandatory anyway. They are not particularly pleasant to wear and am always glad to pull it off when I am comfortably away from anyone else and out in the open air.

Well if you weren’t allowed into a shop or on public transport without one people would wear them. The ones that have bbqs on the beach would ignore it.

I wonder if it did! come into force, how all the "lockdown breakers" would go on.

All the ones that have flouted the recomendations both young and old. Can you imagine these people being made! to wear a mask when they go out.

You can’t go out in the countries that have eased lockdown without a mask. That tells you something. I think the authorities here are saying no to masks because they don’t have enough and people will panic if they can’t get hold of them if we were told to wear one.

Yes it makes sense if it saves others from getting my bugs.

No if it means that any mask I buy if is taken away from front line staff, and at the moment I suspect that is the case.

Doesn’t look like the majority are of any value at all so I can’t see the point
No I won’t wear one unless it becomes a rule
No one in my area is wearing them I ve not seen one person in a mask

I don't know. The information is conflicting and if the hospitals cannot obtain them, where would we get them from? So many online scammers.

I had a dust mask and drew a red smile on it. Looked like the Joker. ?DH said I had it on upside down so put it on the right way so now look really sad . ?Put it in the bin

My friend is making us some, but I’m not sure that they’ll be very helpful. I agree with the poster who said we’re not being told to wear them because there aren’t even enough for the medics.

I cut up an old faux leather cushion cover and lined the masks with gauze and stapled elastic ear loops on the inside.

I'm sure they do help. My Chinese friend told me in Feb. 'Don't go out. ALWAYS wear a mask.' She's not caught the virus despite living there through it.

I ordered some online in Feb. The first batch that came are useless. But the 2nd batch are a bit better. They're fabric but you can put an NK95 filter in them. I got one for GS too. NOT that he'll keep it on.

We're not going out at all now though. So they'll be saved for after lockdown.

Australian

I have been sent a pattern for one recommended by an Austraoian senior nurse,
The material recommended if the correct fabric is not available, is Goretex lined with cotton for comfort.

An old waterproof mac?

I have got one of the masks that is listed as approved. It was about £10.50.

I only wear it when I go to see my Mum to take her shopping and laundry. It is hot and uncomfortable and I feel very sorry for the doctors and nurses who have to wear these all day.

A woman on a news programme yesterday - I think she was a professor - said that they may be useful but only if they are put on and taken off properly - otherwise they could do more harm than good. She also said that people tend to fiddle about with them, which is just what isn't needed.
She didn't seem to have the same faith in them as other people in the same field do.

When there are such differences of opinion, it is difficult to be convinced either way.

Surely it’s better than not wearing one. I agree MOnica , I would be more aware of not touching my face

I heard someone saying on the radio that cotton is no good in terms of stopping the virus going through, and that a very good alternative would be a couple of layers of vacuum-cleaner bags.

No, not unless we are told we have to.

There are many people wearing them around here so I wouldn't feel awkward if I used one.

I have a cycling one I used to wear with filters. It's somewhat difficult to breathe easily when using it, though.

I've felt no need so far, as I haven't been in a shop since February. It's so much safer to avoid shopping.

yes

I've got some on line earlier on, they are plain black cotton and I have worn them already when I've had to queue outside the chemist. I know we are told they don't help but I've always thought they say that as they haven't got enough to go round. If they became compulsory the government would have to supply them free of charge like they are doing in Italy. I'm planning to wear them when we are finally let out.

I have made myself some very pretty masks from flowered fabric in my stash. I have trimmed them with lace and ribbon.

When I shop I wear mask and gloves. I wear the mask to protect other shoppers from me! I sneeze a lot and those are contained within the mask. If I sneezed into my arm, next time I reached up for something from a high shelf, I would probably wipe the sleeve against the other shelves and their contents.

Contrary to GNW assertion, I actually touch my face a lot less when I am wearing the mask. The presence of the mask and gloves makes me very conscious about both if I am inclined to touch, so I stop. Having handmade masks means I do not have elestic loops that go round the ears, but two lengths of elastic that go right round my head and sit, one above my ear and one below, They hold the mask close to my face and do not need constant adjustment.

I have lots of people coming through my checkout wearing all manner of different masks..

The trouble is when they are talking "they" know what they are saying..but.... I don't. all it is. is a muffled voice.

I chap kept asking me for something I hadn't a clue..I had to ask him three times...in the end he had to point to the Big bags we have.

Strange thing is , when the ladies come through with the burkas/veils on I can hear them quite clearly.

The masks that look like they are some kind of building masks with vent holes in, then I just don't stand a chance hearing them.

Here in Italy we must cover our nose and mouth to enter a shop and also wear disposable gloves.

The test to tell if a mask (even a homemade one) is effective is to try to blow out a candle when wearing one. If you succeed then the mask is no good, Simple.

I have some because I wear them at work occasionally if I feel I may have a cold coming on.
I think they are more for the protection of others. If I thought that I was likely to sneeze or cough over anyone I wouldn’t go out.
I may wear one but I haven’t been out , apart from the daily walk, so I know I’m not CV positive therefore absolutely no one would be any safer if I put one on.