Will you be wearing a mask?

Sorry I'm doing something I don't usually do and that's commenting without having read the whole thread, so this may have already been said. The point of wearing home made masks is not to protect yourself but to protect others. Any face covering will slow down your expired breath so if you are infected with the virus but don't yet know it, you won't be at such a high risk of infecting others. If everyone is wearing a mask then every infected person is wearing a mask, and it's important to remember you can infect others before any symptoms show, and some never develop symptoms. Countries like Czechia brought in compulsory mask wearing outside the home and cut their transmission rate enormously. It's such a small thing to do and if it reduces transmission by any amount it must be worth it. I wear a mask to protect you, you wear a mask to protect me. Win, win.

Iv`e been wearing one since i first heard about covid,just for peace of mind really.
If it works great, if it doesn`t fine.

Teacheranne I thought I had a brainwave last week and ordered a stretchy neck cowl online. I agree it’s a comfy fit and easy to wash and dry.

But changed my mind on it once I thought it through. If unfortunate enough for it to be contaminated by Coronavirus the only way to remove it is to pull it up over the face and eyes which would increase the risk of contracting the virus.

Back to the drawing board for me!

I've been trying different mask patterns to see which style I prefer. There seem to be two main types of sewn ones, pleated or shaped. The pleated ones don't seem to fit my face very well, they come too close to my eyes which made my specs hard to wear. I think it's that they have a straight edge right across the nose - or my nose is too big!

I prefer the shaped type, with two joined pieces which end on a rounded point over the nose. I've now found a simple pattern which also has a filter pocket which I like.

I am struggling a bit with the ties, I've tried different widths of elastic, elastic bands and tape. I'm still not sure which is the best method for me, my ears must be a bit small as elasticated ties seem to slip off!

I'm using dried wet wipes as filters, they are non woven so allegedly work well.

But the best covering I have is a ski neck cowl made of very thin stretchy fabric which I can pull up over my mouth and nose. It doesn't get too hot and when I did the candle test, I could not blow the candle out through it. It's very nightly coloured and looks very cheerful.

The Scottish govt said last week it was now advisory to wear a face covering in enclosed spaces such as food shops.
They admitted there was limited evidence of any benefits but that it may be worthwhile.

However they did emphasise they should be cloth homemade masks and not hospital ones.

“By face coverings we do not mean the wearing of a surgical or other medical grade mask but a facial covering of the mouth and nose, that is made of cloth or other textiles and through which you can breathe, for example a scarf”

I have worn a mask from the start of lockdown. We already had some fortunately- for the dusty jobs at home. I also wear gloves. I only go out once a week to shop for myself and two elderly relatives. I have to be ultra careful as my husband is having to shield, fortunately we live near a small market town and so do not encounter large numbers of people. I will continue to wear masks and gloves for some time yet. I also clean the shopping trolley every time even though the store does it to.

If you are buying /making masks, do make sure they dont contain harmful materials in them.I was intending making my own with nice material and Heppa Vacum bag filters (quite expensive) but have found out the Heppa vacum bags contain micro amounts of "fibreglass" particles , so have had to scrap that idea. Don't want be breathing that in!

I would wear one if advised to. Presumably we would be told how to get one or whether a home made out of certain material would do.

I read this morning a shop security guard in Michigan stopped a woman entering the shop as she wasn’t wearing a mask.

Not content at just spitting on the poor man for doing his job, she returned later with her husband and son who shot him dead.

I was given one when I went to the Surgery car park for my regular blood test. I was told to bring it with me next time and I just had to put it in the sun for an hour and it would be sterilised.?????

And obviously on public transport but not sure how they could be enforced on buses with only the poor driver to cope with irate passengers!

I wore one when I went to the shop yesterday. Aside from my glasses steaming up it was fine and it went straight into the wash with the rest of my clothes when I got home.
Given that a woman in front of me in the queue kept coughing and didn’t do anything to stop the spread of her germs ? I would like them to be compulsory for everyone.

I think any mask would help a little even home made ones. Better some barrier between us and others than none at all. I agree if people refuse to wear them in shops and public buildings even when they are supplied, then they shouldn't be allowed in.

I suppose I should use this opportunity to make a fortune because I have about a dozen hospital grade disposable masks.

I was given a big box of them a couple of months ago, gave most of them away and kept some for myself. As I haven't actually left the house for weeks, I haven't used any of them.

If I can't get another Tesco delivery within the next couple of weeks, I will have to go shopping (provided my car battery isn't dead). I'll wear one of my masks and then throw it away after use. I doubt if I'll be in the shop for more than 20 minutes, although I've seen pictures of the queues, so might have to wear it for a bit longer.

Sally the masks used by hospital staff, apart from being scarce, are disposable and intended for single use. So any of the public using them would need a fresh one every time they leave the house.
That’s why we’re being encouraged to use washable cloth masks.
There is still a supply problem getting them to staff who provide hands on care to covid patients. We don’t need that grade of mask out and about.

I would hate it and am doubtful that they work. What we really need is reliable testing which shows immunity. If immune a person could then be given some sort of proof of this, like a wrist band to show. If NHS England advises mask wearing I suppose I would have to, but only a proven NHS one, which in any case are in short supply as we know.

I'm not entirely convinced of the efficacy of a mask but would wear one if it was compulsory.

I've made some for local homes/hospitals and would use the same pattern for myself. However I would have to make the elastic longer so that it would go round the back of my head. The normal ones with loops behind the ears are not compatible with my glasses and my hearing aids - there's not enough space behind my lugholes.

In a chemists last week the assistant wore a mask and with my hearing obviously not being A1 (the hearing aids are a great help but I still do some lip reading) I could barely make out what she was saying so I smiled in what I hoped were the right places and left pretty sharpish. In that case - utterly pointless. I took my custom elsewhere.

this our second day here in Portugal of slowly unlocking, where, masks are compulsory in public places and public transport. An auto cation occurred in our local supermarket. Two men refused to wear a mask inside the supermarket. The manager was called who offered the two men masks supplied by the supermarket, they refused and were then ejected.

Definitely taken seriously over here.

I have already bought some washable masks and disposable filters. There are thousands to choose from on Ebay.
I shall only wear them in shops, don't use public transport.

You might have to wear masks (and maybe gloves) in supermarkets and closed spaces otherwise you simply won't be allowed in.

IF it becomes compulsory (who would enforce that?), I would. Otherwise, no.

Yes, I bought some in mid February.

Interesting sodapop as you say it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

The only way to really feel they are worthwhile, to be sure that everyone is safe and not just those who can ensure they have the correct cover, is for the government to supply them though! Otherwise we'll have a rush like loo rolls all over again or people saying their homemade ones are correctly made when maybe they are not. I don't see why people have to be sarcastic in response to the person who said this. Supposed to be such lovely people out there but not again here it seems.

From 4th May apparently we will be able to buy a box of 50 masks for €30 from our local supermarket. They will not be on the shelves but we will be contacted to collect them (via loyalty cards ) I will be interested to see how this pans out.