Face Coverings Compulsory

Regarding glasses steaming up I think the important thing is to have the mouth covered in case of coughing or sneezing. Breathing through the nose is safer as anything breathed out does not come from as far down in the lungs and it might might be safer breathing in through the nose as well. We use those nasal sprays when we go out. These, by the way, are just my daft ideas picked up from bits and bobs that I’ve read.

I’ve been wearing masks from the start - three-ply ones. You do get used to them.

We had two each delivered to our letterbox and can also get them cheap in the pharmacie. I have been making them and use pretty cotton prints plus old cotton pillow cases for the lining. I put a pocket on the back to give an extra layer and sew across the top to take a nose wire. You have to perservere a bit with glasses, but you do get used to it. I add an extra inch for masks for DH so he can fit his beard in.
We get loads of public information stuff about how to wear them and clean them.
They have become a bit of a fashion item here and I quite enjoy matching mask to outfit. ? The President has a dark blue one with a tricolor ribbon. ??

Jane10 I found with a bit of practice I could overcome the steamed up glasses by wearing them further down my nose while shopping . Have a try in the house where you’ll feel less under pressure

I’m not sure how they could have been compulsory from the beginning, when it was virtually impossible for a while to find any - they were even more elusive than hand sanitiser and loo rolls - at least anywhere around here.

Dh ordered some online at the beginning of lockdown - it was several weeks before they arrived.

I tried it this morning but gave up. Glasses steamed up despite tweaking the wire and I found myself claustrophobic and hyperventilating. I didn't feel bad taking it off though as I was the only person wearing or trying to wear a mask.

The masks I bought do have wire in them so we made sure we had them on correctly. I think it's just that it feels so alien to have your face covered up. I might try my home made ones next time I venture out which I lined part of a Henry Hoover hepa bag and also put wire in.

I didn't know the purpose of the wire and wasn't quite sure it was the top! I'll give it a try next time I go into a shop.

If it's any help in deciding, the ones issued to me for work are the nose wire ones.

The ones from Pinkfudge have a nose-wire. Ideal for spec-wearers.

I suppose if you have one without a wire you could tuck the top under your specs to hold it down onto your face.

If you wear a shaped mask with a nose wire to mould around your nose your glasses won’t steam up.

I've made a few masks from cotton fabric or old tee shirts but so far haven't worn them then I found a pack of paper ones in BM Stores the other day so bought them.

Today we went to the supermarket (not our usual one) and as we've been advised to wear masks husband and I put them on. His glasses immediately started to fog up so he was constantly taking them off then putting them on if he needed to read something. I wear contacts and found that the mask was getting too close to my eyes so had to keep moving it down. We were both feeling extremely irritable by the time we got round the store not helped by people not socially distancing, standing around in the aisles so no one could pass, no one else wearing masks and the queuing system for a till very badly organised. The checkout operator was not terribly polite either telling us to stay behind the lines at either end so I couldn't reach the belt and then making us turn the trolley round. Both my DIL and GD work for the same company (different town) and say how rude some customers are - today I could see it from the other side. We won't be going there again (and I possibly will not be taking him with me again ) As for the masks I will try my handmade ones next time!

I think that came from the WHO.

^From 15 June, hospital visitors and outpatients must wear face coverings and staff must use surgical masks.
The Department of Health says masks can be provided by the hospital if needed^.
A spokeswoman said that, while the public were "strongly urged" to wear a face covering while inside hospitals, no-one would be denied care

Where has anybody said all over-60’s need to wear surgical quality face masks?.

LaRia44: I even avoid my front garden because if I go there my neighbours come up to me and start up conversations.

Should have previewed my post, typos,

I went to buy a plant pot on Thursday, I was wearing a mask, the shop was quiet. On my way to the till an acquaintance came right up to me, I backed away, she advanced and started to suggest coffee. I said it will be a long time before anything like that would happened. I managed to excuse my self on the ground that the plant pot was heavy.
I joined the queue and next thing she was behind me. I felt so rude to keep my back to her but I did.
Why do people thing the virus has gone.

It was on the BBC news site I read the report earlier. I began to doubt myself and went back for another look.

Unless I’m wrongly interpreting it the Guardian and BBC are saying 2 different things.

This is the BBC quote ..
Over 60s with underlying health conditions should go further, the WHO said, and wear medical-grade masks to give themselves better protection.

But we don't have to wait, Purplepixie We can do it right now - if we have the masks to wear. From the 15th it will be the law, but until then there is no law to say that we can't wear them. It takes a while for the law to go through the red tape to confirm it, and we have that time to get or make masks if we don't have them already - or to look out suitable scarves to wrap round our noses and mouths.

Of course, if it is not enforced then it is a waste of breath the Prime Minister telling us we must wear face coverings. Those who can't be arsed will find some reason not to.

I agree it’s not clear at all

Furret thanks for that. I’m getting confused( it doesn’t take much). I did read the WHO statement earlier. But I must have skimmed over it as I thought it was referring to just the over 60’s who had underlying conditions. So it’s all over 60’s who are advised to wear a medical grade mask outdoors?

After being advised for months not to try to source medical grade masks as they were only required by frontline staff we’ve now to wear them?

I wonder where we’ll be expected to source them and afford to pay for them if we can. From what I’ve seen the N95 masks sell for around £5 each and advice is to dispose of it at the end of each each

From today’s Guardian

“People over 60 or with health issues should wear a medical-grade mask when they are out and cannot socially distance, according to new guidance from the World Health Organization, while all others should wear a three-layer fabric mask.

The announcement on Friday marks a significant change of stance by the WHO, which until now has been reluctant to advocate the wearing of masks by the public because of limited evidence that they offer protection.

The health body’s new guidance document says the over-60s and people with underlying health conditions should wear medical masks in “settings where physical distancing cannot be achieved” because of “increased risk of infection and/or negative outcomes”.

All others should wear a three-layer fabric mask: absorbent cotton closest to the face, followed by a polypropylene layer and then a synthetic layer that is fluid-resistant, the WHO said. It envisages that these masks can be made at home, but that small companies may begin to produce them, also providing jobs.“

They should have said to wear them straight away but that people wouldn’t be fined for the next two weeks to give people time to acquire them. Then again they could just send them out to people or hand them out in shops and bus depots the way they do in other countries. But that isn’t the way this government operates. If they did that they wouldn’t be able to blame us when the R rate goes above 1.

I clear the cookies from my devices from time to time. Its quite easy to do.

Why do we have to wait until the 15th and why not right NOW? I do not understand this bloody government. They couldn’t run a P up in a brewery!