Face masks

So very easy to make your own and effective, especially if you've made an antiseptic/anti-bacterial soak-and-dry solution prior to folding up.

Anti-bacterial hand and surface sprays/washes (not effective against a virus of course but extra hygiene never comes amiss) are also easy to knock up and apply.

Keep Calm and Just Don't Breathe In

The hospital type masks are no good unless they're changed regularly as the moisture from your breath dampens the mask, which germs love and thrive in the damp so adhere to it and create more problems if you leave a damp mask on. You'd need dozens of them.

Well, I suppose that makes sense now you mention it kittylester!

I think the N95 respirators are the ones to wear regarding nose and mouth coverage but they make it harder to breathe and need to fit properly.
State of the art masks seem to be the ones which have a salt layer.
Here's a paper about those for anyone interested:
www.nature.com/articles/srep39956

And here's a link to lots of Covid-19 articles in the same journal (they have made these all open access for now):
www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/campaigns/coronavirus

The man that developed 'fart pants' is working on a mask.

They do work to some extent rosecarmel but they have to be changed frequently and health care workers do that during the course of the day. But I agree with you, it would seem obvious that developmental work on face masks would be a boon; especially now.

I do apologize for my ignorance, sincerely- But it still doesn't make sense to me how masks work for healthcare workers but not the average person-

Also, why hasn't one been developed that will work? We've landed on the damn moon! And yet ..

I went into Boots to buy a face mask yesterday. It took me a while to get across to the assistant that I meant one of those sachets of a thick creamy substance to smear all over my face to make me beautiful.

Although maybe the other kind would have achieve the desired effect more successfully!

Oh dear !!! No

In view of GrannyLaine's post, maybe we'll be wearing them with swimming goggles, but yes, I imagine pretty pointless, which is what my husband told me. He doesn't know yet, I've put them on his credit card, but he'll find out sooner or later!

I bought a couple from Amazon pending a flight later this month, it said on the blurb suitable for Coronavirus, but I imagine that is bullshit not quite accurate, but my inner scaremonger told me to do it

Part of the problem is that they are uncomfortable to wear, so one needs to adjust them frequently which will transfer anything which has landed on them to the hands..... which then transfer any virus until hands are washes. The virus can also gain entry through the eyes so masks are really pretty pointless.

Weve got some - what am I bid?

When speaking to DDs friend who is a dental assistant she says they have a new mask for every client and can go through 12 a day easily each,they have 6 x surgeries all busy every day so must go through quite a lot of masks.
The company who supplies them have increased the price dramatically over the past 2 weeks quoting supply and demand as the reason

Face masks are supposed to be changed frequently in order to provide protection to both the wearer and to other people. Healthcare workers are faced with hundreds of people with various infections every day and they provide some protection against that. But it would appear that wearing a face mask, to specifically prevent catching Coronavirus, just won't work. They're only effective if you actually have the virus and, if that's the case, you shouldn't be out and about anyway.

rosecarmel there's are so many different sort of masks. Companies are starting to stockpile, we supply masks from basic dust masks for builders through to high spec respirators for asbestos removal companies and Haz/Chem protection.

The cheap flimsy ones become ineffective the moment they are moist, which can be as little as 30 minutes.