Covid protection

Surgical grade masks do protect you from the virus and they were the ones in short supply. But non surgical ones help prevent the spread of the virus and, to a small extent protect the wearer also. There was a lot of misinformation early on about the virus not being airborne which is why we were advised to just wash our hands.

You could have seen my daughter wearing a mask when she came to pick myself and my husband up for husband’s hospital appointment. She works in school, has a husband who is a key worker and is totally freaked out at the thought of passing anything to me and my husband as husband has many serious health issues !
Let’s all continue being kind, no-one knows what goes on in other people’s lives!

Our church has reopened for private prayer and provides reusable visors and single use masks for volunteer helpers/ Covid cleaners and for people who don't have their own.

Face coverings must be worn in church, including for children of 5 and over.

Everyone complies because we want to be there.

I think the visors were bought from Flatshield UK, they cost about £2 each and can be washed in warm soapy water.

If, as Franbern says, the virus is not airborne, why is singing in choirs, at weddings, funerals etc not allowed?

I guess it's the interpretation of what airborne means. If it isn't airborne in some way why do medical staff/care workers need to wear masks to protect themselves? imo it's the 'it's not airborne' concept that has resulted in the high infection rate in this country. And also gives people a good excuse not to wear a mask. Because a lot of people seem quite desperate to find a reason not to wear one.

I tried to put a sweet in my mouth yesterday while wearing a mask!!!

I think there’s confusion about airborne and droplet-borne. I’ve looked at some articles and I’m still not sure. Airborne seems to be connected with aerosol spray distribution such as happens when CV patients are intubated. But then what about sneezing? Isn’t that a spray?

As a Reablement worker, who regularly sees service users sent home from hospital, I have been working all through the lockdown. I wear a face mask, medical grade, gloves and apron. when we have to visit people who have tested positive, we have plastic eye goggles to wear if we have to help with close personal care. So far I am fine, I have been tested twice due to having a cough, both times's negative. I shower when I get home from work, I don't use my work shoes for any thing else and take them off and bag them before entering my home. I take my uniform off by the front door inside out and it goes straight into the washing machine and I shower.My husband gets hayfever, and when he sneezes the droplets can reach 12 foot. (I constantly nag him to sneeze into his elbow...)
I have made cloth masks for personal use, with an opening that I can slot an extra filter in if I feel the situation needs it. Costco are selling the face shields/visors, I don't feel the urge to wear one, but they would offer more protection from someone sneezing.

I think if this pandemic continues long term, face masks should be compulsory, but that needs to go hand in hand with strict hygiene. The government can inforce the wearing masks, but they cannot enforce the hygiene issue. That is the problem.

By Airborne, I meant that this virus does not linger in the air. This is why chances of it being passed on outdoors is so much lower than indoors. Which is also the reason that the BLM demos, the people on the beach, etc. did not bring about the new spike that so many people seemed to forecast ( and - I have to say - that some people even appeared disappointed did not occur).

Yes, a cough or sneeze does send droplets a distance away from the perpetrator, sprays it out, then it falls down.

Not airborne, means that as far as weather permits, windows should be opened to allow fresh air to circulate indoors.

Just a thought- if soap and water kills the virus on our hands why do people wipe down surfaces with anti bacterial wipes sprays etc ? I have always used soap and water to clean my kitchen work tops. I think it's such an easy sensible thing to wear a mask- surely we should do anything we can possibly do to eradicate this dreadful virus?

I read that the virus can stay in the air for up to three hours in a building without good ventilation.

I have seen adverts for neckwear to be pulled up over face and mouth when going into crowded areas. Surely, this goes against all the reasons for wearing a mask? One should wash hands or use hand sanitiser before putting mask on and then carefully remove mask, without touching the front of it, and put into a bag ready for laundering. How can any of this happen using a scarf?

I assume you'd wash a visor in hot soapy water, and it'd prevent you touching your face.

I wear a mask when I go into shops. I find them a bit claustrophobic and my glasses steam up! I always seem to get an itchy nose too! I wear it to protect myself and others and feel happier wearing one. I no longer wear gloves though, just use hand sanitiser and wipes. Hats off to all those who have to wear them for hours on end.

I get so many vile comments when I mention mask wearing on Facebook. As ever, when we took the dog for a walk yesterday, we were the ones that moved away from other people. Rarely do people acknowledge us or say that you. One was a small’ish group of young teenagers who had no intention of social distancing themselves from us. Feel
like a leper sometimes. Albeit being the ones most unlikely to be pre or asymptomatic.