No clue, but they seemed to have got it right so far and stemmed it. will have to wait and see. First easing of restriction starts tomorrow. No change regarding masks. Now after over a month of them, I dont understand peoples objection to them. Why are people rejecting them exactly?
I'm indifferent as to whether they offer me or others protection, but I reluctantly ordered one from https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/ a few days ago in anticipation of them becoming a future requirement.
Whether or when it even turns up delivered is a different matter.
My local chemist sells them for £1.50 or £50 for 50 medical grade which isn’t to bad. The pharmacist says the barrier could be essential between life and death.
The one’s wearing normal builder dust masks are wasting their time as they build up moisture levels and could be worse than not wearing one.'Could be' is the salient part of that sentence. I was at Tesco's last night and was vaguely miffed when a woman stood mid aisle having a mobile phone conversation. When she finished she put her mask back on.
They are actually more effective protecting other people from you than you from other people but some are using them as a fashion accessory and nullifying the benefits.
I've no idea if this is of any use to anyone, but the mask I ordered above has now been dispatched for delivery according to an email I received earlier - https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/hygiene-face-mask-ffp2-n95
As I said, I've only ordered this if wearing one becomes a requirement.
Just heard seen an item of the Pier Morgan programme (yes, I know). An Oxford professor (Greenhalgh) reported an experiment in the states wherein a 'mask' that was simply constructed of 2 layers of cotton had a significant (possibly 90%) effect on the expulsions from someone's mouth. Sorry for the layman's version but let's assume that for one minute that it's valid.
What could possibly be the arguments against this being rolled out as govt advice? The position at the moment seems to be that they are waiting for 'the science' So what they are worried abut is the behavioural aspects/'science'.
- if folk get this message they'll all run around thinking that they are invincible
- they'll stop washing their hands
- they'll start french kissing strangers?
These would be bad things.
But would the behavioural effects result in a net risk to public health? We simply don't know and we'll never find out. But surely it's a quick and dirty thing worth trying (let's admit that 'proper' masks would be ideal but that the government is rightly concerned there'll be insufficient stocks for key workers - I get this).
My view is that it would be a sensible thing to do IF folk were told that (as I believe is the case) this measure would not protect them as much as it protect other people. What more public-spirited thing could someone do than to wear a mask to (help) protect others? (OK there'd be some that would still think that it protects them and f*ck everyone else.)
The prof was of the view that definite proof that this would work could not be done unitl there was a randomised experiment (eg folk in Worthing are all these things, folk in Horsham don't and let's see the results). this isn't going to happen but she was of the firm opinion that it would be worth doing for its 'precautionary' benefits.
Meanwhile the govt dithers? What data are they waiting for, I (genuinley) wonder? My fear is that they are waiting to see if plan A fails and then they'd do this. In my view this is rather reckless. (Nobody says this is easy.)
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It just seems basic common sense that if the virus gets spread by coughing or sneezing then it's far safer to cough or sneeze into a mask than into the air. No data required shirley
'Could be' is the salient part of that sentence. I was at Tesco's last night and was vaguely miffed when a woman stood mid aisle having a mobile phone conversation. When she finished she put her mask back on.
They are actually more effective protecting other people from you than you from other people but some are using them as a fashion accessory and nullifying the benefits.
I've no idea if this is of any use to anyone, but the mask I ordered above has now been dispatched for delivery according to an email I received earlier - https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/hygiene-face-mask-ffp2-n95
As I said, I've only ordered this if wearing one becomes a requirement.
The last thing the Government will want is people ordering medical grade masks when we’ll clearly be better served with NHS staff or carers wearing what little stock of them there is. I can’t see them being recommended any time soon, especially when Mr Johnson makes his inevitable comments about what a Chinese person wearing one looks like.
You only need a simple cloth mask to reduce the chance of you infecting someone by over 70%.
Thing that gets understated about masks. Ok there is a doubt if 100% work but it can minimize the risk but very importantly , IT STOPS YOU TOUCHING YOUR FACE AND MOUTH which is how most infection is passed.
But unless you used to putting one on and using it, you end up touching the area around your face more adjusting the mask. It also doesn't protect your eyes.Thing that gets understated about masks. Ok there is a doubt if 100% work but it can minimize the risk but very importantly , IT STOPS YOU TOUCHING YOUR FACE AND MOUTH which is how most infection is passed.