Requirement to wear masks has returned !

[SpeedyDux]

I agree - home made cloth masks and pound shop tissue ones not much good either way. Masks of FPP2 standard or higher, properly fitted, should greatly reduce risk in both directions.

Agree 100%.

I wear a FFP2 mask when shopping etc. The blue surgical ones are really just dust and aerosol masks, though they are also good at catching pollen and preventing hayfever allergy when I mow the grass. The fabric ones that don't include filters are a token gesture.

 

[pappajohn]

Went to hospital a few days ago for an ultrasound scan.
Went in and fella said 'take your mask off if you want' he wasn't wearing one.
Ready to leave and went to shake his hand then said I better not, bugs etc.
He stuck his hand out so I shook it.
If he wasn't bothered as a health professional why should I bother.

 

[golly]

You do know masks are of minute value in protecting the wearer? They have only ever been aimed at helping prevent a carrier spread the illness.
I'm referring to the basic surgical type of course.

We still have some ffp3 masks, and use them when anywhere there are crowds, must get some more before they become in short supply again, small btles of hand gel is running low as well.

 

[Geistguy]

We are currently up in Skye. We have noticed a lot more locals / staff in shops etc. still wearing masks compared to mainland. The campsite where we are has a small reception but you can’t go in.

Infection rates in Scotland have gone from 1 in 45 to 1 in 18 in a very short time. It seems shop staff etc are being sensible.

 

[Wildbill]

We tend to whar one when shopping that's abut it
Bill

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[TDub49]

Went to hospital a few days ago for an ultrasound scan.
Went in and fella said 'take your mask off if you want' he wasn't wearing one.
Ready to leave and went to shake his hand then said I better not, bugs etc.
He stuck his hand out so I shook it.
If he wasn't bothered as a health professional why should I bother.

Because it's your health, not his?

 

[Coolcats]

We are in London for the weekend, went to see Adele in Hyde park yesterday and spent all day in the V and A. We've hardly seen anyone wearing masks (except chinese).

How do you know they were Chinese?......they could be of other Asian nations who often were a mask if they have a cold

 

[Coolcats]

I'm surprised at the amount of people who think wearing a 'face covering' will somehow protect them from Covid.

Of course it will go quite some way to stop infection with the correct mask and hand sanitisation. It is what the Science tells us as we do not absorb the virus through the skin.

Mind you I have a friend who thought he had an infection in his lower bowels due to dust entering his anus when he was doing sit ups whilst just wearing pants........and he suggested this was a probable cause for the infection to his Doctor, who I suspect collapsed with laughter after my mate left the surgery. The good news is the infection cleared up after some antibiotics which in case your wondering was taken orally

 

[MillyMoHo]

We stayed at Abbey Wood last week. Went on Crossrail and the Tube. Very few masks to be seen and we both now have Covid!

Sadly, it’s not gone away. Don’t know if it ever will. Unfortunately, because of health problems in the past, including catching an air borne virus 12 years ago, which has given me permanent liver damage and the requirement for daily medication, I shall continue to wear masks . A necessary evil.

 

[Gina M]

I had a delivery by a DPD driver when I had Covid and when I told him he just shrugged and said it was more common now than during the Pandemic and that nearly every drop he had that day, someone had Covid.

Gina

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[BikerGraham]

I agree - home made cloth masks and pound shop tissue ones not much good either way. Masks of FPP2 standard or higher, properly fitted, should greatly reduce risk in both directions.

As you say only if correctly fitted and very few are.
Also need to have a one without an exhale valve to protect others.
Then these become uncomfortable to wear after only a short period of being worn. Also discharged and replaced more often then people tend to do.

 

[The general]

Blimey Adele actually turned up

Yes crying

 

[iandsm]

You do know masks are of minute value in protecting the wearer? They have only ever been aimed at helping prevent a carrier spread the illness.
I'm referring to the basic surgical type of course.

So what wrong with preventing a carrier spreading it, And of course an FFP2 mask, easily available on Amazon etc offers decent protection to the wearer.

 

[EML]

You do know masks are of minute value in protecting the wearer? They have only ever been aimed at helping prevent a carrier spread the illness.
I'm referring to the basic surgical type of course.

There's a lot of evidence that shows that this is completely untrue.

One that I like is a study of an outbreak on a US aircraft carrier (the Theodore Roosevelt, see here), where sailors who reported wearing a non-specific "face covering" had an infection rate of 56%, vs 81% for the rest of the crew. Remember, these are people who are cooped up together on a ship for extended periods. This is variously reported as reducing the "odds" of catching Covid when wearing a face mask by 70% (the difference between "risk" and "odds" is complicated).

There's a good general (and readable) summary of a lot of studies here, including the Theodore Roosevelt one. I particularly like the hairdressers one:

An investigation of a high-exposure event in the U.S., in which 2 symptomatically ill hair stylists interacted for an average of 15 minutes with each of 139 clients during an 8-day period, found that none of the 67 clients who subsequently consented to an interview and testing developed infection. The stylists and all clients universally wore masks in the salon as required by local ordinance and company policy at the time.

The point of a mask is to slow the spread of a virus; not to eliminate it. Even a small reduction could be enough to make the difference between an R value above or below 1 (it's currently well above 1 across the UK).

For the general difference between mask types, see Broken Link Removed. As it says, surgical masks (which I wear/wore/whatever) are "meant to protect the wearer from contact with droplets and sprays that may contain germs".

 

[Furry Paws]

Am exempt so have never worn one! I have a young nephew who was working in one of the Nightingale pop up Hospitals and they changed medical grade masks and other clothing every time they went onto or came off of the ward and still caught it!

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[Tombola]

To say material face coverings are useless is wrong. Every little helps as mary said.......

Any face covering can protect from lots of viruses. depends on the size of droplets.( I distribute them.... millions of the bloomin things this past 2 years !!!)
lets for instance say someone talks and has a habit of spraying when talking, then even a cloth mask works in this instance as it helps stop that droplet (that may be small enough to not be seen) falling on another person, or surface, so yes they DO work in this instance, ether by the drops falling your your face or inhalation area, or yours falling on someone else. Inadvertent sneeze etc even.
Some folk, includng us, sell many face coverings, 1 layer, 2 layer, 3 layer with filters and they all work. I have been in demos and you will be surpried how many of us "spray" invisible droplets when talking and how far they are carried, which is one reason why 2 metres was introduced

Then you move up from there to FFP rated ones, that protect against vapour / viruses/ particles/mists , micron sizes and below, this is where the FFP rating comes in, 3 being the highest level, but remember FFP ratings are rated in "particulate" sizes not vapour drops.
to have the best protection then FFP3 (not 2) is the way to go, but because these are always so thick filter wise, they will pretty much always have an exhalation valve. As part of the FFP rating , it comes under en iso 149 which then spins into laods more numbers and requirements, which would just bore you.

Dont be fooled by thinking 3m, or Moldex are the ones you have to buy..... these are brand names and can be 5 times as expensive. As long as they are tested and certified FFP3 they are the same protection standard. (each individual mask will be stamped aswell as the packaging)
Dont forget what may be handy if you are on the lookout for some, you can get "fold flat" versions that are handy for slotting in your pockets instead of carrying the "cup shaped" ones around.

Coughs and sneezes spread diseases,

 

[Tombola]

Am exempt so have never worn one! I have a young nephew who was working in one of the Nightingale pop up Hospitals and they changed medical grade masks and other clothing every time they went onto or came off of the ward and still caught it!

that old chesnut

and I had an old auntie that smoked 10,000 ciggies a week an didnt get cancer !! died at 92 hit by a bus........
would she have got cancer at 93 who knows???

its about lessening risk

 

[busby]

Went to hospital a few days ago for an ultrasound scan.
Went in and fella said 'take your mask off if you want' he wasn't wearing one.
Ready to leave and went to shake his hand then said I better not, bugs etc.
He stuck his hand out so I shook it.
If he wasn't bothered as a health professional why should I bother.

Well if your not bothered about catching Covid or other diseases don't bother..Bit like wearing a crash helmet or a seat belt,, you takes your chance..

 

[Wyvern]

I'm wondering if you can escape masks on the open deck? We're on DFDS this week, wondering if they ll do the same. Would be a real pain on the longer crossings

We are on DFDS this week as well. They are requesting passengers wear masks in public areas.

 

[gus-lopez]

I'm surprised at the amount of people who think wearing a 'face covering' will somehow protect them from Covid.

Anything helps.

The fabric ones that don't include filters are a token gesture.

Even on ffp3 masks exhalation valves are illegal in spain

If he wasn't bothered as a health professional why should I bother.

Just because they are stupid why would you follow suit?

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[iandsm]

Am exempt so have never worn one! I have a young nephew who was working in one of the Nightingale pop up Hospitals and they changed medical grade masks and other clothing every time they went onto or came off of the ward and still caught it!

That means very little, their exposure was far far greater than the general population therefore the risk was also far far greater. They may have been infected in any number of ways other than via a mask or the lack of one.

 

[Paul and Val]

When we last travelled with BF, Easter with our Grandchildren. You were supposed to wear a mask, a large percentage did not and it was not enforced .

There are always some Trumpist moronic people who care nothing for regulations. If people don't want to wear masks then don't travel on ferries.

It is a simple as that.

People who don't ,or at least, did not wear masks when they were required to are a superb example of Darwin's theory of evolution. Stupid creatures die off first.

Keep safe and wear a mask when required.

Have a great Sunday.
Paul

 

[LesW]

Anything helps.

Not in this case, it just gives folk a false sense of security.

 

[Wildbill]

Can we still have party's that's the mane thing.
Bill

 

[jongood]

We are on DFDS this week as well. They are requesting passengers wear masks in public areas.

Thanks for the info but thats another factor in the swing towards the tunnel for me next time. Having already booked I will probably spend the 1 1/2 hours on deck if the weather permits.

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[gus-lopez]

Thanks for the info but thats another factor in the swing towards the tunnel for me next time. Having already booked I will probably spend the 1 1/2 hours on deck if the weather permits.

But on the tunnel you are breathing in what someone else has just breathed out apart from a slight %of fresh air added. Similar to planes.

 

[jongood]

But on the tunnel you are breathing in what someone else has just breathed out apart from a slight %of fresh air added. Similar to planes.

Bearing in mind that its an aerosol, I think I'm pretty safe in my mh

 

[Rumour and Innuendo]

But on the tunnel you are breathing in what someone else has just breathed out apart from a slight %of fresh air added. Similar to planes.

The Tunnel trains are well ventilated. You are sitting in your vehicle. You are in there for a max or 35 minutes. Your nearest "contact" will be well outside the 2 mtr range!
So where do you think you will catch the virus, as opposed to being on a ferry, where you are in close proximity to other passengers?

 

[EuroTrotters]

I think hand washing is very important.

So many times I see men using the gents toilets and leave without washing their hands. And that’s not just a número uno !.

Mrs. ET says women are just as bad.

Don’t you just love contactless payments ?

 

[PaulOH]

Using public bathrooms in shopping centres, my kids regard washing their hands and playing with the electric soap dispenser and dyson-variant hand dryer a great thing - unlike nearly half the other people who just walk out afterwards.

Never mind masks - hand hygiene is much more important!

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