Hi all. Hope you are all staying safe. On that subject I have seen several posts stating that they are staying in as much as possible but when they do go to the shops they wear a mask. Can I please advise you to look at the government or even the WHO website on the wearing of face masks. Unless they are the high level N95 (in the UK) they WILL NOT protect you adequately from infection. They recommend them to prevent you from infecting others. ( that’s why you see so many eastern people wearing them), it’s considered politeness even before the pandemic. That’s why the general consensus is not to advise people to wear masks as it lulls them into a false sense of security. Plus if you have not been trained on the use of PPE, it can actually be more harmful. So follow the official guidelines, wash hands regularly 😉. And stay safe.
Wearing masks.: Hi all. Hope you are all staying safe... - NRAS
Wearing masks.
Yes, it's clear that unless it's a high level mask it will not protect you from infection. However I think if people choose to wear a mask to ensure they do not infect others, that is their choice.
Absolutely 😁
This is incorrect. Just another example of enough people saying something that makes the masses believe it. surgical masks are as effective as N95 masks.
cebm.net/covid-19/what-is-t...
I would rather wear a mask as correctly as I can and hope than not wear one at all.
Same here, surely wearing a mask can protect you if somebody else is coughing?
Try reading the report, especially the bit I have pasted below. The part about no trials have been done regarding covid 19. But I’m not getting into an online war, life’s too short. 😃.
Standard surgical masks are as effective as respirator masks (e.g. N95, FFP2, FFP3) for preventing infection of healthcare workers in outbreaks of viral respiratory illnesses such as influenza. No head to head trial of these masks in COVID-19 has yet been published, and neither type of mask prevents all infection. Both types of mask need to be used in combination with other PPE measures. Respirator masks are recommended for protection during aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). Rapid reviews on wider PPE measures, and what counts as an AGP, are ongoing.
😷😷😷
Where I am they are mandatory on public transport now. And if you go into some shops without one people give you dirty looks.
There was the great debate about whether they made any difference and originally the consensus here was that they didn’t protect you, but protected others if you happened to be infected and asymptomatic. However now the view is they do also provide a small amount of protection, so worth wearing. And so we do.... I do have some FPP3 masks, but they are so horrible to wear that I’m using home made ones. Since I keep away from people and wash my hands I don’t think it really matters that much, so just doing it to be polite.
I also have some FFP3 masks. I keep them for emergencies should me or any family members have to go somewhere high risk such as hospital or GP surgery. I also bought a batch of low grade masks at the same time back before the pandemic got going in this country and prices shot up. I took heed of TV footage coming out of China showing all front line health workers wearing masks and did my research. Pity the government did not do the same back then!
Scalpels arrived today...10 of 'em! Thought I only ordered one! 
Scalpels? Dare I ask what you are planning to do with it? 😳
You may indeed. I am not going to do anything with a scalpel, my wife is though, and that is attempt to shave the callouses on my feet as podiatry is in shutdown. That seems dangerous you may say, yes it does is my reply, but l do enjoy living close to the edge! 
We are still awaiting more surgical implements to arrive, namely a foot file and a corn & callous knife so my wife has a choice of weapons so to speak. Wish me luck!
😁 best be nice to her in that case!
I shall endeavour to do so.
She may want to watch The Toe Bro on youtube. Some of it is not for the faint hearted but he does show how to shave a corn in detail and close up.
We have watched one and know exactly what you mean by not for the faint hearted!
Ooh I’m going to find that. 😊
Hi have you looked at the scholl electric foot file, they are very good and no risk to cutting 👍😊
Sylvi suggested something along those lines, perhaps I was a bit hasty thinking a scalpel would be better. Oh well, I've spent a few bob on what I've already bought so will see how it goes before spending any more .
Thanks Plumcrumble.
Why not just buy a pumice stone ? but it's a good job the neck is a good way from the feet. lol x
Maybe I'm over thinking it and a pumice stone will do the job, but it does look like the podiatrists need to shave off a fair amount of hard skin. I'm expecting a metal foot file through the letter box soon, which should be better than a pumice stone, plus something called a corn and callous knife, so we will see which implement is easiest and safest to use. My wife used to shave them with one of my razor blades then finish off with some sand paper a few years back, so she should be ok with the proper tools for the job....I hope!
😳
You are lucky you are only getting 10.....I ordered 20 ( or thought I ordered) 20 disposable shower caps.......200 turned up!
Bargain!
Haha
Thought I ordered one scalpel but it was actually 10 when I later checked. I was thinking the price was a bit salty just for one when I placed the order.
I thought I’d ordered 50g of wool nope 500g, in my defence it was past wine 🍷 O’clock!!
As you say after wine O’clock I just get carried away on Amazon.
I ordered a very fancy key ring...or thought I did...but I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened the box .....it contained two Metal knuckledusters !
When I complained I got a pidgin English letter from Hong Kong saying “Please Lady you keep...I send again”.....& I got my key ring!
Uh oh wishbone your wife will be like Edward Scissorhands
It might be a good idea if during the lifting of lockdown, it was made compulsory for the public to wear a low grade mask when in enclosed places like shops, libraries, etc. Even if that type of mask offers little protection it must surly lower the risk of spreading the virus if what we are being told is accurate and they do indeed stop the wearer infecting other people.
I made a lined cotton mask for myself and have ended up making quite a few for people I know that wanted one when they saw it! it's not the usual pleated design as in 😷 but fits nicely over the nose and mouth. I seems sensible to me that something is better than nothing.
This mask sounds interesting - did you have a pattern?
No, but here's the link to the short video of how to make it.
I used iron on interfacing in mine to make it a slightly stiffer.
I think one half of an old bikini top will do nicely don’t you? About34B?
Thank you, I shall try this
Yes it would help spread as it protects others.
I wouldn't be surprised if it offered a small amount of protection either, though obviously not like the proper high grade masks do.
Yes they do, as stated but with the caveats I included in my original posts😃. Can I just say (and I didn’t want to put this before as it could look like I’m some kind of know it all😉, cos I’m not believe me) my professional world involves the use of masks, gloves, infection control etc. Even my wife rolls her eyes when now I go into almost pre surgery dirty area, clean area routine for anything coming into the house😂. I don’t wipe her down before she’s allowed in by the way😉. So I’m just trying to help out here. The last thing I want is any of you not being as safe as possible during these difficult and yes, dangerous times.
I don't think you're acting like a know it all, and I would place more trust in what someone like you have to say than the so called experts the media has paraded, especially during the first couple of months, and which I speak about in my reply to lilyak a few posts below, though I think you have already seen it.
I'm not clued up about this sort of thing, but surly the government could have financed companies experienced in the field to either equip their workshops, or even open up new facilities to manufacture PPE, which must be far from rocket science, and we are obviously going to need it for a long time to come. What hapened with that recent shipment of gowns from Turkey should have learned the government a lesson, but somehow I doubt it has. I must be thick or something coz I just don't understand what they are playing at half of the time.
I'm not so different to you and sometimes feel like I'm borderline OCD prowiling around the house with disinfectant spray in hand. I also leave shopping etc in the hallway for a few days to until it's gone through the decontamination process!
I have to disagree. There are so many people who have been, will be and are asymptotic and therefore potentially spreading the virus unknowingly. If those people were wearing a mask they would reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others.
Also, wearing even a cloth mask effectively CAN offer some protection against the virus (estimates 50% effectiveness) and even if that reduces the risk by a small percentage it is worth adding it to the other hygiene and sanitising methods used.
Just my opinion
The one thing I will never do is blindly follow the advice of WHO or our Government!
I have to agree with what you’ve said here. Blindly following advice especially. Fallen victim to that too many times.
We have been fed misinformation about masks from day one of this pandemic, and government are still dragging their feet about telling us whether or not we should wear them. If as I suspect, they are worried about the public buying up badly needed masks for the NHS and care homes, then they should come out and say it's the case and start treating us like adults instead of children.
Google search. The information is easily accessible. This is exactly what you need to do. Use your common sense. And google to seek out the information. If you're in an area with a lot of virus, wear a mask. You're protecting others, and you're protecting yourself. Surgical masks have been shown to be as effective as N95.
cebm.net/covid-19/what-is-t...
Information about masks was available in the early days if people cared to search for it in google etc as I did because I was sceptical about what was being said on the media after seeing almost every Chinese front line health worker wearing a mask! What I am saying is the British public were being misinformed by so called experts that the media, including the BBC, had dug up from wherever, so it was understandable why most people did not bother searching for information back then. There was very little in the way of opposing views with the vast majority saying that masks provided little if any protection against the virus, which may or may not be true about the low grade type masks, but is definitely not the case with FFP3 and N95 type masks as I discovered. It was only after several weeks into the crisis that we began to hear the odd voice on TV saying that perhaps these two types of mask may offer a small mount of protection after all if used correctly.....Wow!
It stands to reason that a mask will reduce your risk of getting the virus. But it's not going to stop it completely.
However the reason we are been told not to wear them is to save stocks for people that need them more. As a high risk person I'd rather a health care worker had a mask than me.
I mentioned in a previous post that I 'suspected' the reason why the government don't want the public buying more masks was due to the shortage . I also said that if this is the case then why don't they stop treating us like children and tell us. Have you actually heard the government announce they don't want us buying masks because I haven't? The only reason I can think as to why they haven't said anything is down to their shortsightedness by not making sure that we had sufficient PPE back at the beginning of the crisis. Seems to me that this government is more concerned about loss of face or being criticised than admitting they got it wrong.
Apparently they have made another cock up by ordering a large batch of unsuitable gowns from Turkey. Why UK quality control inspectors were not in Turkey to check such an important cargo before shipping just leaves me scratching my head even more!
It's easy to blame government for not securing enough PPE but where exactly were they meant to get it from as there was a world wide shortage?
My criticism is they locked down 2 weeks too late resulting in the high number of deaths.
Apparently they should have secured more PPE back in February or even January. Instead they believed the virus was a nasty strain of flu so did not take it as seriously as they should have. It's also being said that they allowed pre-corona stocks of PPE to be run down when there was ample warning that it was only a matter of time before there would be another pandemic.
Totally agree they should have locked down at least two weeks before they did. They even continued to allow people from countries like China to freely enter the UK without any sort of check to see if they were infected. When questioned I actually heard someone high up in government saying there was no need as it is being done in the country of departure. I had to pinch myself! Just as concerning perhaps is that the journalist who asked the question did not press her further, it was a female minster or whoever. I could go on....................
The Gov followed the advice of WHO and the scientists ... what a hell of an error. Australia ignored it and went into serious lockdown. I have a friend in Dubai... they aren’t even allowed out to walk their pets. They have to get a permit to go to the shop to get food.
You are correct. Wearing a mask, even a surgical mask, offers protection. Common sense gets re-routed by repetition of non-facts. Well done you.
Ofcourse masks protect you. But health care workers need them more, so the authorities were advising against wearing them. Think critically.
Buy an ex army gas mask! still only about 25 quid on fee-bay...I have!
In reply to several posts. I can understand what you are saying about wearing standard surgery masks...BUT, there’s always a but with me😉. If you do not follow the guidelines on donning and removal of the masks (or any face covering or gloves) after SINGLE USE! You are wasting your time and money. Stay safe everyone 😃
Thank you, great post!
Not seen you posting here, did I miss your messages? Any jet setting lately? (Pre covid obviously.) Hope you’re keeping safe and well x
I tend to post or reply if I can add to the conversation with personal experience or knowledge. I think I messaged you a few months ago😉😂. But no worries. Nah, no jet setting 🙄. Was supposed to be in Spain playing golf a couple of weeks ago but that didn’t happen🙄. Just hoping trip to New York in August runs. Then Florida in October.
I’ll drop you a message later. Fingers crossed your trips go ahead. I’m desperate to go to Florida again.
Here in Scotland we have been told to wear masks in shops or public transport
Nice shoes anyone?
Is the steroid injection wearing off
Masks remain in Scotland
Mask Wearing
