Masks.

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To wear or not to wear? That is the question.

Hard to answer.

If it gives you peace of mind and makes going out less stressful then wear one.

I haven't read anything that convinces me that they are good enough protection.

My view:

If you are coughing / sneezing they help contain the droplets that you expel (which may carry infection).

If you want to reduce the risk of catching it when its airborne then they need to fit tightly around the sides or they are of limited use.

They can be helpful as an aid that reduces the number of times that you touch your face which is a good thing.

When removing and disposing of them you need to pay close attention to doing so cleanly and safely or their benefits will be negated

I am a Nurse and wear one along with other PPE when going near people displaying symptoms of Covd19. When not at work I don't tend to wear one. Supplies are limited and I dont want to use my allocation up too quickly. In this I am following the clinical advice I have been given. This of course might change in the future.

Depends on your age, health and where you are going

Having said that, if you were going to wear a mask, you should have done so a couple of weeks ago

And if you wear a mask, it should be on correctly at all times.

Seriously doubt bandanas and scarves do jack

But I am no molecular cell biologist

"My mask protects you, your mask protects me"

Anyone can be a symptomless carrier, so even a simple homemade mask can help slow down spreading of the virus.

I wore a mask today when I did my grocery shopping. They're the same masks I bought during the Swine Flu pandemic in 2008 but never actually used. I felt like an idiot. They were extremely uncomfortable, kept blocking my vision, and I had to constantly readjust them. They also fog up my sunglasses. Awful. My mother said she'd make me one of her handmade masks, which are popular with a lot of other people she's made them for so I've decided to give them a try.

IMO everyone should respectfully wear one in public places like grocery stores etc while out shopping for essentials.

They don’t protect you much at all unless they’re N95’s or P100 masks or respirators that seal tight to your face.

What they Do do is protect others from your droplets when you speak, cough, or sneeze. Even a simple bandana or scarf helps with this.

The more people that wear them, the lower the transmission rates from asymptomatic people who don’t even realize they’re carrying & transmitting the virus.

This is why Asian societies will all wear basic surgical masks. They’re not all sick. They’re respectfully minimizing the chance that they could make someone else sick.

Yes, I’ve started wearing a mask (double layer cotton, my aunt made it) the seldom times I have to go to a store for something now. I also have a P100 respirator I wear for work that I could wear to better protect myself if I wanted.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Well I don't have any...

I do have a bag of clothes I was going to give away to the thrift store, but perhaps I could cut some of those up to make some makeshift mask to wear when I go out. Though from what I understand is the main purpose for these sorts of masks is to help from spreading germs you cough or breath out to other people but won't necessarily stop you getting sick. Its more so in case you carry the virus you wont cough or breath it onto other people. But also at least per the gov't website for my state it mentions that also it can show you are aware and taking efforts at social distancing which can encourage other people to do so as well.

But either way I felt weird last time I was at the grocery store and didn't have some form of mask, so I probably will try and create some out of those clothes I was going to give to the thrift store. I even have a little sewing machine so if I can figure out how to work that thing it may help.

I was told by someone who was at a store yesterday, they saw someone was wearing what looked like a crocheted pot holder as a mask.

I have several bandannas that I used to wear as doo rags. But If I wear them like masks people might think I'm about to rob a bank. They'll be asking me where my black cowgirl hat is.

As I posted in this thread~ viewtopic.php?t=386344
I heard it's better not to wear masks. Masks mostly prevent the wearer from spreading the virus. They don't really help stop the wearer from catching it & the masks may actually make it easier for the wearer to catch the virus. Some people feel a false sense of security by wearing a mask & don't practice social distancing. Plus mask wearers may end up touching their face due to them needing to adjust the mask.

If you wear a mask, it's likelier to protect others from you than you from others. But if everyone wears one, it's win-win. Too bad masks are hard to get these days for obvious reasons... I have some that I got before this all started since I needed them at work, so I should probably use them while going grocery shopping... if only I'd remember where I put them.

I would recommend wearing a mask whenever you are up and about (near other people). If for no other reason because it helps you from touching your face. Individuals subconsciously touch their face hundreds of times each day. If you touch something that contains the virus, you can easily spread it to your mouth or nose and infect yourself. Putting a barrier between your hands and your face is advantageous. So a mask serves that purpose.

There are three types of face mask. These are surgical mask, cloth face mask and respirators such as the N95. The N95s provide protection from the virus. The others offer minimal protection but it will at least stop the hand to face transmission route.

When this pandemic began I dug through my shelves and found a box of N95's They had been stored for more than 10 years and were very mildewed. So I spent several days reconditioning them and now the mildew is gone. I wear one of the N95s every time I am away from home. I have been using the same mask for over two months now. I let sunshine sanitize it between uses. I prevents me from becoming infected because it stops viruses because the filter is extremely fine. The N95 combined with some hand sanitizer gel in a small bottle that I carry in my pocket and a pair of surgical gloves provide quite a bit of protection when I am on the go.

There is a good chance that this coronavirus is seasonal. It will disappear during the spring time and return in the fall. I would recommend that everyone purchase an N95 mask prior to winter time as production levels increase and the mask become readily available. They are minimal cost around a couple dollars prior to the pandemic. And the prices will come down to that level once supply exceeds demands. When that happens stock up on a few.

My other recommendation is to purchase a sanitizer box. This is a box that has a UVC light source that kills viruses. They are used to disinfect items from bacteria and viruses. They will allow you to easily kill any viruses that might land on your mask. This will allow you to safely reuse the mask without fear of self-contamination. They generally have a timer, just put the mask in the box and press a button and a few minutes later your mask is ready for reuse.