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The topic of face masks, the many types available, how they are put on, the ways they are worn incorrectly and dangerously, the stockpiling of masks for inflated secondary sales, the “recycling” of masks for personal use or resale.
In stores and online (if not sold out already) there are face masks of every grade, material, style and variety: masks made from medical-grade paper, decorative paper masks in a rainbow of colors, sleek polyurethane Pitta masks, washable fabric masks and reusable dust and allergy masks. Most of these products provide absolutely no protection against the novel coronavirus or other viruses.
Common face mask use mistakes
Let’s take a look at some common issues regarding face mask use:
A mask is worn upside down, only over the nose, not pulled under the chin, or worn only over the mouth, leaving the nose exposed. Even the best mask won’t protect if worn incorrectly.
A user constantly touching and fiddling with the mask’s filter surface, which cross-contaminates fingers and subsequent surfaces. A contaminated finger will cross-contaminate the next SEVEN surfaces it touches, e.g. phones, ipads, keypads.
Pulling a face mask under the chin for conversation or eating, and then putting the mask back up again.
Reusing or recycling masks. This has been a common and dangerous emerging practice in Hong Kong since January 2020.
Wearing the same mask for too long. The length of time that a face mask could be safely worn depends on the number of people a user has been around. The outer layer of a mask is the ultimate barrier. Like a fishing net, it will filter but also accumulate pathogens, without inactivating or killing them. The longer a mask has been worn around others, the more concentrated the infectious load becomes. A face mask should never be worn longer than a day; a doctor or nurse will go through multiple masks during a single work shift.
originally posted by: Noinden
a reply to: violet
Speaking as someone who works in the Pharma industry, who wears respirators each day, every day. Face masks are useless here. A N95 style respirator from 3M is basically the entry level "comfortable" one. T hen you need to be clean shaven in the area it touches. Oh on top of that, you get perhaps 30 to 45 minutes protection, then you need to throw it out and change it.
Wash your hands. Wash your hands, oh and wash your hands. That is the main prevention. Do not touch your mouth or eyes.
But masks? They really don't protect you.
Claim: ‘Face masks don’t work’
Wearing a face mask is not an iron clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can still penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly five-fold protection versus no barrier. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re just walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask is unlikely to make any difference.
www.axios.com...
originally posted by: violet
I want to add this about masks
Claim: ‘Face masks don’t work’
Wearing a face mask is not an iron clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can still penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly five-fold protection versus no barrier. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re just walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask is unlikely to make any difference.
www.axios.com...
originally posted by: rickymouse
originally posted by: violet
I want to add this about masks
Claim: ‘Face masks don’t work’
Wearing a face mask is not an iron clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can still penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly five-fold protection versus no barrier. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re just walking around town and not in close contact with others, wearing a mask is unlikely to make any difference.
www.axios.com...
You could wrap a hanky around your face, that would also help. Although, I don't even know if they make those things anymore, we used to have them when I was young for dust and spraying pesticides. Then you just toss them in the washer with the rest of the DDT drenched clothes so everyone's close smelled like DDT.
originally posted by: Noinden
a reply to: violet
Speaking as someone who works in the Pharma industry, who wears respirators each day, every day. Face masks are useless here. A N95 style respirator from 3M is basically the entry level "comfortable" one. T hen you need to be clean shaven in the area it touches. Oh on top of that, you get perhaps 30 to 45 minutes protection, then you need to throw it out and change it.
Wash your hands. Wash your hands, oh and wash your hands. That is the main prevention. Do not touch your mouth or eyes.
But masks? They really don't protect you.
originally posted by: Noinden
a reply to: BrianFlanders
No it does not mean that. Covid-19 is not 100% transmissiable. So yo uare not predestined to get it.