Moderator note : posts #1 - #4 originally in
this thread
Serious question, how long are you supposed to wear a disposable mask for before...erm...disposing of it? I use mine on trains and buses for about two hours a day, shove it in my pocket in between, then maybe throw it away after three days when it starts to
Back OT, I am surprised there isn’t a public info film on TV on how to wear masks. Or perhaps there is but I don’t have a TV.
I have to now wear a mask at work(on board trains)I am provided with disposable ones.
I go through between 5 and 6 between each 9 hour(sometimes a bit longer)shift.
Before putting it on I cleanse my hands and put it on.
I then avoid touching it whilst on board, if I move it down to talk I dispose of it as I've contaminated it.
I've found some maskd(roughly after 2 hours)become soggy so replace them and dispose of them(my company have given us nappy sacks to put used ones in),each Depot has proper mask bins, after taking it off I wash my hands thoroughly and don't touch my face until they are washed.
I repeat on each occasion.
Aside from the obvious issues of long hours wearing masks a couple of other things I do outside the norm...
On arrival at Glasgow/Edinburghl/Liverpool/Manchester Airport I remove my mask on leaving the station and dispose it(in a bin of which a few council's/facilities have), I however have opted not to wear a mask until I get back to the train as I'm not carrying hand sanitizer/wipes or can wash hands and don't carry a mask in my works coat due to the risk of it being contaminated.
Therefore I go back to the train maskless and wash my hands in the galley or toilet with soap and water before putting a mask on(avoiding to touch door handles/open switches).
A lot of colleagues use the same mask all day, pull it up/down, leave it on a messroom table or train as they eat or put it in a pocket but for me it's a risk so I do it as best as I feel comfortable.
I am actually against wearing a mask unless I'm in less than a metre of someone on board for a sustained period and believe the risk to the wearer is now higher(it took a lot of practise to work trains during the heart of the pandemic and not touch my face!)but for now it is what it is.
It takes some getting used to and initially I struggled for air as a mask worn tight around your face and over your nose does send your breath around your nose especially as you talk, I found to cure that I focussed on a point and it slowly stopped, after a couple of days it stopped being an issue and now I don't notice it.
I have had a few more headaches that I feel I could say are down to mask wearing as I do like fresh air but it's not that bad once you get used to it.
Colleagues who wear Glasses day they steam up(I haven't seen them cure this issue yet).
Hopefully of some use.