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Face Coverings - Advice on usage.

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johnnychips

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Moderator note : posts #1 - #4 originally in this thread


I bet that’s because in many cases they’re not being disposed of, but re-used again and again.
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.
 
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BJames

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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 smell.

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 thought that technically you're supposed to dispose of it as soon as you take it off for the first time, as they're "single-use only".

No public info film I'm aware of. Info on WHO website etc but no general campaign as yet.
 

kez19

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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 smell.

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 believe its meant to be at least 4 hours....
 

Bantamzen

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I thought that technically you're supposed to dispose of it as soon as you take it off for the first time, as they're "single-use only".

No public info film I'm aware of. Info on WHO website etc but no general campaign as yet.

That's right, in order to be effective they should be replaced when touched, or at least every 4 hours. Which is why this is all a farce, it simply isn't going to happen. Its just all for show.
 

kez19

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That's right, in order to be effective they should be replaced when touched, or at least every 4 hours. Which is why this is all a farce, it simply isn't going to happen. Its just all for show.

It’s just a pity that the government’s aren’t funding this for the public than being the public spending their own money on finding sources ie Amazon EBay...
 

Djgr

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Just apply common sense. It's a placebo anyway.
 

shodkini

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Be careful where you're ordering from - many of the cheapest prices are for ordering direct from China, even if it looks like a British company name, with delivery by the end of August.....
 

Edgeley

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In a TV interview on 12th March, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jenny Harries, had this to say about face masks:

"What tends to happen is people will have one mask. They won’t wear it all the time, they will take it off when they get home, they will put it down on a surface they haven’t cleaned. Or they will be out and they haven’t washed their hands, they will have a cup of coffee somewhere, they half hook it off, they wipe something over it. In fact, you can actually trap the virus in the mask and start breathing it in. Because of these behavioural issues, people can adversely put themselves at more risk than less.”
 

MDB1images

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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.
 

mmh

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That's right, in order to be effective they should be replaced when touched, or at least every 4 hours. Which is why this is all a farce, it simply isn't going to happen. Its just all for show.

Everything around masks is a farce. What do they claim happens to them after time, why do they stop working?
 

Non Multi

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As a glasses wearer, I tried a tip yesterday to stop my glasses instantly fogging up. By twisting round both ear straps, this opened up the top of the face covering a bit more so there was no condensation on the lenses. It also stayed put, which was good.
 

trainophile

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How do people actually breathe through three layers of close fitting material? Every breath is a huge effort, surely can't be good for our lungs if worn for a prolonged period. Yesterday I walked a mile to the station quite quickly, and having to don a mask on arrival when I was puffing and panting a bit felt like being smothered. Luckily I had an emergency flimsy paper mask that had to suffice for appearances sake for the first ten minutes, otherwise I would probably have passed out.
 

Belperpete

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How do people actually breathe through three layers of close fitting material? Every breath is a huge effort, surely can't be good for our lungs if worn for a prolonged period. Yesterday I walked a mile to the station quite quickly, and having to don a mask on arrival when I was puffing and panting a bit felt like being smothered. Luckily I had an emergency flimsy paper mask that had to suffice for appearances sake for the first ten minutes, otherwise I would probably have passed out.
Plenty of people wear them all day without problem. You are not recommended to wear them when exercising, so allow a bit more time for your walk to the station so that you are not puffing and panting when you have to don the mask. And probably not stinking of sweat either.
 

Belperpete

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Everything around masks is a farce. What do they claim happens to them after time, why do they stop working?
Once they become damp and contaminated, you are no longer breathing healthy air.
 

greyman42

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How do people actually breathe through three layers of close fitting material? Every breath is a huge effort, surely can't be good for our lungs if worn for a prolonged period. Yesterday I walked a mile to the station quite quickly, and having to don a mask on arrival when I was puffing and panting a bit felt like being smothered. Luckily I had an emergency flimsy paper mask that had to suffice for appearances sake for the first ten minutes, otherwise I would probably have passed out.
If wearing a mask is causing you problems breathing then i do not see why you should have to wear one if you don't want to.
 

trainophile

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If wearing a mask is causing you problems breathing then i do not see why you should have to wear one if you don't want to.

I don't suppose my problems are any more severe than most people's, I think we all agree that wearing close fitting unnatural coverings on your face is uncomfortable at best, and mildly anxiety causing in some cases. Age-wise I probably fit the demograph of those who could get away with saying they are medically exempt, although I am not asthmatic nor have any other medical conditions. Therefore I will struggle on rather than encourage others to think "well if it's alright for her...". I did notice on my last journey a couple nearby taking about an hour to eat sandwiches and bananas, obviously with their masks under their chins.
 

trebor79

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I did notice on my last journey a couple nearby taking about an hour to eat sandwiches and bananas, obviously with their masks under their chins.
TBH that will be my strategy when I need to go somewhere, but I'll take it off completely and will probably forget to put it back on afterwards. If challenged I can then say silly me forgot to put it back on, thanks for reminding me.
 

FrodshamJnct

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Who wants one of these?!


Might have to get a Class 37 one!
 

yorkie

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I don't suppose my problems are any more severe than most people's, I think we all agree that wearing close fitting unnatural coverings on your face is uncomfortable at best, and mildly anxiety causing in some cases. Age-wise I probably fit the demograph of those who could get away with saying they are medically exempt, although I am not asthmatic nor have any other medical conditions. Therefore I will struggle on rather than encourage others to think "well if it's alright for her...".
If it is causing you anxiety or if it is causing breathing difficulties, you are covered by an exemption.

I don't know much of a struggle this is for you, but if it gets too much, I would encourage you to carry an exemption card (there is no compulsion to do so, but you may find it less stressful to show it than explain your difficulties to others)
 

trainophile

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Can you print your own exemption card then? What would it say? I don't have any diagnosed 'breathing difficulties', and surely anyone with something over their nose and mouth is going to feel rather smothered, especially for any period of time and/or in hot conditions.
 

LAX54

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I thought that technically you're supposed to dispose of it as soon as you take it off for the first time, as they're "single-use only".

No public info film I'm aware of. Info on WHO website etc but no general campaign as yet.

Indeed Single use only and DON'T TOUCH IT when you wear it ! we were told they are not much use after about 30 mins or when they get damp, you then need a new one (if disposable type), also the ones you make up, make sure it's not the stretchy type material, that is similar to a chocolate teapot
 

LAX54

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Everything around masks is a farce. What do they claim happens to them after time, why do they stop working?
as soon as you touch it, there is the 'risk' of transferring germs, when it is damp, it will allow bacteria through easily, it is one reason you see Nurses / Docs dump them after each person, some as little as 5 mins or less.
 

LAX54

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As a glasses wearer, I tried a tip yesterday to stop my glasses instantly fogging up. By twisting round both ear straps, this opened up the top of the face covering a bit more so there was no condensation on the lenses. It also stayed put, which was good.
Try not to have it loose fitting, if you do, there is no point wearing it, there should be no gaps at all.
 

island

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As I understand it single-use masks are recommended to be changed every 3-4 hours.

It’s funny how little has been heard from the plastic police since March.
 

LAX54

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As I understand it single-use masks are recommended to be changed every 3-4 hours.

It’s funny how little has been heard from the plastic police since March.

Yet we were advised when it gets damp, or after 1 use, but we were also told not more than an hour at the most, so iof you are on a train / bus. it's one each way, plus however mnay you need in between !
 

MDB1images

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If it is causing you anxiety or if it is causing breathing difficulties, you are covered by an exemption.

I don't know much of a struggle this is for you, but if it gets too much, I would encourage you to carry an exemption card (there is no compulsion to do so, but you may find it less stressful to show it than explain your difficulties to others)

Spot on.
Whilst we may read about the 1 in 100,000 people who may have got asked personally about a mask the most you'll see or hear on the Railway is a poster reminding you or an automated station announcement/visual on a Train, the vast majority of staff will not be interested in you if masked or not(and the small minority that are will just remind you about the regulations-not ask or demand you wear a mask as it's not in their job remit).

For anyone who is still worried I notice the Sunflower lanyard has been adapted for masks, no staff member or BTP will even challenge you with that and if you are worried about confrontation talking to a very small amount of passengers who are that bothered about anyone else not wearing a mask(and even then I'd say they prefer to go on social media to play to an audience than speak directly to you)it says you are exempt from wearing a mask on the card.
 
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