Bantamzen
Established Member
Reading this thread makes me realise why the infection rates and death rates are still so high in UK as people just don't seem to get it. Masks do help to reduce the infection rate and help prevent (not stop) the spread of this virus. Do I have medical proof that everyone seems to think MUST be produced before this is even deemed to be true, no of course not but I do have practical and real life proof. In Hong Kong where I live we've been wearing masks, using sanatiser etc, on public transport since this first started here back in Jan and the infection rate has today topped out at around 1,100 with just 4 deaths. There is precious little social distancing possible in such a densely populated city so here, we put the incredibly low infection rate down to one thing, masks. Anyone using buses or trains here will see we get crammed in with precious little space for yourself but the infection rate remains very low.
Bus drivers here wear masks all the time and they just get on with it. Of course people still drink water, simply pop the mask down, take a drink and refit, it's not rocket science.
Still in Britain it'll all be done differently, and reading some of comments there are in this thread I think it'll be along time before I'm able to or even wiling to return to Britain as the virus will not be going anywhere anytime soon.
Wear a mask please, it'll help reduce the infection rate so lives can get back to normal much sooner. That's what Britain wants, right ?
A quick question, prior to the virus did everyone in Hong Kong wear a mask all the time, or did they wear masks only when they had symptoms of a cold or flu? Because, and correct me if I am wrong, I'm pretty certain mask wearing was not the norm, even on public transport.
As everyone will be denied travel unless wearing a face mask, what happens on long train journeys e.g. London to Glasgow and you need
liquid refreshments, does this mean you've to spend the whole journey without?
There's no point in fretting about it until you need to make such a journey.
Great way not to answer the question. However given that summer is almost upon us, and that hydration is considered quite an important health factor in these modern times, perhaps you'd like to try again. So what happens if someone is on, say the London Underground, and needs to take a drink from the bottle of water they bought? All medical advice around masks is not to touch or remove them without replacing, so do people now have to carry a bag of masks just in case they get thirsty?
This is what worries me - that fear and paranoia will lead to face masks becoming normal. Think about that for a minute - what an utterly miserable, depressing thought. Loads of the pointless security theatre introduced after 9/11 is still with us nearly 20 years later, and if we go down this road, it won't go away any time soon.
Exactly, and this is what the maskivists don't get & don't try to answer. And forcefully applied to only public transport will have the long term effect of making it even less desirable for the masses, which will lead to cutbacks and closures in the future.
Because masks reduce the likelihood of transmission without stopping it completely. Social distancing also reduces the likelihood of transmission without stopping it completely. Put the two together and you reduce the likelihood of transmission by more than if you only apply one of them.
Evidence? Both measures are still under scientific scrutiny, and of course might only apply when people actually have the virus. So can you quantify how much protection both measures actually afford the population.
Prejudice, laziness and selfishness. It is very unlikely that there are other reasons.
I'm sorry but this is completely wrong. Many people, of whom I am one, object to these measures for a number of reasons. Here are some:
- There is no real scientific consensus on the effectiveness of non-symptomatic people wearing them to prevent the spread.
- The World Health Organisation still only recommend the use of masks if you are either showing signs of symptoms (in which case you really ought to be staying at home, or you are taking care of someone with symptoms (and in these cases you should be using an approved masks, not one made out of an old t-shirt). The link is below.
- The World Health Organisation also states that those people who they recommend mask usage should do so following strict protocol which includes washing hands directly before putting on a mask, and immediately after removing them, ensuring that they fit tightly, not touching them at any time, and replacing them when they become damp. The link is again below. This will not happen on public transport, and we all know it.
- There is no exit strategy to their use, meaning that those people eager to impose compulsory mask wearing will continue to push for them well beyond the lifespan of this current situation.
- Many people find masks uncomfortable, or find interacting with people wearing them uncomfortable. Which is understandable as they are not natural, and something that can & does act as a barrier to social interactions.
- The whole idea that masks can help stems from the deliberately misrepresented notion that people in the Far East wear them as standard to stop infections. They did not, as noted further up in my thread, masks were worn when people were displaying symptoms of a cold or flu. This mistruth alone should be enough to make people sit up and take notice.
Quotes from the WHO website:
When and how to use masks
WHO's guidance and advice on the use of masks to protect against and limit the spread of COVID-19.
www.who.int
- If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with COVID-19.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly
- Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
- Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
- To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.