I’m sure I have an unpopular opinion but does anyone else feel like the mass push for facial coverings and masks has very little benefit? Think about it (I know this is immature, so forgive me) if a fart can go through underwear and a pair of jeans... can’t good ol’ Rona go through a piece of cotton? Not only that, the general public is not educated in how to wear PPE and are not wearing the masks or gloves correctly.
Frankly... mask and gloves provide them with a false sense of security.
As nurses, we are keenly of what’s clean or sterile so we can do a pretty good job navigating ourselves in public during this pandemic. However, not trying to be disrespectful or anything, watching the public on with their masks and gloves on is quite entertaining to say the least. I was in Whole Foods recently and you can see who’s a medical professional from a mile away as it’s obvious to see which hand they’ve designated as their “dirty hand” and how they hold they hand in resting position while grocery shopping! If I can smell my coffee through my mask as I pick up a new bag from the shelf and toss it into the cart, then Rona ain’t going to be fooled by my mask. I’m not willing to waste an N95 for grocery shopping. I just don’t see the need for a mask out in public unless you have a new or sudden change in cough or are immune compromised. We will always have rouge individuals who will defy advice and not wear a mask when sick, but I’m talking about the general public. I do see the benefit when you have a cough as it will stop the droplets from traveling further. But just breathing in and out can transfer this virus... I don’t know how a mask will provide protection from this. I live in a fairly wealthy area where almost EVERYONE is wearing a mask in public. For those who are not wearing a mask, is it because of a conscious decision, typically unrelated to financial reasons.
My case is: I don’t see the efficacy of surgical/homemade masks against coronavirus for healthy individuals.
According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta(,the European strain was more virulent than the Wuhan strain. He said that on Cnn's townhall meeting on Covid 19.
At this point, it's probably too early to tell if the spread from Europe is more virulent or if the spread of one type over another was the result of random occurrence. The virus is too new for any of this to have been actually tested.
The Atlantic has a good article on why we shouldn't put much stock into the reports of new strains at this point.
Cloth masks might not be effective at eliminating viral spread, but they can be helpful in mitigating spread and decreasing viral load when transmission occurs. They are a harm reduction strategy, not a guarantee of containment. We accept harm reduction in other areas as being worthwhile, even when we know they are not absolute preventatives. We wear seatbelts, not because they guarantee survival, but because they improve the odds. Masks do the same.
Agreed wholeheartedly.
And even if retrospective studies controlling for mask-wearers using other social distancing strategies/hand hygiene show the masks themselves did little in preventing infections of the wearers, one thing the effort of all the sewers in this country will have done is lower the amount of PPE purchased by private individuals that are needed by health care workers.
And with how many reports there are of staff in high-risk situations being told they are supposed to use the same procedure mask all shift.... well, again, I see it as a win/win to encourage cloth masks for/when dealing with the general public.
I'm really on the fence with this one. I fully support any private business (or public facility for that matter) who requires people to wear a facial covering in order to enter. I see it as an extension of no shirt, no shoes, no service. If I prefer to shop commando, then I may be limited to wear I can shop and that's a consequence of my choice not to comply with mask-wearing. There are workarounds for those who truly do not wish to ever wear a mask on their face in public, no matter how stylish the mask may be.
While universal masking is full of good intention, the vast majority of people (including healthcare workers!!) are not wearing masks correctly. Anecdotally speaking for myself only, I see people in public adjusting their masks ALL THE TIME or lifting it off their face in order to talk to someone. At work, people are constantly pulling them down under their chin so they can breathe, drink, or eat - essentially turning their mask into a crumb and drip-catcher.
Does wearing a homemade mask protect me? Doubtful. Does wearing a mask help protect others? Maybe. Does wearing a mask hurt me? No. Does wearing a mask hurt others? No. Will I mask up while I'm out shopping? Sure. But since I know that my stylish fabric mask will do little to actually protect me from COVID-19, I'm going to rely on the old faithful tactic of washing my hands and not touching my face.
The majority of frontline workers I know have not been wearing masks in public unless mandated. I wear a mask simply to avoid attracting attention to myself and the hostile people who want to control everyone. There is way too much fear mongering out there!
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
16 hours ago, eggyweggy said:
I'm really on the fence with this one. I fully support any private business (or public facility for that matter) who requires people to wear a facial covering in order to enter. I see it as an extension of no shirt, no shoes, no service. If I prefer to shop commando, then I may be limited to wear I can shop and that's a consequence of my choice not to comply with mask-wearing. There are workarounds for those who truly do not wish to ever wear a mask on their face in public, no matter how stylish the mask may be.
While universal masking is full of good intention, the vast majority of people (including healthcare workers!!) are not wearing masks correctly. Anecdotally speaking for myself only, I see people in public adjusting their masks ALL THE TIME or lifting it off their face in order to talk to someone. At work, people are constantly pulling them down under their chin so they can breathe, drink, or eat - essentially turning their mask into a crumb and drip-catcher.
Does wearing a homemade mask protect me? Doubtful. Does wearing a mask help protect others? Maybe. Does wearing a mask hurt me? No. Does wearing a mask hurt others? No. Will I mask up while I'm out shopping? Sure. But since I know that my stylish fabric mask will do little to actually protect me from COVID-19, I'm going to rely on the old faithful tactic of washing my hands and not touching my face.
Usually the CDC and local public health professionals coordinate massive public education programs to increase compliance and participation with the necessary health mandates. Trump's CDC is not providing that level of leadership.
Usually the CDC and local public health professionals coordinate massive public education programs to increase compliance and participation with the necessary health mandates. Trump's CDC is not providing that level of leadership.
"Trump's CDC" isn't providing that leadership because Pres. Trump speaks and acts against wearing a mask.
I don't think I could handle having him as my boss.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
On 5/12/2020 at 10:01 AM, Thanksforthedonuts said:
Now I see what you say about emitting particles just by breathing. I think I touched in this vaguely in my original post. Will the surgical mask prevent particles such as these from entering my simple surgical or homemade mask? These masks become less effective the longer we wear them, if I remember correctly.
well I wash my masks daily - dry in a hot 120 degree dryer - and hit them with a hot iron afterwards. My kerchief masks that I make at home have 9 layers of fabric and a pocket to stick a folded coffee filter into. I have been told that if you want to see if your mask is basically effective don it and attempt to blow out a candle. If the candle goes out it probably isn't protective enough!
WOW!. Having a hard time accepting nurses are saying much of this! (Fashion statement and whatnot)
Masks work.
Right - some people are getting bothered by them, and pull them down below their noses. But I thought we were told to act like we all have the virus. As an infected person, then, I need to cover my nose and mouth. This is what we do with suspected TB patients. First thing - give them a mask.
Last time I checked, 44 grocery store workers (every bit as "front line" IMO) have died from SARS CoV-2. Does that not tell us anything about the need for wearing masks indoors?
We should be wearing a mask in places where we can't social distance. It hurts to see so many nurses downplaying how masks control infections during a pandemic.
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According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta(,the European strain was more virulent than the Wuhan strain. He said that on Cnn's townhall meeting on Covid 19.