Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[GB72]

You're probably best engaging with that one. Its just blatant trolling.

Ethan, is there any published evidence as to the efficacy of face coverings?
Things like home made cloth masks, snoods and disposable masks that have been used for months?

I'm genuinely interested as I'm not convinced by it, based on the efforts we have to go through to get people to wear and dispose of mask properly.

I am sure that I read an article last year that stated that snoods and gaters were actually worse than wearing no covering at all. Ditched all of mine and swapped them for masks so as not to take any chances but the reasearch on which were more effective never seemed widley published

 

[RichA]

There is a collective madness here, evidenced by many of you on this thread. A virus that kills a tiny minority that has now been vaccinated against is still dominating the lives of Brits and it is absolutely ridiculous. But don't let that stop some of you shouting any dissenting voice down. I think you're all mildly crackers to be honest.

My own observations on here and in real life are that the vast majority of us are trying to get on with normal life while making adjustments to fit in with the law, the guidelines and decent behaviour for a civilised society.
Maybe if you dissent in a less extreme and argumentative way you won't get "shouted down." Unless you're trying to provoke an argument, of course.

 

[Ethan]

You're probably best engaging with that one. Its just blatant trolling.

Ethan, is there any published evidence as to the efficacy of face coverings?
Things like home made cloth masks, snoods and disposable masks that have been used for months?

I'm genuinely interested as I'm not convinced by it, based on the efforts we have to go through to get people to wear and dispose of mask properly.

There is ample evidence, and Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance reiterated this last evening. Here is one example, and a fact check. It is quite hard to do a double blind randomised study for masks, but evidence from testing masks, and from seeing infection rates in settings where they are used compared to settings of similar risk where they are not support their use. Masks are normal practice for surgeons and theatre nurses, and there is no evidence whatsoever that they, including asthmatics, are adversely affected by masks.

They are not a panacea, but with no risk attached, the benefit-risk is clearly favourable.

 

[Ethan]

My own observations on here and in real life are that the vast majority of us are trying to get on with normal life while making adjustments to fit in with the law, the guidelines and decent behaviour for a civilised society.
Maybe if you dissent in a less extreme and argumentative way you won't get "shouted down." Unless you're trying to provoke an argument, of course.

In the culture war, some people want to be seen as the oppressed or down-trodden. It gives them a feeling of justification for what they see as their brave fight back.

 

[road2ruin]

You're probably best engaging with that one. Its just blatant trolling.

Ethan, is there any published evidence as to the efficacy of face coverings?
Things like home made cloth masks, snoods and disposable masks that have been used for months?

I'm genuinely interested as I'm not convinced by it, based on the efforts we have to go through to get people to wear and dispose of mask properly.

The problem is that for every article you find to say they work you can find another that says they don't. I think the type of mask is probably at the crux of the question, if it's the bog standard cloth one then they're almost certainly no good and may result in an increased risk of infection due to moisture retention, reuse and poor filtration. If everyone wore properly fitted surgical masks then there may be a greater affect however this isn't feasible for this to work properly they've had to be single use which would create it's own issues.

Even today, Professor Robert Dingwall, Deputy CMO/member of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation (JCVI) has said that the evidence for masks isn't strong in either direction.

 

[SocketRocket]

You're probably best engaging with that one. Its just blatant trolling.

Ethan, is there any published evidence as to the efficacy of face coverings?
Things like home made cloth masks, snoods and disposable masks that have been used for months?

I'm genuinely interested as I'm not convinced by it, based on the efforts we have to go through to get people to wear and dispose of mask properly.

If you place a barrier like a mask over your mouth and nose it must reduce the projection of breath and droplets being expelled. They will still be expelled but if they travel a shorter distance from you then the mask has to be a benefit. Of course the benefit will be proportional to the filtering quality of the covering.

 

[road2ruin]

There is ample evidence, and Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance reiterated this last evening. Here is one example, and a fact check. It is quite hard to do a double blind randomised study for masks, but evidence from testing masks, and from seeing infection rates in settings where they are used compared to settings of similar risk where they are not support their use. Masks are normal practice for surgeons and theatre nurses, and there is no evidence whatsoever that they, including asthmatics, are adversely affected by masks.

They are not a panacea, but with no risk attached, the benefit-risk is clearly favourable.

But they're using surgical, single use masks which is not what the majority of the population use?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

For what it's worth, I've spent over 3 hours every working day on public transport to and around London for the last 18 months. I've witnessed the odd comment about masks or lack of masks. I haven't witnessed a single dispute that threatened to go beyond tutting.

We can but hope that that continues now that it's all down to personal choice - but as noted - the experience of the United States is that once it's down to personal choice then conflict arises.

 

[Bdill93]

The great mask debate.

Interestingly, in my school where I am seemingly now just managing Covid cases daily, when it comes to masks and contact - they seemingly make no difference.

Any time I am conducting a contact tracing exercise with the Local Outbreak Response Team at our county council, they ask questions related to social distancing. If you have been in close personal contact with or without a mask it is irrelevant - you will still be told to isolate. Really gets me thinking, whats the point in masks then really? I thought they were to stop the spread but it seems that if you're within 2m of a positive case, youre stuffed regardless of the mask.

I do not mind wearing one when I have to, we have implemented single use masks only on site in an effort to avoid cross contamination as many people dont regularly wash their reuseable masks.

I will stress, I'm not anti mask at all. The only negative for me is steamed up glasses - I can live with that! Just found it interesting that distance of contact seems to be the real key!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I am not wearing a mask any more. It makes no sense to me and my wife who is a medic, completely agrees. Wear a mask to walk into a pub with three mates, sit down and you can all take them off and sit together. Same air, same space. In fact you're closer to each other than you were when you walked in. It is an utter nonsense. Or wear a visor that stops nowt! Completely crazy.

The vulnerable are all double jabbed as well? And if in two weeks time the government are going to remove compulsory masks, what will change in the next 13 days to mean circumstances are radically different? The world has gone absolutely crazy. In the US, where they are nowhere near our level of vaccination, masks and social distancing have been consigned to history for over 6 weeks and they are back to normal, living with the virus like they do with countless others.

There is a collective madness here, evidenced by many of you on this thread. A virus that kills a tiny minority that has now been vaccinated against is still dominating the lives of Brits and it is absolutely ridiculous. But don't let that stop some of you shouting any dissenting voice down. I think you're all mildly crackers to be honest.

...and if I am in close proximity to you and ask you to put one on as I feel uncomfortable...you'll just ignore my request? - despite the guidance given yesterday about respecting such requests and the statements of the chief medical and scientific advisors.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

We can but hope that that continues now that it's all down to personal choice - but as noted - the experience of the United States is that once it's down to personal choice then conflict arises.

I'm not sure using the US as an example is comparable. They get angry very quickly about personal rights etc. Any area where govt touches them gets a very quick kick back in certain states. We do nto, thankfully, have that same mentality. We largely accept that govt has a role.

 

[road2ruin]

...and if I am in close proximity to you and ask you to put one on as I feel uncomfortable...you'll just ignore my request? - despite the guidance given yesterday about respecting such requests and the statements of the chief medical and scientific advisors.

And if you're in close proximity to me in your mask and I then feel uncomfortable as I don't know that you're not mouthing swear words at me would you just ignore my request? Not entirely serious but it works both ways!

 

[PNWokingham]

...and if I am in close proximity to you and ask you to put one on as I feel uncomfortable...you'll just ignore my request? - despite the guidance given yesterday about respecting such requests and the statements of the chief medical and scientific advisors.

If you are in close proximity to someone after the 19th and feel uncomfortable I suggest you move away. Asking someone to put a mask on then could lead to a rather nasty outcome!

 

[The Dog.]

My own observations on here and in real life are that the vast majority of us are trying to get on with normal life while making adjustments to fit in with the law, the guidelines and decent behaviour for a civilised society.
Maybe if you dissent in a less extreme and argumentative way you won't get "shouted down." Unless you're trying to provoke an argument, of course.

I am not being extreme or provocative or argumentative. Or trolling. These are seemingly just the words many of you use when you attempt to climb to the moral high ground or virtue signal. As is the suggestion that I am somehow uncivilised or indecent. The internet is great for you eh? I am sure you would not be saying this to my face in a pub because that would absolutely not be decent behaviour in a civilised society and you'd get a robust response too.

It seems to be that if you don't like something you stick a label on it - trolling! And wait for the rest of your clique to come and give you a reassuring message of support or for a moderator to step in with the same narrow world view. Or worse still, click on report because you don't have the wit or charm to respond properly. It's pathetic.

 

[BiMGuy]

...and if I am in close proximity to you and ask you to put one on as I feel uncomfortable...you'll just ignore my request? - despite the guidance given yesterday about respecting such requests and the statements of the chief medical and scientific advisors.

Why would you put yourself in a situation where you are in close proximity to someone not wearing a mask?

Just move away, or don't go near in the first place. Especially dogs.

 

[The Dog.]

...and if I am in close proximity to you and ask you to put one on as I feel uncomfortable...you'll just ignore my request? - despite the guidance given yesterday about respecting such requests and the statements of the chief medical and scientific advisors.

I would give you a big hug to make you feel better.

In reality though, terrified people like you tend to leap out of the way when a selfish, maskless individual dares to be in your proximity. However if you did ask me to put a mask on, I would politely explain that I am exempt from wearing them.

editted for profanity.

 

[SocketRocket]

I'm not sure using the US as an example is comparable. They get angry very quickly about personal rights etc. Any area where govt touches them gets a very quick kick back in certain states. We do nto, thankfully, have that same mentality. We largely accept that govt has a role.

That's a bit of a generalisation of Americans. My son and his family live in Illinois and mask wearing is a legal requirement. He tells me people in his district are quite good and infection rates are very low.

 

[The Dog.]

Why would you put yourself in a situation where you are in close proximity to someone not wearing a mask?

Just move away, or don't go near in the first place. Especially dogs.

Careful flower - you'll hurt my feelings. Better than dropping the C-Bomb on me again though I guess.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And if you're in close proximity to me in your mask and I then feel uncomfortable as I don't know that you're not mouthing swear words at me would you just ignore my request? Not entirely serious but it works both ways!

...and why would you feel uncomfortable about me wearing a mask in your presence?

 

[BiMGuy]

I would give you a big hug to make you feel better.

In reality though, terrified people like you tend to leap out of the way when a selfish, maskless bastard dares to be in your proximity. However if you did ask me to put a mask on, I would politely explain that I am exempt from wearing them.

A muzzle would be more appropriate.