So - now masks protect the wearer?

Biscuitcruncher Idf the answer was as simple as just wearing masks the disease would have disappeared long ago. Wearing masks is just one of several methods that help to reduce the transmission of the virus.

I do not wear a mask at home when just DH and our bubble are there but if anyone else comes into my home - when we had a kitchen fitter in, I wore a mask and so did he. Now DH is home from hospital, I wear one to open the door to anyone.

These things only work, if we wear them wherever there is a chance of the virus being handed on.

MOnica you must be so scared and on edge all the time, that's so sad

No she isn’t because she understands the different ways that she may become infected and protects herself. Also, and I assume you don’t know this, her husband has recently left hospital. So I think you should apologise for your remark.

Biscuitmuncher

MOnica you must be so scared and on edge all the time, that's so sad

When do you wear a mask ? What measures are you taking to avoid Covid ?

Do you wear a seatbelt in the car, biscuitmuncher?
Do you have insurance in case your house goes on fire?
Do you look both ways before you cross the road?
Wear oven gloves to take a casserole out of the oven?
Keep sharp knives well away from toddlers?

If you say yes to any of these, are YOU "scared and on edge all the time" ? Or do you just get on with things, knowing you have taken sensible precautions?

It is obvious that you have not had a husband seriously ill with CoVid19. Maybe it wouldn't bother you if you did.

One thing that puzzles me about the call to wear masks outside all the time is the good ventilation issue. It has been argued that one of the reasons the virus has spread rather quickly in hospitals and care homes is because of lack of ventilation. This is partly (as well as the high incidence of co-morbities in such settings), I am sure, because ill people and old people who don't move around very much get cold easily; opening windows can make keeping people warm much harder.

Anyway, to cut to the point, if good ventilation affords some protection from viruses (and probably other bugs), why do some people think it is necessary to wear a mask out of doors? Take it as read that social distancing is occurring out of doors. It is where I live.

Biscuitmuncher I am not scared or on edge. I have simply established a set of protocols to protect my very vulnerable DH from this new and very infectious version of COVID and I adhere to them. Most of the time we are on our own so can continue life indoors as if COVID was not around.

My home is my castle and anyone entering it obeys my rules.

More infections seem to occur indoors than out, Baggs so it is where people come close to one another in homes, shops, hairdressers and so on that masks protect. I think most people do the same as I do - carry a mask while on my way to the shops but only put it on to enter.

I suppose it is a matter of belt and braces, also it is easy to forget the mask entirely while planning what to buy, and walk in without it.

I think the problem is that with these new variants you can become sick from a much smaller viral load and being outside just reduces the viral load. Until we understand more about these new strains we have to take any extra precaution possible as the r rate has to be reduced to way below one to prevent community spread.

Without the sensible precautions, we'd all be more scared and on edge, like those faced in 1348 with an inexplicable and lethal plague, and only prayer and superstition to protect them.

I don't even know anyone who's been ill with it! Yet I've had two people sectioned because of the new restrictions

Elegran

More infections seem to occur indoors than out, Baggs so it is where people come close to one another in homes, shops, hairdressers and so on that masks protect. I think most people do the same as I do - carry a mask while on my way to the shops but only put it on to enter.

Yep. That's my appraoch too, elegran.

Biscuitmuncher

I don't even know anyone who's been ill with it! Yet I've had two people sectioned because of the new restrictions

Are you a doctor ? You say you have “had” two people sectioned

There's been two members of my sectioned, my mum because shielding went very wrong and my friend who struggled with living alone and working from home, hope that's a little easier to understand Lucca

Do you live alone on a desert island, biscuitmuncher?

Because you personally don't know anyone who has been ill with the virus, do you believe that the many, many posters who have known people with it, or lost family and friends to it, are telling lies?

How many people have you known who were seriously injured or died in a car accident? Whose houses were badly damaged by fire or accident? who were knocked down crossing the road? Who got third degree burns by lifting a hot casserole dish? Whose child was injured playing with the carving knife?

If you don't know any of those people, why do you bother with the insurance, the oven gloves, the child-proof lock on the knife drawer? Or do you just not believe that anything can be potentially dangerous until you see the blood flow with your own eyes? Or feel the pain yourself?

Or are you just enjoying being controversial and going against common sense?

My sister is in hospital with corona virus.

You've already done the house insurance, oven glove thing

Things need repeating several times before they really sink in.

I don't know anyone who's been ill with covid either. The team I work with are carers in the community. None of them and none of the people they've been visiting during the past year have become ill with covid. Some of the people they have visited have died but not of or even with covid. Others have had periods in hospital for other reasons; they also have not contracted covid.

My eldest DD thinks her family was affected by covid (they all had symptoms except her) but none of them were ill (they did isolate for the required time).

On a visit to Japan a few years ago people were seen wearing masks which for us looked a little different shall we say. now the world at large are wearing masks so not so odd now. I don’t mind in the least wearing a mask I would step back from someone in close contact with me if they’re not wearing one. Keep safe everyone.

Baggs I knowa few people who tested positive but had no symptoms and I know a few with bad coughs. My mum lives in an old age community and she doesn't know anyone. And I don't live in the middle of no where but in a West Midlands city

Biscuitmuncher I’m sorry to hear of your two relatives but that is not surely a reason to disbelieve the news if 2million people worldwide who have died of Covid, are you suggesting all the doctors in every country lied ? I just don’t get this attitude, sorry.

So those people who had no symptoms but tested positive could have assumed they were perfectly healthy and gone around for a week or more spreading it to dozens of other people - some of whom could have been very ill with it, or died? THAT is how them wearing a mask would work to help stop transmission. I do hope they did wear one!

Biscuitmuncher Just because you do not have personal experience of C19 does not mean the situation is not serious. In the hospital where my son in law is a consultant there are 30 people on ventilators and several hundred people on the wards with C19. These people are very poorly and suffering dreadful symptoms. Most of the admissions to the hospital are for Covid19. Staff are falling ill. The hospital is desperate for qualified doctors and nurses to come forward to help with the terrible situation. The NHS is in crisis. Please don't ignore the rules. Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay 2 metres apart. Stay at home. Support the NHS and ultimately, help us all to come out of this alive. I personally know people who are currently ill and I know someone who has died from Covid. I have sympathy with your mum whose mental health is affected.